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South Oxford Cruise


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I know this is a little premature for a cruise diary but since we're in the planning stage I wanted to have a gander and see where the nice mooring points are between Braunston and Oxford. :)

I'm particularly worried by the closeness of the M40 between Cropredy and Aynho. Are there places where the noise isn't so noticeable? :eardefenders: Maybe we should aim to stop at Cropredy then press on to Somerton or beyond? What do the experts advise?

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Expert? ?

As the S Oxford is my 'home' canal I've spent a fair amount of time on it in recent years. Whilst I would accept that there are one or two spots where  noise from the motorway is evident ( near crossovers) I've never found it a nòisy canal. Nothing like as bad as say the GU / M1. 

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There are a number of very nice moorings in Cropredy Village between the lock and the bridge, opposite the Church. If they are full it used to be possible to get an overnight mooring in a vacant Permitted mooring on the other side of the bridge if you consulted the Moorings Warden, but i dobn't know whether that arrangement still exists.

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17 minutes ago, Slim said:

 ... I would accept that there are one or two spots where  noise from the motorway is evident ( near crossovers) I've never found it a noisy canal. Nothing like as bad as say the GU / M1. 

That's reassuring! I'm quite intolerant of road noise and found the stretch of the Trent and Mersey that's next to the A38 from Wychnor to Branston unbearable. I guess the M40 was built more recently than the M1 so perhaps the engineers were able to apply some the lessons learnt.

19 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

There are a number of very nice moorings in Cropredy Village between the lock and the bridge, opposite the Church. If they are full it used to be possible to get an overnight mooring in a vacant Permitted mooring on the other side of the bridge if you consulted the Moorings Warden, but i dobn't know whether that arrangement still exists.

Thank you, will bear that in mind :)

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I have just this minute returned 50 yards from the bar at The Pig Place at Adderbury to my boat. There is a slight hum which I have zoned out from the m40 half a mile away. I wouldnt worry about road noise on the south oxford. The trains intrude at several places, especialy Lower Heyford but its a fab canal.

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1 hour ago, George and Dragon said:

I know this is a little premature for a cruise diary but since we're in the planning stage I wanted to have a gander and see where the nice mooring points are between Braunston and Oxford. :)

 

I'd say virtually the whole length from Braunston to the outskirts of Oxford could be classed as 'nice mooring'. 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

The trains intrude at several places, especialy Lower Heyford but its a fab canal.

 

Intrude? Trains are FAB!!!

 

Its only a man with no soul who doesn't like trains and vintage diesels.....

 

:P

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1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd say virtually the whole length from Braunston to the outskirts of Oxford could be classed as 'nice mooring'. 

I agree, although quiet moorings are a problem in Banbury, specially near the bread making mills on the Northern outskirts. When the factory noise quietens down about 2am, the lorry loading takes over until about 5am!!! There can also be a lot of noise on the southern outskirts near the Iron Foundry and the traveller caravan site. Further down near Morrisons is not too bad.

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9 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd say virtually the whole length from Braunston to the outskirts of Oxford could be classed as 'nice mooring'. 

 

 

 

 

Intrude? Trains are FAB!!!

 

Its only a man with no soul who doesn't like trains and vintage diesels.....

 

:P

Oh nooooooooooooooo, you have me wrong I luuuurv PROPER trains like what we traveled on as kids and I luuurvvvvvvvv vintage diesels, just not on my boat. In reality I very nearly bought a boat,  three  boats ago with a bloody great Kelvin in it. In fairness though I wouldnt have looked after it properly and couldnt be arsed with the rigmarole to start it. If I did have a vintage engine a Kelvin would be my first choice, at least they are proper boat engines.

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13 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'd say virtually the whole length from Braunston to the outskirts of Oxford could be classed as 'nice mooring'. 

 

 

7 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

I agree, although quiet moorings are a problem in Banbury, specially near the bread making mills on the Northern outskirts. When the factory noise quietens down about 2am, the lorry loading takes over until about 5am!!! There can also be a lot of noise on the southern outskirts near the Iron Foundry and the traveller caravan site. Further down near Morrisons is not too bad.

Well out of about 50 plus miles I don't think a half mile of 'noisy' moorings in Banbury really spoil anything, Once I get in the cave, nothing is heard from the outside.

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8 minutes ago, matty40s said:

 

Well out of about 50 plus miles I don't think a half mile of 'noisy' moorings in Banbury really spoil anything, Once I get in the cave, nothing is heard from the outside.

 

About the only thing wrong with the 50 miles is a total lack of pubs serving top class real ale, once past The Folly. And I'm not even sure about theirs. 

?

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29 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I have just this minute returned 50 yards from the bar at The Pig Place at Adderbury to my boat. There is a slight hum which I have zoned out from the m40 half a mile away. I wouldnt worry about road noise on the south oxford. The trains intrude at several places, especialy Lower Heyford but its a fab canal.

No wonder its sodding raining, both on our boat and in the village. Had to stop work on boat and house.Can you please go south till I get the concreting done . Ta

 

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1 minute ago, roland elsdon said:

No wonder its sodding raining, both on our boat and in the village. Had to stop work on boat and house.Can you please go south till I get the concreting done . Ta

 

:D Ive been here this time since september!! minus a few little cruises. pop down for a beer sometime :cheers:

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Just now, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Hang on a second. WHAT bar is this? They have a bar now? With proper draft ale? !! 

 

 

Fraid no draught ale. In fairness though there are some good bottled ale, and fabulouso ciders and stuff. Well worth a visit and magnifico food from the shop or caff!!

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Just now, mrsmelly said:

Fraid no draught ale. In fairness though there are some good bottled ale, and fabulouso ciders and stuff. Well worth a visit and magnifico food from the shop or caff!!

 

I'm sure if they got a barrel of say London Pride in and advertised it to passing boaters, they'd sell it in a flash such is the drought on the southern Oxford.

 

 

They don't need to do the full 'pub' thing, just sell real ale like The Anchor at High Offley does and nothing else. They'd stack the bar out!

 

 

(And double their sales from the meat shop!)

 

 

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1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I'm sure if they got a barrel of say London Pride in and advertised it to passing boaters, they'd sell it in a flash such is the drought on the southern Oxford.

 

 

I can arrange that. Giles from Hook Norton brewery was here visiting us tonight so a real ale day or three is possible if a few chaps want to come. There are some good functions coming up this summer and I think you are right so I will organise some real ale :cheers: You are also quite correct that there is a dearth of good pubs on the south Oxford ☹️

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10 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I can arrange that. Giles from Hook Norton brewery was here visiting us tonight so a real ale day or three is possible if a few chaps want to come. There are some good functions coming up this summer and I think you are right so I will organise some real ale :cheers: You are also quite correct that there is a dearth of good pubs on the south Oxford ☹️

 

Brill!

 

Just a word of advice if its gonna have to be Hook Norton.... Proper "OLD Hooky" not that modern craft beer carp called just "Hooky" or no-one will stay for more than a pint...

 

Savvy?

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Brill!

 

Just a word of advice if its gonna have to be Hook Norton.... Proper "OLD Hooky" not that modern craft beer carp called just "Hooky" or no-one will stay for more than a pint...

 

Savvy?

 

 

Yep, can do, will sort somett out and let yas know :cheers: There is stuff already organised such as Mikron and pre Cropredy bash maybe I can sort some real ale for those events plus others!!

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28 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

What?!?

 

Well, first pub after The Folly is The Wharf at Fenny Compton, noted for cheap food in huge portions, and mediocre beer no-one has ever heard of.

 

Then there are the two pubs in Cropredy, the Red Lion (populated by locals who glare at you and serving crap beer), and the Brasenose Arms which everyone raves about but I find like the curate's egg. Several occasions I've been told 'real ale's off' in there by dilligaf staff. Other times I've had a good pint of TT Landlord, and even Doombar!

 

Next, there is Banbury. Probably some good pubs there but none on the waterfront

 

Keep going and a day later you get to The Rock Of Gibralter at Enslow, where the beer is.... well.....

 

Ok keep going and there is The Jolly Boatman near Thrupp, not been in there for years since I had a grim pint in there and the bogs smelt so GODAWFUL I left half of it and vowed never to go back. Bit further there is the anodyne The Boat Inn right in Thrupp which is a dead posh food establishment that happens to sell a bit of beer.  Good folk music nights in there but still no good quality real ale. 

 

And that's it really. If you want truly good real ale, cruise another canal. ?

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

About the only thing wrong with the 50 miles is a total lack of pubs serving top class real ale, once past The Folly. And I'm not even sure about theirs. 

?

Well it's darn sarf, innit.

 

If you want top class real ale you are in the wrong part of the country!

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It's worth noting that the Co-op in Fenny Compton sells a variety of beers - including, when we visited it at Easter, my current favourite Ubu from the fairly local Purity Brewery. They also sell a range of food, a commodity which many boaters find goes quite well with beer. It's a country mile's walk from the canal (take the track beside the marina and turn left at the bottom), but worth the effort.

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9 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

If you want truly good real ale, cruise another canal. ?

 

Amazing. In an era when the GBG list of brewers takes more shelf than the whole of the 1979 GBG...

 

I guess we'll be carrying some supplies. I understand the situation in Oxford itself is OK though I expect to need a mortgage to have what passes for a proper night out these days (4 pints).

 

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8 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

Amazing. In an era when the GBG list of brewers takes more shelf than the whole of the 1979 GBG...

 

I guess we'll be carrying some supplies. I understand the situation in Oxford itself is OK though I expect to need a mortgage to have what passes for a proper night out these days (4 pints).

 

 

Come to Wiltshire then.

 

You can get a decent pint for as little as £4.00 here, sometimes. 

 

 

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