Mystery location

[Chertsey]

I found this photo whilst clearing out my late mother's house this spring. I have no idea where it came from; it's even possible I took it myself. But where is it?

[junior]

T&M just north of Bartington Wharf but before the Dutton breach site?

Edited September 2, 2016 by junior

[LEO]

Nice pic, that tall radio mast may be a clue --------South Oxford?........

 

L

[IanM]

Nice pic, that tall radio mast may be a clue --------South Oxford?........

 

L

 

I think that's just a mark on the picture.

[MtB]

What an odd photo to have taken. There is probably something interesting in the field of view that lead to it being taken, but just doesn't show up.

 

I took a picture yesterday of a grey squirrel swimming across the cut. But the time my phone took the pic, the squirrel had just jumped out on the other side and gone, leaving me with an equally pointless-looking photo!

Looks to me like the K&A in Wiltshire...

[Scholar Gypsy]

 

I think that's just a mark on the picture.

 

Yes, a crease on the left - but perhaps Hillmorton radio masts (now demolished) on the right? I know the North Oxford doesn't look like that today.

[Chertsey]

The trouble is, I have no idea when it was taken either. And as Mike says, as to why..!

But I am very curious as to why my mother should have it, especially if it isn't one of mine.

 

My best guess was Northampton Arm but when I put it on the blog someone thought that was unlikely. Never considered possibility of North Oxford, I should have paid more attention the week before last. Northern T&M I don't know at all, nor K&A.

 

I guess there's never going to be a definitive answer, with such an absence of distinguishing features.

 

If they were the radio masts at Hillmorton, weren't there more of them?

Edited September 2, 2016 by Chertsey

[IanM]

I don't think there's any masts in that picture, they just look like marks on the image to me.

 

Fair amount of weed in the canal (if indeed that's what it is) too.

[junior]

Hillmorton was one of my first thoughts even without the mast, which i don't think is a mast anyway more likely a fold in tbe photo.

[Psycloud]

Are there any marks on the back of the photo. In the 60's/70's they used to print a processing date on the back. In later years they would print identifiers which you may be able to trace.

[magnetman]

Looks a bit like it might be in England

 

Not certain

 

River Wey maybe?

 

I really like the picture - very relaxing to look at.

[Chertsey]

There are no marks on the back of the photo.

I can't discern radio masts but there are possibly a couple of pylons - is rjasmith still around?

[Tony Brooks]

How about the Leicester Arm where the SSI is now?

[Bettie Boo]

Anyone have any idea what the black things are in the water between the boat and the swan?

[IanM]

Anyone have any idea what the black things are in the water between the boat and the swan?

 

Ducks I imagine.

[Chertsey]

Anyone have any idea what the black things are in the water between the boat and the swan?

I don't think they're ducks. I think they're shadows from prortuding masses of weed.

 

Now, IF I took this it could well have been on the Middle Levels, but the apparent presence of a towpath would appear to rule that out.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I don't think they're ducks. I think they're shadows from prortuding masses of weed.

 

Now, IF I took this it could well have been on the Middle Levels, but the apparent presence of a towpath would appear to rule that out.

 

 

.. and ditto the presence of hills? There aren't very many of those in the Middle Levels.

[Chertsey]

 

 

.. and ditto the presence of hills? There aren't very many of those in the Middle Levels.

 

It didn't look hilly to me, though maybe that is an issue of perspective. It looks like fields in the distance... Although they are green not black, so fair point.

[LoneWolf]

Looks Ashbyesque to me

[Chertsey]

Looks Ashbyesque to me

Ooh, never been there either but will be checking it out soon.

[LoneWolf]

Ooh, never been there either but will be checking it out soon.

 

Lovely & rural, especially the last section

 

It's the sky & light that makes me think Ashby - i'll try & hunt out some old photos

[magpie patrick]

I haven't a clue...

 

or rather I have but they only narrow the field of search

 

It has a near side and an off-side, one side is clearly maintained for access even if it's not used as a towpath

 

the countryside is not flat - the background may not be mountains but it is rolling a bit (rules out most of the fens)

 

the waterway is used but not well used (rules out the T&M I suspect)

 

If it's 60s or 70's it isn't the K and A, it's too clear for that (except for a few miles around Pewsey, the canal sections were derelict and unused - the bit around Pewsey had been cleared by the cruising club)

[alan_fincher]

I could believe Northern Oxford, but am not drawn towards Northampton Arm.

 

But I'm probably wrong!

[Tony Dunkley]

It could be one of the isolated stretches of the Grantham Canal that are 'in water' and have had some token dredging done, with the dredgings dumped in the canal bed, but right alongside the towpath. This has left a towpath wide enough to be mown with a farm tractor, as in the photo, and a relatively narrow width of canal.

If I had to make a guess as to where, I'd go for the length just East of Hickling.

[Chertsey]

I could believe Northern Oxford, but am not drawn towards Northampton Arm.

 

But I'm probably wrong!

 

Whether or not I was drawn towards the Northampton Arm always depended on which direction I was coming from... :-)