Category Archives: River Thames

The Last Drop. 19th November

Jericho Wharf to Sheepwash Channel to Jericho Wharf

Sitting in one place for lengths of time means your water tank gets a touch low. Last night the gauge had reached the last dot and the ! was flashing at us. No choice this morning, we had to get water. With the washing drawer full too from my return we also needed to do some washing. Normally this is set going before we reach a tap so that we know we’ll leave with a full to brim tank, but today we didn’t think we’d make it to the tap before the tank was totally dry, we were down to the last drop of water.

Ahead of us the next water point is further than we wanted to go, still having a few things left on our list to do in Oxford. So we’d have to reverse to the nearest tap. With breakfast over we made ready, rolling up the cratch cover. We’d timed this badly as two of the College Cruiser boats were heading our way, backwards. Few narrowboats handle well in reverse, but these seemed to have no means of steerage what-so-ever. Every ten foot or so they seemed to need a good blast of forwards to get them lined up for the next ten foot. If only we’d got ourselves ready ten minutes earlier! Chatting to the chap on the first boat he said that he was heading onto the river to wind, then reverse back to the hire base, the following boat was short enough to wind above the lock, but would be reversing too. No point in waiting and watching, it would only make their journey longer.

After a while the first boat came back backwards and our way was now clear to reverse ourselves. The spring line Mick had put out was the last untied (this holds your boat steadier on a mooring as boats pass, not that there have been many passing boats), we then pushed off, me walking behind/ahead (?) to set the lock.

A foreign couple watched as Mick reversed Oleanna into the lock and I wound the paddle up to empty it. They then watched as we reversed onto the pontoon below. From here our hose would reach the nearest tap. Once the water was flowing the washing machine was set to work on normal clothes, painty clothes can wait a while longer.

Tom has tried this before! He thought he’d fooled me that time, but they certainly weren’t going to manage it again. I so wish they’d let me sample the outside we pause at, but no!

Once the washing machine had finished filling for the last time, Mick topped the tank up again and we were ready to head back up the lock. The foreign couple were just returning from their walk along the towpath, they must have wondered what we were doing as they’d not seen us filling with water.

With the tank empty we could tell the difference, Oleanna rocked more, but the galley drawers didn’t open once. It’s amazing what difference half a tonne of water in the bow makes.

Our 14 days were up and today we really should be moving on, but there were a couple of things we still needed to do before moving out from the centre of Oxford. So we slotted back into the space Oleanna has occupied for the last couple of weeks. I knew it! The same outside again. They’d better pick their socks up and start moving it properly again otherwise there will be mutiny.

A visit to John Lewis. I’d spotted our bedroom curtain fabric had been reduced. Tilly has left her mark on most of the curtains on the boat, ripped lining or claw pulls to open them when shut, so buying enough to remake them made sense as I liked the fabric, I like it even more with 30% off! Next was a visit to the mobile phone department. Recently I converted my account to a Sim only contract, not feeling the need to upgrade my phone. However my phone about ten days ago decided to become an object, since then I’ve been using Micks old phone that we keep as a spare. This was okay, but it’s memory was very quickly filling up and it is better suited to being a spare phone, just in case.

We’d had a look on line before getting to the shop and there were a few Black Friday Deals on. A choice between a Motorola and an Honor phone. The Honor was reduced to the same price but has space for a second Sim card and the camera had a better spec. We hope that when we are away from Oleanna we might be able to use the Sim from her router in my new phone, therefore not having to rely on our data allowances on our phones or Wi-Fi hot spots for internet.

Next we stocked up on a few bits from Sainsburys, they seem to have liked us using them again, we have so many vouchers for triple points. So a couple of boxes of wine fell into our trolley to keep us going.

Back at Oleanna it was starting to get dark, so we decided to stay an extra night here and move off in the morning.

2 locks, 1 twice, 0.27 miles, 0.13 in reverse, 2 boats only going backwards, 1 load washing, 1 full water tank, 2m blue fabric, 2 sim phone, 2 boxes wine (1 each), 1 bag pasta, 300gms Red Leicester, 500gms Apricots, 2 late to move, 0.3 of a sock knitted.

Something’s Fishy Round Here! 17th November

Jericho Wharf

Another slow day today.

We needed to get our Saturday newspaper and stock up on some food supplies so decided to head to Waitrose to get a free paper.

The route to Waitrose takes you along the side of the Thames for a short while and today I suggested we follow the river a bit further on a small detour I’d discovered last weekend.

So we crossed the river at Osney Bridge and walked down the bank at East Street. A goose made a bee line for us in what could have been an aggressive manner, so we veered back onto the road and left it to have a problem with a couple and their dog instead of us.

The road leads to Osney Lock and Weir, we came up this lock on Lillian in 2016.

Today a wooden boat was heading towards the lock, two ladies standing with an oar each. They waved and a Lock Keeper appeared from the little hut. He set the lock for them and opened the gates all just by pushing the buttons, no windlass required for the Thames locks here.

The ladies made their way into the lock, no need for them to turn the engine off, but they did cling on to the chains on the side as the water was let out. Once level they both stood back up and rowed themselves out and down stream. What a lot of water for one small boat.

We carried on and crossed the river and then veered off towards Osney Mead. Dave, a blog reader a few weeks ago had pointed us in the direction of various places for food and drink, one of these places I’d spotted last weekend, hence our detour.

The Fishmarket/Osney Food shed sits part way along the Industrial Estate. Last week I’d refrained from looking inside, but today we just had to. From outside I’d imagined it to be much bigger, but the small shop did not leave you wanting. Crammed with fish, frozen and fresh, three chaps filleted and sliced up fish on request. So many different fish to choose from. What a treat.

We walked round the display for sometime trying to make our minds up what to have for dinner this evening. In the end we chose some Sea Bass, bought a large bag of fish pie mix and some smoked mackerel. As we left I checked the recipes on the wall to see if anything took our fancy. Sadly it didn’t but a quick look on the internet and I knew what we needed to buy to make a fishy feast.

Waitrose provided us with the extra ingredients and our newspaper.

The afternoon was spent watching an episode of Inspector Morse whilst I finished knitting a pair of gloves. Only two pairs of socks and some wrist warmers to knit before the end of the month.

Our Sea Bass was very tasty indeed, roasted with waxy potatoes, red pepper, olives and some basil at the end. Thank you Dave.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 boat watched through 1 lock, 1 park, 2 sea bass, 1kg pie mix, 4 GF mince pies (yummy), 1 Morse, 6th pair knitted, 4 pairs to weave ends on, 1 pair of socks started, 1 quiet evening.

A Parliamentary Train Ride

12th and 13th November

Monday 12th.
Pip headed off back to Chipping Norton on the 08:55 bus. Oleanna was getting short of water. The nearest water point is at the residential moorings next to Isis Lock. From a visiting boater’s point of view this is easiest to get to from the lock landing on the Sheepwash Channel below the lock. Officially this is EA water as it is a part of the Thames but I didn’t think anyone would mind me being there. So I untied the ropes and reversed back to upper lock landing, tied up, filled the lock, reversed in to the lock then emptied the lock and reversed out onto the pontoon lock landing. The washing machine had been on and after I had started the hose going it was just finishing a cycle. So I started another load whilst filling the tank. An hour or so later the tank was full and the washing machine was into it’s second rinse so I headed back into the lock and went back up onto the CRT waters of the Oxford Canal. The mooring spot I had left a couple of hours earlier was still vacant (there’s not much traffic around at the moment) so I tied back up there. It’ll do for another few days.

Tuesday 13th
I’ve been on another day trip to London. I was born and brought up in Ealing in West London (not far from the Hanwell Flight of locks) but left the area 28 years ago. So with a bit of time on my hands I thought I’d have a little trip down memory lane. But to get there I went on a bit of a roundabout route.
If you are a train operating company and want to close a bit of railway line or a station you have to go through a long, complicated and expensive procedure involving parliamentary approval. So often a train company won’t actually close the line but instead run an infrequent service, sometimes once a week in one direction only, sometimes once a day. For example, don’t moor at Polesworth on the Coventry Canal expecting to be able to catch a train from the nearby railway station. The only train of the day there departs at 07:23 and there is no return service. There are quite a few of these services dotted around the country and they are known as “Parliamentary” services (because running the service is required by the original Act of Parliament when the railway was built). One of these services is in London: the once daily Chiltern Railways train from South Ruislip to London Paddington. Most services from South Ruislip go to London Marylebone but this service heads off down a railway equivalent of a backwater via Northolt, Greenford, Park Royal and North Acton to join the Great Western mainline at Old Oak Common and thence onto Paddington. So I caught a Chiltern Railways train from Oxford to High Wycombe, changing there onto a train that stopped at South Ruislip. At South Ruislip the “Parley” was waiting on another platform. There was one other passenger on the train and the driver checked with us both that we really wanted to go to Paddington. It was a very interesting ride, running alongside the Central tube line for some of the way. The track is formed of old jointed rails, it’s not often these days that you hear the clickety clack noise of trains passing over un-welded joints. Trees and bushes lean over the tracks and the train passes through a narrowing leafy corridor. We go slowly, no more than 20 mph, I suspect due to the leaves on the line and the fact we are the first train of the day to head this way therefore the track might be slippery. But all too soon we are onto the Paddington Main Line and it feels like we are allowed to sneak unnoticed into platform 14 which is tucked away in a little corner on the far side of the big terminal station. All in all a very enjoyable 25 minutes of train travel. Sorry, I didn’t take any photos, I wanted to enjoy the moment. If you are interested someone else has posted a Youtube video of their trip on this line here . Incidentally if you feel excited about this and want to experience it yourself you’ll have to do so before 7th December. After that day the line closes due to HS2 construction work. Presumably there is parliamentary approval for this! Or maybe HS2 is going to follow the route albeit underground so will count as a train service?

After that excitement I caught a normal train out to West Ealing. This was my old stomping ground.
Here is the house I was born and grew up in. It’s the semi on the left. I lived in this house until I was 22.

And here is the Back Lane entrance to the garage.

Just up the road I came across this from the days when the local authority provided everything.

Most of the shops have changed completely, except this one where I spent many happy hours in the past.

It is still trading and still has a wonderful array of electrical stuff in the window. Many of the pubs have changed names or no longer exist. Most of the bus route numbers are un-recognisable, I mean who ever heard of a 427, a 483 or even an E11? But Ealing still seems to be a busy vibrant place with lots going on.
After a couple of hours of strolling around Memory Lane it was back to Paddington to catch a train back to Oxford. This train took the more normal route via Slough, Reading and Didcot.

0.14 miles in reverse, 0.14 miles forwards, 2 locks (or the same lock twice). 1 full water tank, 2 loads of washing. 3 standard trains, 1 Parliamentary train. 1 excited cat, 1 cat bored again.

Panto Postcard 3.

73 hours

Another hard week in Chipping Norton.

I was on an earlyish bus back after a mile or so walk to the best bus stop, right outside Scottish and Southern Electric where a small compact thatched cottage sits beneath the pylons. I managed to get the front seat on the top deck and got good views through Woodstock and past the gates of Blenheim Palace. One of my design projects when I was at college used the Marlborough Tapestries, so a visit to the palace to see them is a must whilst we are in the area.

Chris the carpenter/dep production manager joined us again on Monday morning. There was a long list of jobs for him to work through, problem solving and hanging various things in the flies above the actors heads that needed to be done by someone competent.

My printed cloth was hung by the time I arrived and it certainly was worth the money. The blues glow wonderfully when back lit for scene changes and it’s fluid movement across stage is wonderful. I wish we’d now had the money to do the same with the backdrop. The painting on this is okay, but in my mind too much paint was applied making it a bit crusty, so when it was folded (should have been rolled!) the paint cracked leaving lines. These would be excellent if you wanted the effect of a folded paper map!

The reaction to my painted floor was wonderful. The Pippins (local kids) were amazed and one lead actor went out of his way to thank me for painting them such a lovely floor, not often this happens.

Mark (Lighting Designer) and Jon (Sound Designer) joined us this week, so as jobs on the set were being done, they focused and plotted their black things that have plugs on them and took up residence in the stalls with lighting boards and sound desks. Chris and I managed to get to various bits and bobs whilst scenes were set to be lit. Scene change rehearsals took place, each attempt getting quicker. I spent quite some time this week sticking felt onto the bottom of pieces of set so that they could be slid along the floor rather than carried, saving peoples backs and hopefully some time, but making me a touch high on fumes in the process.

The curtains I’d made from a previous panto went up surprisingly well. I did think that this would be the moment when I’d prove to myself that I really should never use a sewing machine, but by fluke they hung rather well, just in need of a good steam to help the creases drop.

On Wednesday my phone decided it didn’t want to turn on fully. It would try but then give up and shut down. A message was sent to Mick via another phone to his email, telling him I’d see him on Saturday. My next concern was not being able to tell the time, or have an alarm clock. A hunt round Chippy ensued, at Gills (they have everything) hardware shop I got a small travel alarm clock which would see me through. The world of the internet could wait. However Mick dug out an old phone, got it set up for me to use and brought it to Chippy that day arriving perfectly timed with the actors vacating the stage. A quick hand over was done and I had to leave Mick to enjoy a pint in the Fullers pub next door as I got on with work.

Technical rehearsals took over. This is when all the elements of the show are put together, tried, retried until it all works well. If things weren’t fully finished it didn’t matter just so long as there was something in it’s place to use. Virtually all the set and props were ready, but there were a few gaps on the costume front as alterations were being made. A few frayed nerves from the crew as set changes were worked. The gaps when I could get onto stage to do jobs got fewer as the week continued. Sitting in a seat taking notes meant that my knees started to sieze up a touch, so the steps on and off stage I’m now doing sideways as this is easier.

During the daytime we’d tech in the main acting company, getting as far into the show as we could. Then at 4pm the stage would be reset to go over the sections that the Pippins were in. As there are three teams of kids this meant having to go through the sections at least three times, each team cheering when it became their turn.

With the show worked through in detail the first Dress Rehearsal was upon us on Saturday morning. Gemma the Production Manager was back with us, a few things sorted out before we started. The house lights dimmed and the show began. The dress went well, a few blips, like several of the Dames quick changes were late (an S.E.P.), a few cues for the crew missed and one set change not quite finished in time.

Technical notes were given out and most people then headed off their separate ways, leaving Gemma and myself with the set to get bits finished. During Tech week there may be breaks, but few are long enough for paint to fully dry before floaty costumes come back onto stage. So with a big list and everything accessible we worked for several hours. Some jobs took a matter of a minute, others an hour. But the majority of jobs were completed, the set left everywhere to dry and I was out of the building in time to catch the 6pm bus back to the boat.

Meanwhile back on NB Oleanna.

On Monday Mick had decided to carry on into Oxford on his own. At Drinkwater Bridge a local boater helped him, at the next really awkward bridge a passing cyclist paused to hold the bridge open and then the last bridge he had to manage on his own, but this one would rather stay open for boat traffic anyway. He made his way down to Jericho. He passed one boat on the 7 days mooring, nobody at the quiet mooring (this is 2 days only all year) and then found everyone. They were all near College Cruisers. One gap showed itself before the lock, so he went down onto the river turned and headed back to the gap. The very end of the arm was also full.

For a few nights he endured the trains passing, but when spaces emptied towards the quieter end of the moorings he backed up and settled down.

Trees! But far far too many people. At least this Oxford has a good playground for me, far better than Chester. Tom seems to like to keep the back doors closed now, maybe there is no need for extra crew at the moment.

Mick had a day trip into London to see what was happening in the various places he’d worked last century. He also visited the Tate Modern to see some of Christian Marclay’s The Clock. A 24 hour long installation of a montage of thousands of film and tv images of clocks which have been edited together to show the real time. He’d like to go back and watch for longer.

He has also been working on our laptop. This had become very sluggish. Each week I have received various parcels in Chippy which have been bits to help sort out the laptop. So this week he has replaced the hard drive with a SSD Drive. This took quite a bit of doing, having to clone the old disc and all sorts of computer stuff. So far, as I type this, it has done the job. The laptop is quick and no longer sits scratching it’s head pondering on what it has just been asked to do. My typing skills also seem to have improved.

5 locks, 1 of them twice, 4.38 miles, 3 lift bridges, 2 assisted with, 1 full water tank, S3 bus four times, 5 tech sessions, 1st dress, 1 short day, 36 hrs hopefully at home, 1 high tailed cat.

22°C 13th October

Almost Isis Lock to Isis Lock to Kidlington Green Lock

There is still plenty more we could see and do in Oxford but time is ticking on. We’ll come back, possibly next year and visit some of the places people have suggested.

First today we needed to stock up on some provisions. Sainsburys is in Westgate but there is also a Waitrose across the Thames a similar distance away. We’d not seen the Thames as yet so decided to walk over the mill stream down the side of the old rail swing bridge and then along the Thames Pathway crossing the river at Osney Bridge to find Waitrose. With 5% back on our shopping and a free newspaper for our trouble it would have been daft not to.

After a bite to eat we were ready for the off. I walked ahead to set Isis Lock in our favour. At the lock, along with river level lights there are instructions of how to turn your boat to head out onto the Thames. This involves using the lock landing and doing a manoeuvre a bit like what we call an Andy (named after our helmsman course instructor). Tying your bow line to one of the cleats on the landing you can force the stern round, you then pull the bow up along the lock landing as the stream from the river helps to carry on pushing the stern round, you then will be facing the lock and ready to push out towards the Thames. This method can also be used obviously to wind to get back into the lock.

Except today there was a boat moored on the lock landing. The lady was filling with water from one of the taps on the residential moorings. Luckily for us there was next to no flow below the lock so hopefully she wouldn’t be in the way. There was still the matter of the strong wind gusting around the place.

Mick brought Oleanna out of the lock giving himself enough room to be able to swing the stern round away from the landing. Then straightened up, a touch of sideways (helped by a short blast of the bowthruster) and then he swung the stern around again. No need to fend off anywhere, the lady come out to congratulate him as he brought Oleanna back into the lock.

It was incredibly warm considering the wind and that it is mid October. As we cruised back northwards we wore t-shirts, no need for jumpers today. We paused to fill with water and dispose of rubbish at the first water point just before the start of the Agenda 21 moorings. Along the towpath there was an old chap pottering about being followed by a few cats. As he walked away we could count them, a bouncy kitten joining the other eight. Passing his boat it was only 30ft long if that, there wouldn’t be that much space in there, they’d all have to sleep on top of him. At least it would save him money on coal!

We worked our way slowly back up Wolvercote Lock showing a hire boat that was following us what to do. From here I decided to walk, no point trying to pull in to drop me off with the wind as it was and I would beat Oleanna to the next obstacle that needed opening anyway. The first lift bridge was fine, as long as you step onto it before it gets too high. Walking up to Wolvercote Lift Bridge it was open, brilliant I wouldn’t have to struggle. Maybe C&RT had chained it open for boats. Then a hire boat came through and the bridge dropped. I was fortunate enough to be able to catch the chap who gave me a hand to get the bridge going.

With the beam lowered I quickly sat on it. Mick was taking his time. The wind gusts were so great I could feel myself being slightly lifted from the ground. I managed to nudge myself right to the end to make as much use of my weight as I could and still I was being lifted. I’d considered waiting for the hire boat behind us to save their boat getting even more scrapes along the cabin side from the high overhanging bridge landing, but the wind was such that I wanted to go ahead to open the next lock. I stood up and the bridge immediately wanted to close. A C&RT sign suggests they are looking at better ways of operating this bridge as the lock has been vandalised.

After Dukes Lock and Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge we were confronted by two pirate boats. Young women sat on the roof of the first accompanied by a chap with a parrot on his shoulder. The following boat also seemed to have a lot of people on board. Courses were altered to avoid collision. There was a lot of drinking going on, but it seemed that the chaps at the helm were capable and not (as yet) intoxicated. One chap asked where they could turn which meant we’d be seeing them again.

Below Kidlington Green Lock we moored up and gave Tilly some freedom. It was rather nice being able to sit there with all the doors open which we did until the sun bobbed down behind the horizon. It was around about this time that the pirate boats returned. Travelling in convoy, from two different hire companies, they were very noisy! Laura was being egged on to do something, not sure what but thankfully we didn’t hear any splashes.

4 locks, 4.28 miles, 1 wind, 1 straight on, 3 bridges lifted, 1 luft, 0 held up, 1 riverside walk, 4 bags shopping, 1 free newspaper, 1 full tank of water, 1 empty pooh box, 1 empty pooh bucket, 9 cats in 30ft, 1 bouncing bridge beam, 2 pirate boats, 8 stowaways at least, 22°C!

https://goo.gl/maps/vuUS4boEiWy

LIFT!!!! 8th October

Kidlington Green Lock to Aristotle Bridge 240

Tilly got to have a little rummage around the hedgerows before we pushed of this morning. After an hour she came back in to warm up by the stove.

A boat had come past shortly before we pushed off, there was little chance of us catching it up before the first lift bridge as the going today was slow, despite the water running down bywashes the bottom was a touch too close to the top! After a mile we could see people at Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge. Two boats and two crews, one heading towards us the other south. The bridges from here on tend to be closed and they have a reputation for being b**gers. The boat heading towards us waved us on as they had grounded, it was a couple we’d seen a few days ago near Somerton. The boat infront of us closed the bridge to unlock their key and headed off to use the water point. So we were on our own.

The method used by the boats before us had been to unlock the bridge and raise it, then to use themselves as a human brace, keeping the bridge as high as possible so as not to drop on the boat. We pulled up and decided upon our tactics. It took a little while to unlock it with the key of power, a bit of extra time to read the extra instructions would have helped, only a quarter turn is required whilst pushing down on the bridge. The bridge then could be pushed up quite easily as it was weighted quite well. We decided that instead of me trying to keep the bridge up by acting as a brace that I would go and add my weight to the balance beam on the off side. Sitting down is far easier than pushing upwards and we didn’t think I was tall enough to make the clearance enough for our chimney to pass under. Once Mick and Oleanna were through it was quite easy for me to lower the bridge and lock it again. On we went.

Dukes Lock brought us down that bit closer to the Oxford level only one lock to the Thames if you turn right, two if you go straight on. Two years ago we came off the Thames at Dukes Cut which meets the canal below the lock here, but today we were going to go straight on, new water all round for us.

Wolvercote Lift Bridge was next. A man was sitting mid bridge taking photos and moved as we approached. Sitting between two high road bridges this small lift bridge was not going to be a push over. This bridge has instructions as to unlocking it, but the lock has been removed. The balance is such that it’s rather heavy to get moving and for myself impossible to get to the point where I could push down on it rather than pull down, past the point of no return. I signalled to Mick, but the photographer came to help, it just needed a little push upwards from the towpath side and then I could sit on it again ensuring it would not move whilst the boat came through. The two of us then lowered it and were on our way again.

Agenda 21 moorings now take over the towpath. These are residential moorings which came about after an agreement was made between British Waterways and The Oxford Boaters Co-op some years ago. Most of the boats have seen better days, many are colourful and have unique qualities to them.

Different hatch designs, rubbing strakes and paintings. At Perry’s lift Bridge I unlocked the bridge and gingerly stepped over to the off side, not knowing how well it was balanced. It was fine and I wasn’t going to be catapulted across to the nearby rail line. As Mick pulled out to pass through weed ensnared Oleanna’s prop so he slowly glided through. Once clear a rope was thrown to me on the towpath the pull the boat into the side as there was no steerage. As the water tank topped up Mick cleared the weed and we could carry on slowly past the moored boats in the shallow water.

Wolvercote Lock was the last to Oxford and no bridges would need lifting now. Many of the visitor moorings as you approach the city are alongside the railway and not very user friendly. We continued hoping for a space on the 7day moorings.

There were three boats moored here plenty of trees and back gardens for Tilly. Just a shame we couldn’t get anywhere near the side! I could hear and see boulders beneath the surface stopping us from mooring. On we went to Aristotle Bridge. Here is a designated quiet mooring, a bit like a quiet coach on a train. We’d made note of here when NB Chuffed had cruised to Oxford a month or so ago, it’s alongside a small park this would do us and we hoped Tilly. The only downside is that it’s only a 48 hour mooring.

I couldn’t wait. This Oxford outside looked good, all the requirements I want. I was given an hour to explore, but sadly that was too much! Bicycles, woofers, odd smells. There were these strange structures, I thought what a good place to sit and survey this outside, so jumped up, except it moved out of the way! No matter how I tried to get on it it would swing away from me. This outside is weird and needs C&RT hazard tape adding to it.

Once we were allowed to go off and explore ourselves we walked up to check out the deli by the bridge. Nice looking bits and bobs. Then we followed our noses into Oxford walking through Jericho. Neither of us know Oxford, I’ve been a few times with work but always been too busy to have a look round. Looking in estate agents windows we wished we could move our house here as the rents are astronomical.

In the city centre I got my phone upgraded to a sim only deal, saving me £5 a month. Mick checked to see if a new credit card had arrived at the bank, but it hadn’t and a visit to Whittards to stock up on my morning tea was scuppered by the shop being closed. Tomorrow we’ll return and be tourists.

We walked back along the towpath from Isis Lock, not what I thought it would look like at all, much shallower. We’ll need to descend the lock to be able to wind as we are too long for the winding hole here. On the way back to Oleanna we made note of other moorings we could move to as we’d like to stay longer than 48 hrs.

The back doors were opened again when we got in, but the park was full of kids playing on the swings, so Tilly stayed close to home.

2 locks, 3 lift bridges holding 0 up, 1 lufted bridge, 1 straight on, agenda 21, 2nd mooring attempt, 1 deli, £5 reduction, £1,1million in need of work, 0 card, 0 tea, 2 much to see, 1 short list needed, 1 glove finished.

https://goo.gl/maps/mew666RqyzR2

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna