Rugby to Oxford

[Turbuck]

We had such a great time last year as first timers on the Llangollen that we decided to do it again this year! We plan to go from Rugby to Oxford traveling for a total of 12 days.

 

Any suggestions where we should stop? We prefer places with pubs (of course).

 

Thanks for all of your help in the past!

 

[bottle]

You will be pushing it.

 

From Canalplanac

Totals

Total distance is 128 miles, 5¼ furlongs and 82 locks. There are at least 42 moveable bridges of which 32 are usually left open and 8 small aqueducts or underbridges.

This is made up of 118 miles, 5¼ furlongs of narrow canals; 10 miles of broad canals; 82 narrow locks.

This will take 66 hours, 43 minutes which is 9 days, 3 hours and 43 minutes at 7 hours per day. For calculation purposes this is taken as 10 days.

 

Remember your first and last days will be 'short' days.

 

Edit: this is for a return trip.

Edited September 21, 2014 by bottle

[Athy]

Sounds eminently feasible (assuming that this will be a return trip) as long as you do nice long days, eight hours or so per day.

Cropredy is an obvious stopping point (says he, who moors there and thus is a wee bit biased). Pretty village, quite well stocked canalside Londis shop, sanni station, café, Brasenose Arms plus one further irrelevant pub. Also consider Newbold.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Athy

[OldGoat]

- As Athy says, eminently do-able especially with a team of people. Being a rural canal there's not a huge selection of pubs - at least if you want a good overnight mooring.

 

The pub at Lower Heyford is OK and Kizzie's (if still open) in the boatyard does simple food.

The Boatman at Thrupp is good value and the mooring nearby is great.

 

If you chicken out en route, you can always catch a train or bus down to Oxenford from Banbury, Lower Heyford or Thrupp.

 

 

[john6767]

I know Napton to Oxford is easy in 4 days, so from Rugby 5 days each way should be OK, but what time of year are you doing this? If really this year, then the nights are drawing in already, so you will be stopping early evening even now.

 

Some places worth stopping on the trip, Newbold, Braunston, Bottom of Napton Locks, Fenny Compton, Cropredy, Banbury, Aynho, Thrupp, all have pubs.

[Turbuck]

Thanks, everyone!

 

 

We'll be leaving Rugby on Monday, September 29 and returning to Rugby Friday October 10.

 

It's just two of us, so I know we'll be pushing kind of hard. We got a fairly early start every day last year when we did this (same weeks), but the Llangollen had very few locks/bridges.

 

We don't necessarily HAVE to go to Oxford...I just wanted to see it.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Turbuck

[twbm]

The town is worth the visit, but for me, the canal just sort of fizzles out with no terminus basin or guarantee of a mooring, just a lock down into the river. I'd seriously consider leaving the boat up the Oxford near one of the stations and doing a day trip in and out to take the pressure off the available time. If you're into the Full English there's Micks cafe on the road from the railway station to the river that doesn't do much else.

[MtB]

I'd say there is SO much to see that you ought to give a trip such as that about six weeks, excluding Oxford itself.

 

The wild flowers, the churches, the villages, the isolated countryside, seems such a shame to tear past it all so you can say you got to Oxford in a week. And once you get there, there is a summer of exploring to do. Just visiting the colleges is a fortnight, and then there are the churches, the museums, the pubs, the music rooms, the galleries...

 

MtB

[Scholar Gypsy]

Please see earlier thread on the South Oxford, and there is also a recent one about moorings on the Northern Oxford.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Scholar Gypsy

[Athy]

_{Just a suggestion, then: moor on the North side of Banbury (because they have their Canal Day on the weekend of your trip so there will be A LOT of congestion.) There are two places to turn round, within a quarter of a mile of each other, before you get into town. Walk into Banbury. The railway station is quite centrally situated. Trains to Oxford run twice an hour, occasionally more frequently, and the journey time is about 20 minutes.}

 

_{If it's of interest, your schedule would allow you to arrive in Banbury on the Friday, visit Oxford on the Saturay, mingle in the canal Day (crowded but fun) on the Sunday and then set off back to Rugby after that.}

Edited September 22, 2014 by Athy

[Emerald Fox]

Hah! Have been a couple of times to the 'further irrelevant pub' /The Red Lion) in Cropredy and found it to be quite OK. If you have bicycles, there's The Bell Inn just up the hill (from Cropredy) in Great Bourton, and a further down & up will take you to Hanwell where there's the Moon & Sixpence pub which looked nice from the outside anyway.

 

Rugby-Oxford 64 miles = 5 days says Canalplanner netsite.

 

Fenny Compton - we were told that the Merrie Lion pub is worth a visit. On our list to check out.

 

Between Banbury & Aynho there's a place on the right hand side called 'The Pig Place' with a wooden platform which is very handy to stop at for mains electrickery if you want to vacuum your boat, and their little shop is well-stocked with all kinds of interesting foods.

We came across a boat wedged in a lock between Banbury & Aynho - they had their fenders down and it was because of this, so worth keeping an eye on yours. We pulled ours up then realised we didn't need to so dropped them again.

 

A very pretty nook to stop overnight at is opposite Clattercote Wharf (on the towpath side) - about half hour's walk north of Cropredy.

[Dharl]

Thanks, everyone!

 

 

We'll be leaving Rugby on Monday, September 29 and returning to Rugby Friday October 10.

 

It's just two of us, so I know we'll be pushing kind of hard. We got a fairly early start every day last year when we did this (same weeks), but the Llangollen had very few locks/bridges.

 

We don't necessarily HAVE to go to Oxford...I just wanted to see it.

How did you get on? We did Gayton-Oxford earlier this year over 12 days, combination of some long days and also some shorter days and loved it!

[Turbuck]

The trip was fabulous! The boat was not as "luxurious" as the one we rented last year on the Llangollen, but it was fine.

 

We had a couple of very rainy days, but pushed through and made the trip in 11 days, mostly cruising around 8 hours. Loved Oxford and Banbury. We went back to Banbury because we enjoyed it so much.

 

I worked most of the locks, so I brought my souvenir windlass home (we bought one with a longer handle).

 

I'm already planning next year's trip! Maybe Scotland or a one way somewhere.

[ditchcrawler]

The trip was fabulous! The boat was not as "luxurious" as the one we rented last year on the Llangollen, but it was fine.

 

We had a couple of very rainy days, but pushed through and made the trip in 11 days, mostly cruising around 8 hours. Loved Oxford and Banbury. We went back to Banbury because we enjoyed it so much.

 

I worked most of the locks, so I brought my souvenir windlass home (we bought one with a longer handle).

 

I'm already planning next year's trip! Maybe Scotland or a one way somewhere.

Good O, and well done.