OXFORD CANAL:  
The North Oxford runs south from the Coventry canal, at Hawksbury Junction, down to Braunston where it shares it's course for a while with the later built Grand Union.  This northern section of the Oxford canal is nearer in character to the Coventry canal than the Southern Oxford Canal which leaves the combined course with the GU and runs south from Napton to Oxford on the Thames.

Whereas the Southern Oxford is a true 'contour canal' winding backwards and forwards following the contours of the land, it’s northern counterpart had great efforts made to straighten it’s course (and speed the route up in an attempt to compete with the more direct GU). For us the North Oxford is an important part of the route south - T&M - Coventry -North Oxford - Grand Union. It is also part of the Leicester ring (see R.Soar).
 

The stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction, having just left the Coventry.  This junction was actually known as 'Sutton Stop' by the boatmen.	Nth Oxford canal near Ansty.	Typical Farm Service bridge near Newbold.	Long straights have now cut off the meandering bends where the Oxford used to follow the natural contours of the land.  Here we approach Newbold Tunnel to go through, rather than round, a hill.
Here, south of Hillmorton, the canal still follows its straightened course - but here deeply rural.	Church on the hill as we near Braunston Junction.	The Oxford veers off to the right here, sharing it's course with the Grand Union until Napton. But this wasn't the original course of the meandering Oxford......	..... Now thought of as being on the Grand Union (and a few hundred yards south of the present junction) this was the original course of the Oxford heading west and south - now it's the entrance to Braunston Marina.  There are those who feel this is the centre of the canal system - we don't agree.

We probably wouldn't recommend a visit to the North Oxford, just for the sake of it - there are nicer canals to visit. But it’s not an unpleasant canal and it's an important link in the route south. But we do frequently use the northern Oxford, heading south to Braunston (to subsequently gain access to gorgeously rural Grand Union {Leics Section})

The South Oxford is charming in parts but, as with the Grand Union main line, once you start southbound on the Oxford from Napton you really need to keep going south to Oxford and the Thames. We do see the southern Oxford as being a more pleasant route south than the Grand Union.

It is also a pleasant link, southwards, for cruising the upper reaches of the Thames (from Oxford to Lechlade) - very pretty cruise.

Of course we would be delighted to do the full ring - from Braunston south on the Oxford Canal; southeast on the Thames to Brentford; then back up north to Braunston via the Grand Union - if anyone has a full couple of weeks to spare -- any offers?.

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