22nd June 2020 We leave our mooring on the North Oxford Canal near Willoughby and head towards Braunston, where the Oxford Canal meets the Grand Union Canal and is one of the busiest stretches of canal on the system. Although not the original meeting point the unique triangular junction has two iron bridges carrying the tow path over the canal. Although there seemed plenty of mooring here, it was very busy and we would have had to go past the junction to moor up, so we pick up water here but will return another day. We continue our journey on the Grand Union Canal main line heading towards Birmingham. there was some lovely moorings at the beginning of this stretch of the Grand Union Canal or is it the Oxford Canal? It seems that this section is shared, the Oxford Canal Company actually owned this stretch between Braunston Junction and Napton Junction, they charged excessive toll rates to their rivals in an attempt to get even with the Grand Junction Canal Company whose route between London and the Midlands was shorter and more successful. In 1929, it became part of the Grand Union Canal when several canals were merged. There are no locks on this section, no villages and the bridges are well spaced which makes for some very pleasant cruising. We moor just after Bridge 100 where we find a lovely little mooring spot with a gap between the hedge where we can watch the lovely sunset. This was a total of just 4 miles and we stay here for two nights.
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August 2021
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