Henley

Wednesday

We left Thames and Kennet Marina after our busy week at home, paid a visit to the local Tesco and then headed downstream towards Henley.  All going well then it started to drizzle, we decided to continue, then it started to rain.  After a quick consultation we started looking for somewhere to moor to have lunch and isn't it always the way, when you are trying to find a suitable spot you can never find one especially when it is pouring with rain!  Getting closer to Henley all the time and getting cold and miserable so we decided to press on and get moored up and the fire on - at the end of May!!!!!   One more lock and we have hit lunchtime!!!!!  Pouring with rain, fed up, hungry and cold, Jenny has to go and operate the self service lock!!!!

Eventually, moored at Henley, had lunch and a cuppa, fire on and our wonderful Rohan waterproofs drying and feeling much brighter.  The joys of boating!

Waiting in the rain at Shiplake Lock

Thursday

Still raining!!!!!

Visited the brilliant River and Rowing Museum today.  It is a fascinating place and of course, updated with lots of info from the Olympics and Paralympics.  Lots of children and noise because of it being half term but a most enjoyable visit.

Thought about heading off in the afternoon but since it was quite windy and very overcast we stayed put.

One of Kevin's 'Grand Designs' at Henley

Back on Board

After a very hectic few days at home we arrived back at Thames and Kennet Marina this afternoon.  It was wet, wet, wet all day and now at gone 7.00pm the sun is breaking through.  Better late than never!

We had a friendly welcome from Ceil at the marina who gave us a very good rate for our stay so we were happy bunnies.

On towards Henley tomorrow but may well stop en route, who knows?

Home Again

 We have travelled through some of the most beautiful stretches of the Thames over the past few days.  After Goring we had a short trip to Beale Park moorings.  These are extensive and quite quiet at this time of year.  We had an interesting day at the wildlife park.  We saw pigmy goats, owls, peacocks, alpaca, mongoose, bunny rabbits, guinea pigs, spiders, birds and fowl of a great variety and much, much more.  There was a little train ride and a fascinating model collection and we even saw some meercats and wallabys.  This is all set in a very child friendly environment and would make a great visit for anyone with young children.  As two children at heart we had a great time.

We pressed on to Caversham on Monday, where there is a very convenient Tesco with a mooring.    We also wanted to investigate a suitable place to leave Hunters Moon whilst we returned home. After a night just upstream of Sonning Lock where we enjoyed a lovely pint of beer in the nearby 'Great House' restaurant/bar, which incidentally, was the most expensive one we have had so far, we returned to Caversham to the Thames and Kennet Marina.  We received a warm and friendly welcome from Ceil in the office and were soon directed to our berth.

A taxi, train and bus ride took us back to Witney to pick up the motorhome from David and Ruth's drive.  We are so grateful to them for putting up with it on their drive but a bit disappointed they didn't manage to sell it whilst it was there!

Home now for a few days of catching up.

Warmer weather at last!

At last!  We have been able to take an outer layer off!  Lighter winds and a little sunshine have bought smiles to our faces today.  Just a short trip from Wallingford to Goring-on-Thames today.  We stopped for lunch and decided to stay.  Sid has managed to mend the puncture in his front tyre and also replace the shower drain pump, which we were delighted to pick up at Sheridan Marine, Moulsford. Whilst doing a bit of Saturday morning shopping in the chandlery we were filling up with water, which was getting rather low.  The staff in the chandlery were most helpful and friendly despite the fact that we were narrowboaters rather than Freeman owners ( which is what they specialise in).

Jenny saw her first cygnets today along with lots of red kite, arctic terns, geese and ducks.

Off to Beale Park tomorrow where we hope to see lots more wildlife!

View from our mooring at Goring.

The photo below is especially for Jenny's mum.

Our roof garden!  

Pansies grown by Jenny and admired by many passers by!

Jenny can grow pansies!!!!!!

Hooray!

We have just had days travelling on still waters and with the absence of wind.  Although overcast, we travelled through some beautiful countryside and past some rather splendid properties in chilly yet placid conditions. Didcot ower station seemed to follow us everywhere but we have left it behind now. Just need it to warm up a bit now. Wallingford tonight, but will most likely move on tomorrow.

Both a bit quiet and thoughtful today.  Lots going on in our minds with Paul's birthday on the horizon, a friend from Jenny's old Aldro days has died recently and his funeral was today and thoughts very much of home, family and friends.

Sid had a bad night with poorly knees!  Hope it is not housemaids knee again! Poor old chap!

Wind Weary Travellers

Having left the ‘dreaming spires’ of Oxford behind us we hoped to have a bit of relief from the strong winds that seem to plague us.  Not to be!  When we entered the deepest lock on the Thames almost sideways we decided that enough was enough and found a lovely mooring just upstream of Abingdon after being blown past Radley College Boathouses and Nuneham House, which incidentally was where Queen Victoria and Albert honeymooned.

The wind increased and there were white horses on the water, something we associate with the sea rather than the river! Later although the sun peaked through for a few moments, the heavens opened and we were lashed with torrential wind and rain and were just thankful that we were tied up safely.

One of our observations on this leg of our journey has been the rubbish, mainly plastic bags, along the banks.  It seems that any transport route, whether road, river or canal, is plagued by this eyesore these days. Why aren’t people more careful with their litter, especially plastic bags?  We have a friend who had a similar rant recently about plastic doggy bags being thrown into trees and not disposed of properly.

A blot on the landscape!

We are still waiting for some kinder weather maybe later in the week.

Oxford

We have now completed one whole canal length, the Oxford Canal, from Hawksbury Junction to Isis Lock in Oxford.  It may not be the longest but we feel it is a bit of an achievement.  When we depart from our mooring in Oxford and pass under Folly Bridge we can claim to have fulfilled another of our ambitions.  This time to cover all the Thames from the highest navigable point at Lechlade to the estuary, allbeit in two different boat,s but an achievement none the less.

Still having fires each evening due to a deterioration in the weather, again!  Wind, rain and cold seem to follow us and it doesn't look like changing for a while. Our waterproofs were put to the test again yesterday when we got caught in a tremendous downpour just as we were in a lock - it was like looking through a fog down the canal.  We waited for it to pass by sheltering under a bridge just beyond the bottom gate.

Soaked Sid at the helm!

On the Thames again and travelling downstream

Friday 10th May

To say we are fed up with the wind is an understatement!

We had just got through Kings Lock on the Thames, rounded another meander and woosh! we found ourselves grounded!  Sid not very happy and the wind just wanted to keep us blown on the mud! Eventually managed to get Hunters Moon floating again but we were both a bit fed up so started to look for a suitable mooring.  We had just cleared the bridge that carries the A34 over the Thames and Jenny spotted a little bank that looked as though it was waiting for us.  Fortunately, there was a little shelter from the wind so we moored with no problems.

Jenny was a bit concerned by the 5 young black bullocks looking at her but apart from that it seemed like a nice spot.  A short walk after lunch took us up to the lock and along the river opposite the Port Meadow which is unchanged since William the Conqueror presented it to the burgesses of Oxford as free common land.  We found The Perch but decided it was perhaps a bit early!  We had a nosey round the remains of Godstow Abbey and then Jenny realised that the pub, just over the bridge, the only surviving fragment of the Abbey, is the Trout Inn, where many, many years ago she had a beer.  It is now a very, very busy and huge gastro pub.  The setting is idyllic it is just a shame the same can't be said about the weather - it had just started raining.

What a pair!

Later that afternoon, whilst Sid was having a siesta after the traumas of the grounding, Jenny was sitting in the cratch area taking in the afternoon sun and doing some crocheting.  Suddenly Sid was woken by a scream as Jenny got the fright of her life when a goose decided that he (or maybe she) would like to come on board and tried flying into the cratch.  The noise and the clatter of the work bag falling to the floor dissuaded him but it left Jenny very shaken.  Poor Sid thought Jenny had fallen in or something!  The goose spent the rest of the evening eyeing the boat with disdain!

 Godzilla the Goose! 

The bullocks were the next to be on the move but seemed more interested in our mooring stake indicaters than us though one did give us a long hard look as he passed!

Inquisitive bullocks!

We decided to stay put the next day because the forecast was for even stronger winds.  Out came the bikes and off we road into Oxford.  It was a lovely cycle along the towpath and we had a most enjoyable time until on our return trip not only was the wind howling but the skies opened up too so two drowned rats returned to the boat.  Our waterproofs got a really good test and proved to be more than man for the job.

Heading to Oxford - Round another bend!

Today, Friday, we arrived in Oxford by boat this time, having reconoitered the day before and found good secure moorings.  We did some sightseeing and then climbed the 99 steps up the Carfax Tower to get a birdseye view of the 'dreaming spires' of Oxford we also had a lovely walk along the Oxford end of the Oxford canal and found loads of empty 48hr moorings.  It looks as though the Canal and River Trust have been busy clearing many of the 'water gypsies' from the canalside.

Osney Bridge - Lowest on the Thames at 7" 6'

Just made it! 

NB chimney removed!

Oxford from the Carfax Tower

We are hoping the wind continues to abate after the weekend and we will then proceed further downstream.

It is always good to receive news and if anyone wants to visit at any time do give us a ring on Sid's mobile.

Back at Thrupp

Arrived back at Trupp Sunday afternoon and although the boat was well we had a problem parking up the motorhome whilst we unloaded and sorted ourselves out.  Sid got a bit stressed because it was hot (shouldn't really complain) and he got fed up driving round and round trying to park.  We eventually dumped all our stuff on board and decided to head straight over to David and Ruth's house, where once again they had kindly said we could leave the vehicle.  We had also been invited to Sunday roast  together with their weekend house guests, Lesley and Peter.  We had a lovely, entertaining evening.  Thanks again Ruth and David.

On Monday we enjoyed the beautiful weather with a short cruise with David and Ruth.  We went down the Oxford Canal joined the Thames and moored just upstream from Kings Lock.  A very sociable lunch on the bankside in the hot sun was perfect.  An eventful journey back to Thrupp followed.  The beam on the bottom lock gate had broken at Dukes Lock and when we arrived he Canal and River Trust men, three of them were trying to repair it.  They were confident that they could get it sorted in about half an hour so it seemed like a good idea to have a cuppa.  They did a very temporary repair which got us through and we hoped, other boats waiting behind us!

On arrival back at Thrupp our mooring had been taken by another boat, which was very frustrating since Jenny had been to see the Warden in the morning explaining that we were returning later and she checked that we were paid up until Tuesday.  The other moorings looked full but with Sid's brilliant boat handling he managed to fit us into a space that left us literally nose to nose with the other boats.  Thank goodness it could have been a disastrous end to a lovely day.

However, little did we know that that was not the end of our eventful day.  We decided to have a drink in The Boat Inn before David and Ruth left us and possibly have a bite to eat.  When we went up to the bar for drinks and Dave decided he might like some chips we were told that they had sold out of food!!!!!  We were aghast, Bank Holiday Monday at 6.50 pm!!!!!  We went into the garden with our drinks completely amazed that they could not even offer chips or an omelette or something out of a freezer.  A short while later a family came in and were given menus!  We wondered what was going on.  The waitress was summoned over and we were told that they had food for pre-booked people only!!  once again we were astounded.  The manager was then summoned and he gave us a tale of woe - two staff off, very busy, all the staff were stressed etc etc.  A terrible way to handle dissatisfied customers! What has happened to customer service?
I think I would suggest that if anyone is in the Thrupp area not to frequent the Boat Inn.

It was such a shame but did not spoil an otherwise lovely day.

Dave at the helm

It is now Tuesday evening and Sid and Jenny have spent another lovely, warm day pottering about the boat, having a nice walk and generally whiling away the day - our Wedding Anniversary, having taken the decision to remain at Thrupp and chill. We decided to have a meal at the Jolly Boatman.  Unlike the previous evening's disappointment this pub is great.  A splendid outside patio area overlooking the canal, excellent beer, friendly and very helpful service and tasty, first class food.  The Jolly Boatman is the pub to use in this area to be sure.

Heading off tomorrow to Oxford and then on down the Thames.  Let's hope the Lock gate is repaired!  Watch this space.

Picnic beside the Thames

Downstream

We left Lechlade after a lovely few days there.  The sun was shining at it was warmer, at last, and the wind was a bit lighter.

The Rose Revived at Newbridge

With the wind behind us and the water pushing us downstream we got all the way to Newbridge in one day. This was fortunate early the next morning we received a call from Janice asking if we could babysit for Emily the next day because  she was unwell.  We headed back to Thrupp, because we knew it was a good, safe mooring where we could leave Hunters Moon for a few days.

On arriving at Thrupp we were dismayed to find no moorings.  We had a word with the wardens and they found us a space where one of the berth holders had gone cruising.  We were much relieved and left the boat  safe and in good hands.

Emily is now well, Jenny's mum has clean carpets, garden neat and tidy, caught up with the neighbours and some friends, bought a new chimney and got paperwork up to date SO we are returning to Thrupp on Sunday to continue on to Oxford and onward!

Sid's friends!

New Lock keepers at Pinkhill Lock!