Simon and Wendy

Hello - I'm a newbie! My husband and I (residents of NJ USA), a friend from Manhattan, and two friends from London are planning a canal boat holiday starting on April 25th from Gayton Marina in Northamptonshire. We plan a round trip to Banbury. If any of you experienced boaters have any suggestions for beginners such as us, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Recommendations of good places to stop and to eat would also be very welcome. Thanks, Wendy