Oxford to Sturdy's Castle: 5/4/2023

I must have overdone the TENS treatment on my knee last night, because when I woke up it was still sore, and remained so throughout the day, though fortunately it didn't get any worse. With 18.5k to walk and rain threatening this afternoon, I got an early start, and was on the Oxford Canal by 7:30. The initial canal path is quite well-laid, with a rubberised surface, and heavily used by cyclists and joggers as well as walkers, most of whom seem to be accompanied by small, black, curly-haired dogs. Hundreds of barges are moored along the edge, although not all of these were occupied, and some seem definitely derelict.

There are stringent rules for mooring periods on the canal; two days maximum close to a major town, two days free plus UKP25 per day further out; and further again you can stay for up to fourteen nights out of any month. There are a few zones where boat owners' associations seem to have negotiated an unlimited stay for their members, presumably in return for some canal maintenance work.

This is a cut-rate canal; the width is minimal, the lock gates have a single door worked by a long shaft, and at one point the canal makes use of a stretch of the River Cherwell, which -- as we shall see -- can cause problems. Further out the paving gives way to gravel, and then soil, and some of the edges are worn away, requiring watchful walking. 

The wildlife was strictly avian -- geese, including Cape Barren geese, who I assume must be imported; ducks, swans and the occasional marsh hen; red-breasted robins and pigeons in the trees alongside the path. The fork-tailed red kite, which was once endangered, has been restored to Oxfordshire, and it's common to see them in the skies. I thought I also spotted a couple of larger birds of prey, but they were too far off to identify. Some ripples in the water and a couple of hopeful fishermen suggested there was some underwater activity, but I didn't see any fish as such.

I was going fairly fast just to make sure I had enough time, and by 9:30 or so I had made it to Kidlington, a little town alongside the canal. I walked up to the high street via the back lanes, and found the Village Coffee Shop, which I had all to myself for a while apart from the two male proprietors. I ordered a coffee and chose the Chocolate Explosion from the cakes on display; and either they liked my face or it was approaching its sell-by date, because rather than a slice they gave me the whole remaining chunk, which amounted to about three serves. So my good resolutions about healthy eating were shattered at a stroke.

Back on the canal it was getting wilder and lonelier as I approached Thrupp. I had hoped to find a pub there, but I had made a mistake in starting so early; they don't open till eleven or sometimes twelve. So I took a brief detour to explore Thrupp Community Forest, which -- like everywhere else at the moment -- was very damp, and continued on past Annie's Tea Rooms to the junction with the River Cherwell.

Here I discovered one reason why the boats aren't running; the river stretch is in spate, and though you can get through the lock that will get you into it, the water pressure is just too great to get back out again. So all the boats are stuck above or below that stretch until the water goes down. This portion of the track was particularly muddy, and I was glad that I had my stick, though that didn't stop me from getting wet feet. 

After a kilometre or so the canal splits off again and the path improves slightly. I stopped to look at an old church, and then followed the canal as it curved back and forth through Enslow and past the Kingsground Narrowboats hire centre, which I believe is where we hired our boat back in 2007, though it was called Black Prince Narrowboats then. And here I saw the one and only moving barge on the canal, coming home to the hire centre with a very serious-looking couple on board.

Around a few more bends and past Kirlington Golf Club, and it was time to leave the canal at Pigeon Lock and head for my accommodation. This involved a complicated route crossing a couple of bridges, and a stretch where I either had to wade in ankle-deep water or hang on to a fence and work my way across. I chose the latter, but it didn't stop me getting wet feet again later, when the whole track between me and the main road was covered with water.

I followed a few nearly-deserted rural roads past Tackley and ultimately came out at Sturdy's Castle -- my destination -- around 2 pm. I don't know who Sturdy was, but he didn't know much about castles; it's basically a big house with a restaurant and a motel extension at the back, which seems to serve the purpose of a social club for the elderly folks nearby. I had a Caesar salad and a pint of chilled beer -- whose name I have, shamefully, forgotten; but it was very like all the other beer so far. I retired to my spacious and comfortable room about three, to dry my wet shoes and clothes on the heater and the heated towel rail. The drizzle was coming and going, and I didn't feel like going out again, so I just hunkered down for the night and had muesli bars for dinner. And the luggage transfer worked -- obviously, or I wouldn't have this laptop.

The official route back involves retracing my steps to the canal, but rather than starting the day with wet feet I plan to strike by road across to Tackley and north to Rousham and Lower Heyford, and rejoin the canal there. That missing stretch is probably the most desolate, on the far side of the railway line with no access to roads, so I'm quite happy to avoid it, particularly in this wet weather. This way should also be slightly shorter; about the same as yesterday. On this side there are buses and even trains, so if some part of my anatomy gives way I can be reasonably sure of getting to a safe haven. But it's morning now, and my leg seems to have made a good recovery. I've established that I can walk 18.5k in about 5 hours, with stops and side trips, even with a sore leg, so that makes the prospect of completing the walk reasonably bright.