A great time in Banbury with the Kirks, but time is pressing and we have a long way to go before we get to Stoke Boats at Longport Wharf where Chrissie will be out of the water on hard-standing for the winter.
Its 110 miles or so and 57 locks and Newbold Tunnel, a short one at 250 yards.
We don’t want to be rushing about, especially in the Autumn when there’s so much to enjoy with all the changing colours.
So it’s North up the Oxford to Napton Junction, turn right onto the Grand Union to Braunston, left onto the North Oxford to Hawkesbury Junction and the 180 degree turn onto the Coventry Canal to Marston Junction, straight on skirting Nuneaton via Atherstone, Alvecote, Tamworth to Fradley junction again, Left here via Rugeley, Great Haywood Junction, Stone, Trentham and into Stoke.
The Folly Inn 
Bottom of Napton Locks 
Napton Windmill 
Peaceful cruising in the Autumn 
Autumn Colours 
Pic 1.Hawkesbury Junction. Jill about to negotiate the 180 degree turn right under the bridge 
Pic 2. Hawkesbury Junction. Jill swinging Chrissie under the bridge. 
Pic 3. Hawkesbury Junction and Jill emerges the other side of the bridge. 
Chilly at night now and time to get the Geraniums in overnight. Thank you Jlly for keeping them looking so good all season. 
Late October sunshine 
One of our favourite moorings, approaching Stone. 
Fuel Boat Halsall passing us on the Trent & Mersey 
North of Stone passing the Joules Brewery 
Autumn colour in November 2017 
Approaching Stoke on Trent now. 
Close to the City of Stoke, but still pretty countryside 
Festival Park Marina, Stoke. One of Black Prince hire centres. 
Middleport Pottery, as seen on TVs The Great Pottery Throw-down 
Longport Wharf, and the wet dock on the right and services further on. The end of our cruise. 
Longport Wharf old
I came across the very old B&W picture below of Longport Wharf, the warehouses on the right have long gone and the space now occupied with Narrowboats for Stoke Boats.
This is the end of our 2017 cruise, Chrissie will be taken out of the water overwinter at Stoke Boats. There were one or two things I wanted done on the boat, nothing serious but where better than where she was built.
And I know Russell will take care of her for us.
Here’s to 2018