Wallingford

After a delightful extra day relaxing in Abingdon (this has to be the best mooring spot yet) we set off after lunch. The intention had been to leave in the morning but we heard that the next lock at Culham was closed due to hydraulic problems so decided to stay where we were. Eventually set off just before 2pm with the intention of getting somewhere half way to Goring where we had planned to meet Giles & Susannah on Thursday. The run down was very pretty, isolated in a large part interspersed with the occasional large riverside houses. What there were not a lot of were good places to moor. The river banks are not as congenial as the canals for mooring in the open countryside. We reached as far as Wallingford before we found somewhere suitable. It is a proper mooring place with bollards and room for about 4 boats. Beautiful view of the Wallingford bridge and environs but the downside is the height of the bank. All these places are designed for gin palaces both large and small. We poor folk on narrow boats have to scale up the dizzy heights to get on and off and as for elderly, arthritic dogs....well no chance. It is a two man job again to get Ellie on and off and she is not visibly impressed. However we were lucky to find a space and we do wonder what it would be like in the height of summer. The weather has been kind to us the last few days but we hear a change is on the way....yet again.....