Arrangements are being made for family to visit us somewhere below Lower Heyford. Access to the canal is limited along this end of the canal. However there is a bridle way making it possible at Kirtlington. Left Aynho on a bright sunny but cold day after a few boats had passed breaking up the ice. Arrived at the deep Somerton lock and while waiting for No Problem to go down we watched all the ice moving towards the lock as it filled up. Crunching up in the moving water and flowing noisily down the byway. When both boats had got down the 12 feet two other boats were approaching to go up.
The bridges are all very low and narrow so we were obliged to remove our chimney and as a precaution, let the fire out as it does not burn well without a chimney. S n V had lowered their canopy to avoid damaging it. We passed down through 5 locks and travelled 9 miles before stopping just short of our intended meeting point as it had got much colder. Got inside, relit the fire and set up the sat dish.
By next morning the ice had reformed its hard flat surface but then a boat came crunching by. We were then able to move on to our mooring at the old Cement Wharf at Kirtlington. I walked up to the village to post the news letters while the girls went off for one of their long walks round this quiet countryside.
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