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England & Wales Cruising Maps in Acrobat (pdf) format

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All the Cruising Maps of England & Wales
publilshed by Waterway Routes in
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Supplied on a Data DVD including

360 x full A4 pages of maps

1 x large Acrobat (pdf) file including alll listed maps
38 x small Acrobat (pdf) files for each canal/ring

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Home > Route Information > Canals & Rivers >

Oxford Canal

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The Route

The Oxford Canal runs from Oxford, with links to the River Thames through the Sheepwash Channel and through Duke's Cut, to Hawkesbury Junction with the Coventry Canal.

The route is 127.77 kilometers (79.41 miles) long with 46 locks (including 3 paired locks at Hillmorton).

More details are shown in each of the sections below.

Introduction

The Oxford Canal runs in a generally north-south direction between Oxford and Hawkesbury Junction, to the north of Coventry. Construction started in 1769 and, when completed in 1790 provided part of a through route between the industries in the Midlands, via the Coventry and Birmingham & Fazeley Canals, and the markets in London, via the River Thames.

Today the canal provides an interesting cruising route through predominantly rural areas. The northern sections of the canal form part of the Warwickshire and Leicester cruising rings. The southern part of the route follows the River Cherwell and actually uses the river in places, with a very different atmosphere, but making navigation hazardous when the river is in flood.

Additional information has been contributed by Ann Ellis (AE).

Modernisation

When built, the Oxford Canal north of Braunston Turn followed a long twisting route as it followed the contours with the minimum of earthworks to reduce construction costs but covering 43 miles to reach Hawkesbury Junction, just 16 miles away in a straight line.

With competition from newer canals the Oxford Canal's owners modernised the canal with straighter sections omitting many of the more tortuous loops and substantially shortening the journey. These are recognisable as the straight sections and are usually on embankments or in cuttings as these are no longer on the level contour following route. Most of the former loops are closed and filled in, with a few partially remaining as short arms and used for mooring.

Photo Gallery

Take a virtual cruise along the Oxford Canal.

Hythe Bridge - Isis Lock Junction

Isis Lock Junction - Wolvercote Junction

Wolvercote Junction - Banbury

Banbury - Napton Junction

Napton Junction - Braunston Turn

Braunston Turn - Hawkesbury Junction

Sheepwash Channel

Duke's Cut

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