Monday 8th April
We are still at Cropredy although we have moved about 3/4 of a mile out of the village today and are now moored downstream of Bridge 155.
Yesterday we did the usual – got up late. I say we got up late, well we did but we were woken early by a cockerel, in the field adjacent to us, who started crowing before it got light! We threatened to make a chicken soup but it didn’t take any notice of us and just kept on crowing. We had a leisurely breakfast, went for a walk and went to the pub.
The Brasenose Arms was full of silver bikers when we got there but we didn’t have any trouble getting a seat as they were all standing up. May be they had come a long way and were saddle sore!
In order to get to the water point this morning, before we moved up to where we are now, we had to reverse a couple of boat lengths and cross to the opposite side of the canal. We had to wait for the boat opposite to do a pump out and a hire boat to get water then we made our move. As we moored at the water point we noticed another hire boat edging backwards into the bridge hole.
Eventually they reversed past us to the winding hole. We asked them if they wanted to get water as we would not be long. One of the crew asked the driver and he said no, they weren’t getting water. As he started to make his turn his crew, who were on the tow path, ran round, over the bridge and when he got the bows in the winding hole grabbed the front rope and stood holding the boat. I thought they were going to try to get on and wondered why they had got off in the first place.
After a few minutes I asked them what they were doing and the driver said they were waiting for us to finish so they could get water! I said I though he had said they weren’t getting water, one of the women with him said she thought he had said they weren’t getting water too (so it wasn’t just me) and he said they were turning round first. I could see that! So they were now across the canal, blocking our exit from the water point and had to swing the back round so we could get past. I can’t help thinking that if they had waited for us to leave before doing anything it may have been easier for all of us, bless.
We walked back into the village this afternoon and went to The Red Lion again. They have a lovely dog in there called Shandy. We met the local CAMRA representative in there too, delivering their Oxfordshire newsletter. He was telling us the best pubs to go to in the area, especially the ones in walking distance from the canal.
Tomorrow we are going to Banbury on the bus because we can’t wait until we get there on the boat!
