Dan's 1994 holidays

March 1994: “Rose” - Anglo Welsh, Aynho base:
This was the first holiday I paid for myself. I’d be saving all my money and spent nearly all of it on hiring one of Anglo Welsh’s smallest (Clover) class from their then base at Aynho, on the South Oxford Canal.
The boat was compact but in quite good condition and we had a few sunny days cruising to Oxford and back, and then almost to Banbury before returning.
The canal comes highly recomended and is now one of my favourites.

Summer 1994: “Bosley” Heritage Narrow Boats, Scholar Green

Newly built for 1994 we enjoyed an energetic week around the Four-Counties Ring on Heritage’s 44foot “Bosley”.

The boat seemed highly luxurious and spacious at the time and was nicely built.

Yard owner Michael was horrified how quickly we had got round with a day spare on his new boat!

October 1994: “Heyford”, Anglo Welsh of Aynho:
We’d enjoyed the South Oxford Canal so much and been impressed with the Aynho operation in March so we returned to head further North in the October.

This time Grandma & Grandad were with us so we hired 56ft Avon class “Heyford” for three days.

Sadly things had changed since the March..... The new owners at Aynho were clearly not interested in the hire operation and the basin had

been let to private moorers. The hirecraft were abaandoned all over the place, many on the towpath! After moving the boat to somewhere we could get onboard we settled in and had a nice few days aboard.

With short nights we didn’t get too far but all had a great time, and saw a few Kingfisher’s were pleased everyone, especially my Mum!

Anglo Welsh withdrew it’s fleet from Aynho a short time later. Some of the boats were relocated to other bases including New Mills where I was working on Saturday turn-arounds, but “heyford” was sold.