Thursday 12th June 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 9: Banbury to Aynho Wharf

Thursday 12^th June 2014 Oxford Canal Walk Ramble 9

Banbury Centre (Bridge 168) to Aynho Wharf, which is nearly 7 miles.

Margaret B, Hugh, Peter, Julie, Margaret C, Jean, Dot, Sue, Jem and we set out from Samuelson or Tramway Bridge (No168) and were soon walking through the outskirts of Banbury into the lush and very green countryside.

For a majority of this walk the M40 road, the Rugby to Oxford railway line and the River Cherwell are all close by and they take turns to cross the canal. This southern section of the canal, from Banbury to Oxford, was built slightly later and with economy measures in mind. Investors had fallen away as the railways became the ‘way to go ahead’. So, along here there are very deep locks with single gates, many wooden lift bridges and a scheme where the river crosses the canal.

Banburyshire was sunny and in the favourable conditions many flowers were blooming and insects flying (butter burr, yellow flag irises, common valerian, meadowsweet and banded demoiselle damselflies in abundance).

We saw many boaters out enjoying a leisurely cruise with their dogs. After passing under the M40 (rather noisy with lorries, sirens and the strimming gang working) we carried on to Twyford Wharf and bridge. Once there was a brickworks here and some associated kiln buildings remain on the caravan park, as it is now. Soon after here the nearly 200 foot tall and slender spire of St. Peter and St. Paul church at Kings Sutton came into view. Pevsner described this as ‘one of the finest, if not the finest of spires, in a county of spires’. 

After another mile or so we stopped for our picnic lunch by Tarver’s Bridge and the lock at Kings Sutton. Here Tarver ran a forge and the brick stable buildings remain on the opposite side of the lock. We chatted to people aboard ‘Smile and wave’ making their way up through the lock while their cute, small dog longed for a bite of a sandwich.

Kings Sutton village is fortunate in having a railway station that serves Birmingham and Marylebone, London.

Starting with a sharp right-hand, we followed round a large loop in the canal; along here it is particularly rural and in places the towpath is quite narrow with vegetation high on both sides.

 At the end of the loop first we saw ‘The Pig Place’, a smallholding with rare breed animals and a farm shop.  If you fancy the good life it is for sale at £500k.

Then, there is a winding hole and another deep lock. Next, is Nell’s bridge; one of the oldest (1787) and narrowest bridges on the Oxford Canal. It is quite hidden by the modern road bridge. We came up onto the B4100 road, as the towpath crosses over to the other side of the canal at this point. There is very little clearance for boats going into the lock and gauge markers are on the side to help. When the River Cherwell is in full flood it is unsafe to use the lock.

 Next we found ourselves walking over the River Cherwell upon a brick aqueduct at the point where the water from the canal and river mix. The river crosses the canal and weirs control the levels.  Nearby is the hexagonal-shaped Aynho Weir lock that is large enough for four boats. It has only a shallow fall, of about 1 foot, but is designed to allow sufficient water through to feed the much deeper lock at Somerton, three miles downstream.

We finished at Aynho Wharf near to where once there was a busy railway junction. When the Great Western Railway took over running the line it closed the station, so shortening the route between London and Birmingham. The local pub is called The Great Western and we finished our walk here and (most of us) had an ice-cream.