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Used to be the last stop on my journey down southwards.

Now, it’s not. CRT have told me I need to go further in a year.

It’s probably no more than 1/2 way of the distance I need to cover.

Located

By the pub. Aynho has all the amenities. Shop/chandlers (expensive), coffee shop, pub. Boatyard.

Banbury locks have been broken for 10 days+ meaning that there weren’t any hire, or travelling boats as passage was blocked for 2 weeks plus.

I had a look around the locks last Monday, whilst I was in town. No-one was there and there was nothing going on. No plant. No nothing. Just a cordon around the lock.

Fairly pathetic considering a lot of people’s wellbeing and businesses depend on the traffic coming through Banbury.

Better for us boaters, marginally. Live-aboards anyhow.

After two weeks plus, the lock eventually got fixed and as I write this, the traffic is now flowing.

Boat painting

I’ve been touching up the side of the narrowboat. Something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time. Particularly on this side of the boat. It’s been neglected for a long time. More as a victim of circumstance. More often when I’ve moored up, it’s the other side which is against the bank.

Here in Aynho, I’m in a space where the bank is low enough, and the recent trimming of the wildlife has left me in a position where I can access the sides and paint them up.

5 coats

Is a standard level of coverage. 1 Primer if needed, 2 undercoat, sand down, apply topcoat x2.

I’m currently up to the final topcoat and the weather has changed.

The last 2 days it’s been raining.

Rain and paint don’t mix. Today I’m having to leave it.

Here’s a picture of Bonnie with the undercoat applied.

Away with the fairies

Hedge fairies that is. Some aggressive trimming by Canal and River Trust contractors threw a LOAD of bio-debris into the canal.

This is a mixture of reeds, grass, nettles, small trees and just about anything that grows on the towpath.

After coming through the locks, I had to open what’s called the ‘weed hatch’. Some of this bio-litter had become wrapped around the propeller and was slowing the boat down.

There was no shortage of it, as you can see.

The contractors tried to cut by the side of the boat twice in a week. I told them to stop as I didn’t want to clean the clippings off, as I’d had to do the day before.

Why they had to go down and do it twice? You don’t mow your lawn twice.

Like this foliage destruction in their wake, it seems a little over-zealous.

I didn’t have time to complain to the CRT, so I left it.

They maybe new contractors.

I knew they used to employ a group called ‘fountains’ to do all their trimming. It certainly wasn’t them. These guys were particularly busy and destructive.

We’ll have to see what happens in the future.

Bloxham steam rally

I was going to take a look around here which happened on the 24th June.

As a late arrival. I thought they might give let me in just for a quick look around.

The only picture I took was this one from the car-park an old steam tractor being loaded onto a transport.

I’d already cycled across the Cotswolds, it was neither here nor there that they wouldn’t let me in.

As you can see, they’re the little squiggle at the bottom.

Missed out on some candyfloss and pulled pork.

Ho hum

Comfy chair

Many people have commented on it.

I picked it up from Argos.

During the summer I can enjoy the long evenings with a glass of wine beside the canal. Unlike a camping or directors chair, you can lean right back.

You could sit there for hours…!

Other pictures

I cycled down to see Blenheim Palace.

One of the people in Whitney, a local town, told me I could get to see the place without paying the £22, (Park and Gardens), to get in. The ‘back entrance’ as she referred to it.

Blenheim Palace is not too far away, did a quick reccie on the bike.

There’s a cycle path part of the way to Coombe, the village closest to the entrance to the palace and gardens.

There’s a number of rights of way across. I guess you can take your pick which one you want to take.

Not all are accessible by bike.

Here’s some pictures.

Once I get closer to Oxford, it will be closer.

The Palace itself is on the outskirts of Woodstock.

That’s all for now folks.

Until next time. 👋