Tuesday the 16th Of February. We almost get to Oxford.

After a few days at home, we returned to the boat yesterday. We walked down to Bakers lock (where the canal meets the river Cherwell) and happily found the levels in the river low enough for us to proceed south to Oxford.

The indicator board on the yellow; safe to proceed with caution.

This morning we woke to freezing weather, ice on the inside of the bedroom windows and a thin covering on the canal. However, bright blue skies boded well for cruising so we set off wearing all our winter clothes and Christmas gifts. We went through Bakers lock and onto the river. The flow was easy and all went well. After a half a mile or so, the river continued on but we made the sharp right turn into the Shipton Weir lock and back onto the canal.

Harold heads out of Bakers lock and onto the River Cherwell.

Harold makes for the Shipton Weir lock and the Oxford canal. Note our daffodils coming up in the foreground!
 

There was ice on the canal, although thin, and Harold did a bit of ice-breaking as we went along.

We went through the village of Thrupp with its rather pretty church right by the canal, and not so pretty rows of moored boats. Then almost immediately, we were into Kiddlington, enjoying looking at all the houses and back gardens as we passed. 

After a paltry three and a half miles, four locks and two swing bridges, we stopped on the southern edge of Kiddlington, preferring to leave for tomorrow the excitement (stress?) of Oxford and finding a suitable mooring there.