Exploring the backyard

The backyard to our place overlooks the Oxford Canal so since the sun was shining this morning, I decided to take a walk along the canal and see what there was to see. The canal goes all the way down to City Centre and beyond but I didn't make it that far.



the one on the far left it ours
the backyard


There were some interesting things on the walk- like this "Caution Moving Plant" sign. There was no plant around, much less a moving plant so I was a little confused. It for some reason reminded me of something that might be in a Monty Python movie.


Every couple hundred feet (or more, you know I have no judge of distance), there is a different bridge linking the two sides of the canal. Some, like this first one up river from the house is lower to the bank and therefore moveable for when the canal houseboats need to sail up and down street. This one, for example, was up and therefore I wasn't able to cross.



Most of the bridges downstream from the house were more traditional. This one is the closest one to the house and accesible by cars and pedestrians alike.


This one, however, was pretty low to the ground, as you can tell by how I can't stand straight underneath it. It doesn't seem to bother people though, as I passed people on bicycles, runners, people walking their dogs, etc.


Of course, you always get some interesting things lying on the side of the bank, such as this chair that seemed to have been in the bushes for so long the vines started to entwine around it. Very beautiful.



The canal is definitely no Woodbridge Lake walk. The path is mostly dirt (or mud because of the light rain yesterday). There are gulls and swans and ducks and various other birds but not an overwhelming amount. As you walk, houses line both sides of the bank, although you mostly just see their backyards. At some points there are lovely parks and playgrounds for the children- perfect, I'm sure for summer days.


I was most fascinated by the canal houseboats. Most seemed pretty tightly shut up but I saw one man board is boat and another man up river was working on cutting some wood while an wood burning stove was clearly lit inside his houseboat. I also saw another couple hauling a huge log in their own wheelbarrow to their boat. One had their shades open so I could non-creepily peer in to see a bedroom and the kitchen area that seemed as fully equipped as a normal house, just to a small extent.
I'm interested in continuing my observations of these canal-boat residents and hopefully will finagle my way on one someday. For now, I'm looking forward to move quiet, sunny walks along the beautiful canal.