Au Revoir Oxford Canal and on to Abingdon

A final note on the Oxford.  We have been pleasantly surprised by the state of the towpaths this year.  Last year parts were in a terrible state and it was sometimes like fighting ones way through an African jungle.   Not so this year, almost all in good condition apart perhaps from a few places right down at the bottom on the approaches into Oxford.   One 48 hour designated mooring place had nettles about 3 feet high along its length.

and so to the Thames

Down the last lock on the canal, sharp right turn and through the narrow passage

to join the Thames.    This bridge looks low but in fact we had plenty of room

Osney bridge is next which is even lower but no problem today.  Despite the amount of rain we have had recently the Thames does not seem to be higher than normal.

Plenty of room on the East Street moorings above Osney Lock

These moorings are free for 24 hours and you can have a further 2 days at £5 a night.  We elected for one extra as Geoff needed to go into town....new shoes needed....another paid had bitten the dust after his dunking!

Didn't budge as we went past!

I was advised (informed) that we needed an early start on Wednesday...…...this was not really pleasing as I have got to like slighter longer lie-ins.
However being ever the obedient crew I was up and ready to at at 7.30.  I should add that the weather for our last two days had been dreary dull and cold and this morning was no exception and I started out with 3 layers on!

As it was so early there were no lock keepers around but Geoff maintained that it was more fun to do them himself...   he wouldn`t say that if the electricity failed, as it does from time to time, and he had to hand wind them.

As it was all was well and the weather improved and the sun came out and layers got stripped off.

We reached Abingdon in time for coffee and the moorings above the lock were free so we had our pick of places.   We have never moored above the lock before but it was really quite congenial.
We would have been tempted to remain there for a couple more nights but several visitors were expected whilst we were in Abingdon and access is much easier for them if we are down on the meadow below the lock.

A recce down below showed that there was plenty of space which surprised us.   But it is in keeping with how quiet we have found it all the way down the Oxford.  Chatting to one of the lock keepers here he said movements were down about a third on the same time last year...where has everyone gone?

We saw Still Rockin was moored above the weir but no one on board to say hello to.

Fleeting visit from Giles tonight who was out  for a spin on his motor bike...….dreaded thing.....think it must be his mid-life crisis or something

Total distance:8.50 miles Elapsed time:2h39m38s

 Locks:3 Bridges:8
Average speed:3.20 mph (4.32 lock/mph)

Dont be ridiculous...of course I won`t fall in!!

An accident waiting to happen!

The day started well (and relatively early) as we had decided to take the scenic route down through the last lock of the Oxford onto the Thames ……..

…….and all the way round  the back of Port Meadow......

…..where canada geese out in force

.... to Dukes cut and thence back to the sani station a couple of bridges before Aristotle.   It had been a few years since we had been on this stretch of water so it had to be tried again.  We timed it well at Godstow Lock as the lock keeper was just coming on duty but Kings Lock was on Self service so Geoff had his first exercise for the day.

A sharp turn after exiting Kings Lock and our wide open vista as we came along the Thames changed rapidly into a sombre and somewhat gloomy passage up to Dukes Cut Lock.   I had forgotten how drear this stretch was.

Another right turn after this put us back on the Oxford.  We were held up for a while by dredging operations but eventually moored at our goal just before bridge 239A.    The purpose of this was not only to Water and empty the loo but also to try and clean off all the mess we had acquired whilst moored down in Jericho.  Geoff had made the mistake of mooring under a cherry tree which was bad enough but all that lovely birdsong we had been listening to had not been very friendly!   The roof and both sides were covered.

Hence the picture above.    I was told to go up to Summertown and do the shopping as he (Geoff ) was quite capable of washing the offside of Petroc unsupervised and no of course he would not fall in........famous last words.

Even if he had not confessed on my return the change of clothes would have been a bit of a giveaway!

Wildlife in Oxford

Whilst I was granny sitting Geoff moved from Aristotle Bridge down to the end of the canal.  

This was however after he had an evening with Maffi and Susan..........who just appeared at Aristotle Bridge.   I gather it was a good evening and Geoff was up way past his bedtime!

I arrived back on Saturday to find Boe had already arrived and was busy trying to buy up all of Oxford.   I think this was her first visit to Oxford and she was quite impressed.  Later in the afternoon she and I took Barney across the meadow for his afternoon walk which was full of tourists enjoying the sunshine but also full of cows....very benign cows luckily.   Boe appeared enchanted by the cows and took many photographs!!

One of Boe`s pictures

Its Cygnet time of year...another of her pictures.

Geoff and I tried a new church this time.  We went to Sung Eucharist at St Frideswide`s.  Smallish congregation but highish Anglican.......just a pity they didn`t choose better hymns!!  We wee most impressed by one gentleman who was there on his own with his 3 children.....twins of 6 months and a toddler of about 3.  They all sat in the children`s space and we hardly heard a peep.

We would have liked to follow this with a walk over  Port Meadow to the Perch for Sunday lunch but were not enamoured of their price for this   £17.95....you can tell we are in the Thames Valley!   Instead we decided to treat ourselves to all sorts of M&S snack goodies and we took a picnic to the meadow instead.   

Onward tomorrow but not sure how far yet......we will see what the weather brings

A more pleasant trip to Oxford than anticipated.

The lady forecaster was full of doom and gloom about heavy rain and thunderstorms when we watched last night so we decided on an early start to try and get to Oxford before the worst.

In the event out 7.30 start gave us an extremely pleasant and dry run almost all the way to Oxford, we even had some brief showing of a watery sun.    We just caught a light rain shower towards the end and we would not even have done that if we hadn't been held up by a small incident.

After Dukes Cut we encountered our first signs of the dredging that we had been told to expect between Enslow and Oxford.   The work is not a problem as we could easily get by.

But then we caught up with a dredger going into the lock, and another coming up

This was not a great delay and the weather was still good 

However a bit further on we found a hire boat with problems, think he had hit something and done some damage.   The dredger driver decided to stop and help.   No one was going anywhere!

When the dredger driver gave up he then proceeded to meet his mate ahead and swap containers.....

Eventually everything was cleared and we were on our way again.

Nothing like two old men and a dog passing the time of day!

The promised heavy rain still has not arrived so we await with bated breath.    Moored at Aristotle Bridge from where I shall be collected by Emma and Dave for this weeks granny duties.

Lingering at Thrupp

Geoffrey's venture into tomato growing is not looking good.

I am not sure what brought on this latent desire of Geoffs to try and grow tomatoes on the top of the boat.  I am also not sure what he plans to do about the broken plant...…….my little plant that I was allowed to have in the spare hole in the grow bag is doing well.....

Thrupp is as delightful as ever.   Initially when we arrived it was very quiet but there has been more company over the weekend.   The 7 day moorings have been full most night although not all.  The buses run every hour into Oxford via Kidlington so we are not too remote.

The major event here was the demise of our TV!!   I thought Geoff would go into a non returnable decline.   However when we though the whole thing through it was remarkably easy to solve.   A new one with a slightly larger screen was ordered from Amazon Prime and delivered to Giles and Zan the next day.   

Since the next day was Fathers Day it worked perfectly as they all came to lunch.   Good lunch at the Jolly Boatman followed by ice cream for the kids from Annies Café and the unloading of the TV.

That should have been the culmination of a happy day but it was not to be...…...TV worked fine but Geoff was unable to get the set top recording box to work through it.  There followed a couple of hours of gnashing of teeth and wailing from Geoff whilst I hid myself in the back of the boat.    

I did venture forth eventually to offer my assistance but no joy.   Eventually all came good when he used his screw driver to tighten one of the connections at the back!!!!!!  Simple as that.... My relief was profound!!

Onward we go tomorrow towards Oxford.

On the move again

Holiday away from the canals

So Petroc is on the move again...….I have had a wonderful week in the sunshine in a villa in Turkey with one side of the family and Geoff has had a restful time with Barney moored at Lower Heyford.

The picture above is our infinity pool in the villa..

.…..and now I have come back to this

Sitting in the shelter on Heyford station as it was the only place to get a signal!!!

Yesterday we took advantage of the slight break in the weather to move down to Thrupp.    Even allowing for the weather we are amazed at how quiet it is on the canal.   We passed very few boats and had no difficulty in getting a good mooring at Thrupp.   Here we shall stay through the weekend.

…..and still the rain keeps coming...…….