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!!!!
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