Barby towards Brinklow

Passing Barby moorings I noticed this plot of land was for sale. The sign was asking for offers over £90,000 ($130,000). Only services are mains water supply.

 The plot for sale is arrowed. The X`s mark the original route of the Oxford canal before straightening in the 1830`s.

End of garden mooring using floating pontoon. Guessing the metal work, at each end, is holding the pontoon in place. Not very nice looking. There is an underwater obstruction along the wall but surely if the pontoon was lightly fixed to the wall the boat could be tied directly to the land via rings. It would avoid all the goal post looking structure.

 As you come under Tarry`s Bridge number 74 the old stables on the left have all been converted to office use and the old pub on the right is part of Wharf Farm.

Looking at an 1886 map the pub was called the Fox Inn, all later maps list it as Wharf Farm. Some history about this place but nothing comes up on basic searching.

 Hillmorton top lock. Three pairs of single locks the bottom two being number one on the annual lockage report with a total of 9,101.  Pages 21 and 28 relate to Hillmorton, the figure is 16% down on last year.

 Outside the Canalchef restaurant are motor Badsey and butty Angel.

 Enough time while Jaq gets Nb Valerie in the bottom lock for me to look over the arm that was once the Oxford Canal Company`s workshops and dry dock.

 This is the usual view of the Barley Mow pub at Newbold.

 As we past I was thinking they had a motor home convention taking place. It seems they are now a site for BritStops and offer parking spaces free for 24 hours. These three seem to have grabbed the canal side spaces. I guess the hope is people use the pub for a beer or meal and in this instance a bath or laundry room hire. Boaters welcome to hire theses facilities. LINK. There are several canal related sites if you click through the gallery.
A similar scheme operates in the U.S.  LINK.

We carried on for about an hour and Moored at All Oaks Wood Brinklow.