Hawkesbury

Yes, we actually got moving properly today and here we are glimpsed over the lovely long grass at Hawkesbury.

Not as bad as it looks, the path by the boats is mown as you see here

but the wider verge is left to grow as nature intended. Quite right too. Of course Hawkesbury junction is not all about nature and canal history, it also sits next to a mega electricity switching station with pylons stretching away in every direction.

The canal junction itself is well loved by boaters, having the super Greyhound pub and the stylish junction bridge

Standing on that bridge you can see what a tight turn boats have to negotiate from the North Oxford canal on the right to the Coventry canal on the left.

Someone has done some good planting at the little garden by the stop lock.  The bees were certainly enjoying it.

 

So that's the end of the Oxford canal until our return journey, but I shall look forward to that.  Not many people eulogise about the North Oxford, but I really like it, especially the section for All Oaks to Stretton Stop (which I neglected to photograph today) which is really lush, pretty and in the big cutting with its tall trees, mega impressive.

Thanks to Dave who sent this link  https://www.rose-narrowboats.co.uk/oxford-canal-and-stretton-history.htm which explains about the straightening of the N Oxford.  It would appear that it was done around the 1830s which makes those big embankments and cuttings even more impressive.