With the first ice of the season I decided that it would be a good idea to get some exercise and cycle along the Oxford Canal on a sunny and rather crisp morning.

I also took my sketch pad and despite the cold found that it wasn’t too bad to stand and draw for half-an-hour or so at a time.

My first sketch was of what I would call a ‘service boat’ – which is more like a basic barge for carrying equipment and working on the canal. This one is called ‘Apsley’.

Below are a photo of the ‘Apsley’, and a scan of the resulting drawing.

I carried on along the canal and also did a couple of other drawings before the day clouded over in a prelude to forecast snow. These I will post separately.