The Ring completed

Well, here we are back in Fenny Marina where we started just 30 days ago. It has been an interesting, challenging, eyeopening and sometimes disappointing trip.  The changes we noticed along stretches of the Grand Union and Oxford Canals were definitely not for the better.  Too many deserted, sunk, abandoned and generally neglected boats beginning to clog up the waterways.  The biggest problem on the Oxford Canal is too many narrowboats travelling both up and down the canal bringing about low levels of water on some lock flights.  There is also the problem of leaky locks draining pounds.  We were held up for 24 hours due to a pound emptying and CRT having to let water down from the summit so boats can continue on their way.  The consequence of that , of course, is that the summit becomes a problem to navigate due to low water.

What we really need is some meaningful rain otherwise the summer may be difficult for boaters as well as the farmers!!

However, we had a great trip.  We met some lovely people, enjoyed travelling through our beautiful country side and were lucky enough to have fantastic weather.  There were  lots of very cold evenings and nights which meant we lit the fire on many occasions  but daytime temperature rose to the mid 20's in the early weeks of our time on board. The wind was the thorn in the side.  A nagging northerly airflow hung around us for the entire time, which pegged temperatures BUT we had no rain, which is bizzarre because we treated ourselves to new waterproofs in the sales in January and they are still hanging, complete with tags, unused!!

To bore you with a few statistics, we travelled 245 miles, passed through 176 locks, 141 of these being manual (the Thames locks are all automatic even when they are self service) and clocked up 132 engine hours.  We drank plenty of wine, enjoyed some tasty meals on board and some most enjoyable meals and beers in cosy pubs and even managed a couple of bbq's.

All in all the 30 days that we were travelling was great fun but it is unlikely we will attempt the Thames ring again.  Water permitting we will travel northward later in the year and explore the Ashby Canal again.

Hunters Moon coming out of the last lock on her cruise

Phew!

Back on the Oxford Canal

 We left Abingdon on a chilly, overcast Thursday morning hoping it would warm up a bit later. However, the cold north wind that has plagued us for so much of our journey was still with us with an even keener chill to it.  The sun wouldn't make an appearance and so we continued upstream with the wind coming straight at us wrapped in our winter garb again, hats and gloves, through all four (self service) locks that carried us up to Oxford.  The plan was to moor at our favourite East Street moorings then have a walk (a bike ride in Sid's case) to Aldens fish market and meat market then have a pint in the Punters after.  But the best laid plans, and all that, were thwarted.  On arriving at Osney Lock there was a rather tatty sign saying there was no mooring between the lock and Osney bridge i.e. the East Street moorings.  We passed through the lock to discover that this may not be a temporary stopping of mooring because all the bollards had been removed. It was fairly late in the afternoon so didn't really want to continue on the Thames past Port Meadow, through Godstow Lock and hopefully find a mooring at Kings Lock.  If nothing was available there it would mean carrying on to Eynsham, which we really didn't want to do.  So with sadness we left the Thames and went through Isis Lock which brought us back on to the Oxford Canal. We were not surprised to find the moorings full since these are now the only moorings in Oxford.  Another alternative mooring is just upstream from Iffley Lock but that is a lengthy walk into the town. In fact there was the normal shanty town of boats moored, sunk or disowned all the way from Folly bridge back to Iffley lock!!

We eventually moored up in Jericho at not the best of places but fortuanately, very close to The Old Bookbinders Ale House, a very pleasant hostelry, which we have visited on several occasions, most notably with our good friends Pete and Sara. To make up for the disappointment of missing out on our last night on the Thames we decided a pint and a meal would be very good consolation reward.  Great food and delicious ale went down a little too well . Hic!

And so we start our homeward leg of the Thames Ring travelling up the Oxford Canal back to Fenny. The stretch of canal that takes you north out of Jericho towards Thrupp was very busy with lots of hire boats coming out of Oxford Cruisers. In front of us were a couple of hire boats travelling together as a stag do. Immediately in front of us eight lads were coming to terms with steering and manoeuvring their 60 foot narrowboat. Jenny had decided to walk from Oxford to Dukes Cut and because of the slow progress of the boats got to Dukes Cut lock in time to help another hire boat, with a novice couple on board through the lock.  Whilst doing this she noticed the stag boat drifting around below the lock with none of the lads making any effort to come ashore to work the lock.  Once the old couple were through the lock Jenny started to empty it for the stag lads thinking at least one of them would join her. But no! They just laughed a joked among themselves as the lock emptied. When Jenny opened the gate she called down to them, "I charge you know for working the lock for you".  They looked aghast and made their way into the lock.  "That'll cost you a beer." she said, "there's 8 of you and only one of me!" Jenny was duly rewarded with a nice cold lager and she proceeded to coach them through operating a lock.  I expect they thought 'daft old bat'!

Thrupp was heaving when we arrived there but managed to get on, one of the TCCC moorings at a small fee. After weeks of seeing very few boats on the GU and The Thames it has come as a bit of a shock to see so many boats on the water, bought our by the lovely sunny weather we are experiencing.  But that wind is still cold!!!!

Leaving Abingdon

Technical Instructions at Abingdon Lock

Wrapped up against the cold

University Boathouses Approaching Oxford

The Head of the River

(Where thoughts of our narrowboat adventures began)

Kidlington Lock fully open.  

We have passed through this lock many 

times over our 13 years of boating and this is the

 first time it fully opened.  

Thank you CRT for your speedy repair!!

Proud mum

Cruising in the sun

Poorly towpath beneath a bridge

Stranded high and dry.

We suspect after the floods we got caught in last autumn!

Colouful washing!  Polo shirts with matching socks!!!!

Interesting growth on bridge 204 at Allens Lock

Arrived in Abingdon

 After a fairly uneventful couple of days we are now in Abingdon.  The river has been very quiet, only seeing three or four boats travelling downstream all day.  We were amazed when we arrived in Wallingford yesterday evening to find just two other boats moored, both La Boats (hire boats) one of which left shortly after we arrived.  The other motored off early in the morning which left us on our own 'billy no mates'.  in conversation with one lock keeper Sid discovered that the usual flow of boats through the lock on the early May Bank holiday weekend was around a hundred.  This year it was just thirty.

The Abingdon moorings were a little busier but far from overcrowded. We always have fond memories of our Norwegian friends, Bente and Erik when visiting this delightful town.  Back in 2018 they had a mishap whilst mooring their boat and fortunately we were on hand to help.  We then crossed paths on several occasions and have kept in Facebook contact since.

An observation we have made during our journey has been the increased number of wide beam boats on the lower end of the Grand Union Canal and on the Thames since we last cruised these waters. Obviously an indication of the housing problem.  

It is amazing that we have been blessed by such beautiful weather during our cruise of the Thames Ring. WE have had some chilly evenings and mornings with a cool north or northeasterly wind blowing but by mid day under blue skies it warms up very nicely. The sun is due to shine for the rest of our days on the water, which is great for us but not so great for the farmers.

Next stop Oxford.

Moored for lunch at Pangbourne

Tranquil Waters

Surely parents don't need reminding to look after their children!

The River Thames

 The river is still beautiful, especially in the amazing weather we have been lucky enough to experience.

Our trip from Brentford to Teddington went well with light winds but rather heavy clouds.  However we arrived at Teddington Lock and the skies began to clear and by the time we were moored, payed our licence and done a bit of shopping the afternoon had turned warm and sunny.

The next day was our 20th wedding anniversary so we were planning to get to Walton-on-Thames where there is a nice pub that we have visited before where we knew the food was good.  Little did we know that not only was the food good at The Anglers but the landlord, on hearing it was our anniversary, bought us a drink and we were congratulated by other patrons.  It was so good to get away from the boat, relax and enjoy a very pleasant pint or two of beer - much missed.

The wind was picking up all day and was creating a nasty chop on the river so we stayed on our mooring.  Thursday dawned sunny, cool but still very windy.  We made a short, windy journey to Laleham where after mooring Jenny went for a walk up the towpath to meet her brother, Graeme, who lives in Staines. We didn't think we would be able to meet up because he had other arrangements but fortunately, he was around for a quick cuppa during the afternoon.

Next day was a trip to Windsor where we had arranged to meet Jenny's sister, Rosie.  Once again the sun was shining and we enjoyed our trip with slightly lighter winds to a mooring near the Leisure Centre alongside lovely parkland and spent a very pleasant sunny, afternoon having tea and cake and lots of chat in the park

We thought the weekend would be busy on the water with such a good weather forecast and we were right.  It was good to see boats of all shapes and sizes being enjoyed by their owners and hirers but it did make the locks a bit slow and many of them were self serve.  We stopped for lunch at Maidenhead and it was so pleasant that we decided to stay for the night.  it is a lovely mooring and we enjoyed a bbq, once again in the evening sunshine watching the river quieten down.

Expecting another busy day on the water we were not disappointed!  We didn't see many narrowboats but lots of other pleasureboats. Jenny lost her cool at Marlow lock when an enormous boat tried to squeeze in an already fairly full lock.  It was on self service and Hunters Moon had entered the lock first before other plastic boats and a canoe. Just as Jenny was making her way to the control panel to close the sluices and gates this white monstrosity of a boat started to get into the lock.  The driver and crew were determined to get in and edged there way in further and further.  The folk on a  little cruiser and others on a small hire boat as well as the canoe looked on in trepidation.  Jenny got cross and handed over the control panel to another boater, who happened to be waiting to come through the look and looked exasperated with the monster. And, blow me the monster did squeeze in!  The little boats and the canoe exited once the gates opened and we followed leaving the monster to come out last.

Marlow was heaving and we weren't sure we would be able to moor. However, on the Environment agency mooring their was a gap big enough for us with room to spare, if, the small boat moored right in the middle of the gap moved up a little. we asked politely but the American couple said they couldn't move because they could tie up to anything. Their lines were threaded through small holes in the shuttering and could easily be moved along, which we pointed out but they were adamant they couldn't move.  By this time Sid was adamant that we were going to moor somehow. The wind had picked up and decided that it would blow HM onto a moored plastic boat. The owner leapt out and saw the situation and held us off.  We asked if he could move back a bit but he had been told to move his boat by the boat behind him.  Whatever happened to boaters helping each  other.  They obviously don't on the Thames.  The American couple decided they would leave the mooring and we didn't feel a bit sorry that we had driven them away. We eventually moored and enjoyed another sunny evening watching the huge amount of families enjoying their afternoon in Marlow.

Fun and games in the morning when we couldn't get the mooring peg out of the ground.  Jenny had a go, Sid had a go and then a helpful chap came along and used his greater weight to dislodge the peg. Hurray!  there are still some good guys a
bout.

And so we find ourselves in Sonning. A long day with lots of self service locks but the rain that was forecast didn't appear so all was well, and the wind was much lighter today.  Jenny remained calm but we have a problem with our generator. Pain!

Never tire of this sight!

Colourful 'duck' in Windsor

Family get together in Windsor

(Think I need to clean the lens on my camera)

Another interesting sculpture

Peacefully waiting to enter Marlow Lock

(before the madness)

Racing swans down the Henley Regatta course

A touch of Monet!

Moored at Marlow

Long, sunny and hot days then back to winter!

 Day 13

Well, since my last post we have travelled from Stoke Bruene to Brentford.  We have enjoyed some amazing weather for late April with shorts and t shirts for many days.  However over the past couple of days we have been back in layers, coats and woolly hats.  We have come down 102 locks with most of them set against us and except for one or two occasions have been on our own.  The canal has been devoid of travelling folk. We could count the number of boats seen or passed on two hands. It has been eerily quiet at times, with very few cyclists, runners or walkers.  We keep telling ourselves it is still early in the season.

Although we have had few encounters with boaters we did have one very eventful day when on approaching Lock 57 Jenny was vexed that the bottom gates were left open. She was about to walk to the end of the lock to close the gates when she looked down and to her amazement saw a boat drifting untethered in the lock with no sign of life. Jenny wondered if the owner perhaps had gone to assist another boater coming into the lock further down the canal, hence the gate being left open, but after several minutes of nothing coming into sight she started calling to see if there was anyone on board. It was a bit like the Marie Celeste.  Several circuits round the lock later and calling all the time she eventually noticed, through one of the windows, a hand just hanging. this rather shook her, fearing the worst for the owner. She reported back to Sid on Hunters Moon and decided to prepare the lock in order to raise the 'nameless' boat and ascertain the situation. She called again and with a sigh of relief a rather dazed head appeared at the stern of the boat. The poor old chap was completely disorientated and mumbled that he didn't feel very well and was just having a rest. Jenny explained that she was going to gently let water into the lock get his boat up and then if he was able, to get it out of the lock and alongside the bank. He said he was able to mange to control and thanked Jenny very much.  However she was concerned for him because he still looked a bit unsteady. He sat on the rail at the back of his boat rubbing his head but was managing to control his boat until Jenny was able to reach a rope to tie to a bollard to steady things whilst the water rose.

When the levels were even and the lock gates open Jenny threw the rope back on board and he chugged out of the lock. Sid and Jenny were expecting him to pull into the bank but he just carried on up the cut with a thank you and a wave!  We were concerned for him but wondered if he did this often to save working the lock himself! Perhaps that's a bit unkind!!

Later that same day we were approaching a lock which just for once was full and in our favour but before Jenny could get off Hunters Moon a boater coming towards us came into view and started to let the water out of the lock!  Sid blasted on the Klaxon, the chap turned round and acknowledged us but still comtinued to wind the paddle up. By the time Jenny had got off the boat she was very cross, quite an unusual thing for her! She marched across to the boater and told him how selfish he was to which he replied that he half emptied the lock before he saw us. This was totally untrue! A few hot words were exchanged and Jenny thought it best to retire in a dignified manner since by this time the lock was standing empty and his boat was coming into the lock.  How very, very rude of him!!!!  Fortunately, these events are a rarity and usually boaty folk are well mannered and friendly.

As we have made our way down to Brentford we have been very distressed at the state of the canal, the huge number of junk boats, abandoned boats, the sunken boats and the mess on towpaths. Formerly lovely moorings are now more like shanty towns.  One boater we were talking to said that one of the hire company's, on the Grand Union is giving up because people just don't want to hire on the GU any longer because of the state of the canal and moorings.  So sad!

Another observation that we made was the huge number of widebeams on this canal. Obviously this is due to the housing crisis and it appears that this alternate way of living is spreading further and further out of London.  We noticed it from about Berkhamsted onwards!

Well, here we are 85 miles from Braunston waiting to make our way through Thames Lock tomorrow morning for our transit on the Thames up to Teddington. Our next post will be from the beautiful River Thames, well we hope it is still beautiful.

Sculptures in Wolverton

Gone Fishing

Another sculpture

Blossom like snow in the hedgerow

Whipsnade Lion

Marsworth Reservoir

Majestic Horse Chestnuts In Hemel Hemstead

Stencils on the lock gates all along the canal

Another swan

Floating tender greenhouse

We've never seen anything like it!

HS2 bridge

Three Bridges

Hanwell Flight with the old Asylum Wall in the background

Cormorant and a duck!

Making steady progress. Day 5 - Stoke Bruene

 We arrived in Stoke Bruene on a beautiful warm, sunny afternoon. The 'gongoozlers' were out in force, it being such a lovely Sunday.  After the canal being very, very quiet all morning it comes as a bit of a shock to the system to be suddenly surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a tourist destination.

We were fortunate to have company in the form of Katy and Brian and their lovely new narrowboat, 'Grumblebee' through the Braunston flight of locks and then again down the Buckby flight. These locks are renowned for being a heavy flight to operate so we were delighted to share them with this jolly couple, which definitely lightened the load.

The past couple of days have still been chilly so it was a treat today to be boating in warm sunshine.

Heading towards Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard over the next few days.

Braunston Bottom Lock

Hunters Moon sharing the lock with Grumblebee

Beautiful new lock gear on the Buckby flight

AND

A brand new gate on Buckby Bottom Lock

Approaching Blisworth Tunnel

The start of our 2025 season

 An early start to our cruising this year. Getting away in April is very unusual for us and as so often is the case after weeks of beautiful spring sunshine and warmth we arrive at Fenny Marina in pouring rain and cold winds. Undetered, after completing a few little jobs around Hunters Moon, stocking up with provisions and plenty of wine we departed the marina under leaden skies and a chilly wind.

We only planned the short trip to the Arial, a tranquil mooring just over an hour away but enough to feel we were on our way. This year we are attempting to complete the Thames Ring. We shall travel north on the Oxford Canal to Braunston, then chug along the Grand Union Canal in a southerly direction down to Brentford. At Brentford we will join the tidal Thames which will take us upstream to Teddington. From Teddington we will continue upstream to Oxford where we come off the Thames on to the Oxford Canal and then travel north to bring us back to Fenny. We have given ourselves about 4 weeks to complete this journey. 

Our first full day started dry but very chilly so we were well wrapped up as we made our way to Marsden Doles Locks and the Napton Flight, passing the ever changing work on HS2. Our descent of the flight was slightly delayed by a rather nice vintage work boat having trouble negotiating bridge 115 just below lock 12. During the winter work was supposed to be done on the bridge, which is  tilting inwards, to enable these big old boats to navigate this stretch of canal in order for them to get down to Banbury for their Canal days. However, it appears the works didn't work. The lock and bridge was surrounded by a lot of men standing around scratching their heads trying to come up with a solution. Eventually it was decided to allow us to proceed through locks 12 and 11 and then they would let water out of that pound, lowering the water enough for the workboat to clear the offending brickwork. They may all still be there if it didn't work, we may never know!

We continued on our way and moored for the night about an hour out of Braunston. Just as we finished mooring the sun burst through the clouds and we are now sitting in glorious sunshine, still a bit chilly so the bbq will have to wait for another day. 

The new HS2 bridge and the old farmers bridge over the canal

we got a hello nod from the crane driver on the HS2 works

Cold Sid!

Our beautiful overnight mooring.