This evening Mark Penn has been out with a new drone to have a look and see how they are progressing at the breach site removing the cofferdam.
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Well as you can see the dam has gone. There is water in the cut once again. What a lovely sight.
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The pumps are still in the cut, but the pipework from where water was being pumped round the cofferdam is in the process of being removed.
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The pontoon that was used to remove the cofferdam is just positioned through the bridge, the boom that was across the cut has been removed.
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It looks like there might still be a bit of work to do on the towpath, earth doesn’t look to be fully flattened out up to the piling where the water wooshed round the piling back in December. The level in the drain below looks the lowest it’s been for a long time, covered in duck weed.
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There are still railings around the top of the concrete structure over the drain below. There was a hole maybe an access hatch in the old concrete, maybe this is the new one. The water level looks to be back up to normal levels now. How wonderful it is to see water and no silt.
There is obviously some tidying up to do and maybe bits left to sort on the towpath, but all looks good for the 23rd when the navigation is set to reopen. Booking to pass through Sykehouse and Pollington Lock will no longer be required from the 21st.
Dredging is happening up near Lemonroyd. A sunk vessle is being removed up that way too.
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I so hope that when I next post about the breach it will be to celebrate it’s reopening after 8 long months.
The Geraghty Zoom subjects consisted of tales of family get togethers. The London Leckenbys, Anna over from Germany and the imminent arrival of the young Evans’s to Scotland where fish fingers, waffles and bananas were being stocked up on. Fran, Mick’s niece, is preparing to fly out to Tokyo for the Paralympics as she is the physio for the English Boccia team. We wish them good luck.
Trinity College
One of the reasons for meeting up near Oxford is that Josh soon will be choosing his A levels and thinking about where he wants to go to University. He’s a brainy lad having just achieved an A* in GCSE Religious Studies taken a year early. Oxford most probably didn’t feature on his list of possibles, but it was worth having a look round.
The Turf
Mick stayed at Oleanna to replace the stern gland greaser whilst the rest of us drove into Oxford for a nosy about. Andrew is very much of the opinion that the course you do at university is important but the city you go to should also appeal. Oxford is an odd one, trying to explain about colleges and faculties, the city being very much built around the University.
Sigh!
We walked down Broad Street past Trinity College, not many colleges open to visitors today, in fact we only saw one and it would have been £8 each to go in. We just peeked through the gate instead.
Punts
A walk through the back lanes to The Turf, the Bridge of Sighs. Down to the Cherwell where numerous people were heading off for a punt.
Merton College
We walked around the outside of the Botanical Gardens and down to the Thames where a couple of familiar boats were just mooring up.
Christ Church with some people
Back into town to see some of the shopping area and we stopped for a cuppa and a slice of cake in the Covered Market. By now our parking was just about up so we headed back out of town to Thrupp.
Drinks!
This evening we wandered down to The Boat Inn, thankfully they had some beer today, we’d been hearing rumours of lack of supplies.
A group of Morris Dancers were congregating outside, jingling their bells and wearing cheese on their heads!
Tarragon chicken with roast new potatoes and salad
A chicken tarragon casserole had been cooking away whilst we were out. Very tasty it was, one to do on the stove top when the weather gets cooler.
Pudding was a Dorset Apple Cake made this afternoon. We’d just had a slice each when I remembered that I was going to put candles in it as it’s Josh’s birthday on Monday! The amount of wine I’d had had quite a lot to do with my memory lapse! We turned the cake round, added candles and Josh blew them out.
Leckenbys
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stern greaser replaced, 1 day of cricket commentary, 4 wandering around Oxford, 1 Josh underwhelmed, 1 excuse for a weekend away, 1 lump of cheese, 2 pints, 1 G&T, 1 wine, 1 apple juice, 1 very full casserole, 1 birthday cake just remembered, 2 much wine, 1 lovely weekend,15! how on earth is Josh 15!?!
Up early to beat the hire boats back into College Cruisers. Late yesterday afternoon NB Hannah May had arrived and arranged for a diesel top up this morning. Movement could be heard across the way at 8:20 so we made sure we were ready to push over once they had been filled up. We did a do-ci-do and took on 40 litres, at £1 a litre we didn’t fill the tank, just enough to keep us going until further up the Oxford.
Fish fish fish!
We pushed back over to the towpath just as the first of the holiday makers were arriving back. Next job was to pick up the things missing from our shopping trip yesterday. I headed off to Waitrose which was kind of on route to Aldens Fish Market.
I chose to walk along the Thames, the patched pipe under Osney Bridge not really doing it’s job as loads of water was pouring out into the Thames. Glad it’s not on our water meter! The temporary pipe over the bridge is quite colossal.
Mind your fingers!
At the fish market I was good, I had a look around dreaming of filling the freezer but only bought what I’d come for, a side of salmon. The lobsters would remain safe under their board for a while longer.
Back at Oleanna it was time to push off as we had a rendez vous to make. The moorings had filled up yesterday maybe people only come into Oxford for the weekend. We met a few boats as we headed out of town, either at locks or along narrow sections which necessitated us pulling in and hoping to not end up in the offside vegetation.
Contended snooze
The cruiser with the cats is still along the Agenda 21 moorings, only two felines on the roof today and no sign of the old chap.
Speed bumps have been added to the towpath on several stretches.
Sitting on the beam to hold it open
Now for the bridges. Bridge 234 still wants to be open as soon as you unlock it. I braced myself for Wolvercote Lift Bridge 233. Here the bridge quite often requires an extra pair of hands to get it lifted and out of the way and the bridge landing has an overhang which has scarred many a hire boats cabin side. Well today the problem simply wasn’t there.
The bridge lies in several parts on the offside under the A34. No bridge beams to struggle with pulling them down and then keep the bridge raised whilst your boat goes through. A couple of cyclists appeared on the offside a touch puzzled as to what they were going to do.
Drinkwaters Lift Bridge
A boat was coming down Dukes Lock so we swapped with them and rose up to meet the next lift bridge. Drinkwaters Lift Bridge 231 was about to close for major rebuilding work when last we passed. During the works the approach walls collapsed and had to be rebuilt. It is now operated by windlass from the towpath side. No longer a fight to unlock it with your key of power, just 30 turns to lift and 14 to drop it.
How did that get there?
Our usual stop on the way out of Oxford had a couple of boats moored up. A solitary sunflower stood high in the field alongside the lock. We swapped with a boat as we arrived and another came into view as we left, perfect timing all round.
New wood at Roundham Lock
Next Roundham Lock, where through the last few years the bottom gate beam has been shored up to last that bit longer a section of armco was the last bodge job we’d seen. But today there are new beams at both ends of the lock.
Boat!!!
Approaching Thrupp we had to stop quickly as the bow of a boat suddenly came into view past a large bush on the off side. We pulled in, trying to avoid the worst effects of the overhanging brambles on the cabin sides.
Thrupp
The visitor moorings in the village were quite empty, we considered pulling in, but we carried on to the lift bridge. I did the honours, stopping a very new boat from coming through as Mick was in the bridge hole. They then did their best to negotiate the bridge themselves without loosing any paint. A touch more use of power may have assisted them, but give them a few more months and they’ll be a touch more bold with their manoeuvres.
Meanwhile on the other side of the River Cherwell, just over a kilometer as the crow flies, the London Leckenbys were pulling up at Willowbrook Farm campsite and setting up their tents for the weekend. Once they’d settled in they then drove round the 9km to join us and walked up to the boat with a rusk sack full of contraband, before returning the car to the site and walking the 1.8km on well marked paths back.
Footpaths across the meadows
When we’d first come up with the idea of trying to find a campsite close to Oxford and the canal, Thrupp came up as a possibility. A newish eco campsite on a working farm that produces halal meat. Then about a week ago Jac noticed the not so fine print ‘Strictly No Alcohol Allowed On Site!’ Not quite the right place to have a relaxing beer in front of your tent, but you have to respect other cultures. So bottles of gin and wine were brought round to ours and we wouldn’t go to the campsite for a bbq, instead both evenings would be spent on Oleanna.
Mooo!
We’d considered going for a little pootle to find a suitable bit of towpath not too far away for the evening, returning before it got too dark, but just off the side of the TCCC moorings was an area with a bbq and picnic bench. This would do us.
Cooking
Family were set with jobs of chopping. The other week they had made a tabbouleh not realising I wouldn’t be able to eat the buckwheat, today we made one using Quinoa which was very tasty. Veg and haloumi kebabs were skewered, a potato salad made up. The side of salmon required cutting in half to fit on the barbecue, a grating of ginger, pinch of sugar, soy sauce and lemon juice added then a good wrapping of foil.
Tucking in
Our usual barbecue stove was lit along with two disposable ones that had come from London. The salmon cooked quickly so was nudged to the sides for the veg kebabs to cook in the middle meaning the disposable bbq’s were only really just getting going when we’d just about finished eating!
The latest Thrupp yarn bomb
A lovely if a touch blowy evening sat outside. Cheese was enjoyed back onboard after we’d tidied up outside. Then the head torches were brought out to aid the walk back to the campsite, hopefully the London Leckenby’s weren’t too noisy on their return!
4 locks, 6.51 miles, 2 lift bridges, 1 bridge in bits, 40 litres, 1 side salmon, 1 mooring, 1 campsite, 0 alcohol, 1 happy cat, £646 saved, 1 family get together, 1 yummy meal, 2 beers, 2 G&T’s, 2 bottles wine, 5 head torches for 3, 1km, 9km, 1.8km, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Being close to Chipping Norton I’d been hoping to be able to meet up with the Production Manager for panto at the theatre to be able to discuss solutions for a couple of things, but this meeting sadly was not going to happen.
Model pieces all laid out
Trying to get everyone needed for an online final model meeting is proving difficult, next week there isn’t a day when the Director, myself and the Costume Designer can all be on line at the same time. In the mean time I’d been in touch with David the Director to see if we could meet up and actually be in the same room as each other with the model. We arranged to meet this morning.
David’s sister used to have a narrowboat, so despite me suggesting meeting in Chippy at the theatre, the meeting was always going to be on board Oleanna.
It’s been over a year since we first started talking about Rapunzel and today is the first time we’ve actually got to meet face to face rather than on line. David is a tall man, his head brushed against Oleanna’s ceiling!
He’s quite a nice Tom
Mick made us drinks and then headed off to buy a mouse, giving us more space to spread out. With all the doors and windows open we could almost have been sitting outside. Tilly came in to inspect David, she’s always a touch reluctant to be friendly, but with the assistance of a stick of webbox she can be won round.
Two hours of chatting about the show followed. It’s the first time I’ve shown anyone other than Tilly the model all the way through. Seeing it online isn’t the same as being sat in front of a model, being able to ask questions, pause, go back, move a light around to that detail can be seen that just doesn’t show in photographs. Only one minor adjustment required, which shouldn’t cost anything and a request for a seagull on a stick. At least it wasn’t the moon!
One very happy Director.
Next was shopping. We walked into town to Sainsburys in the Westgate Centre. I checked a couple of things before leaving Mick with the list and headed off to see if I could find some presents. Westgate came up trumps with Next, John Lewis and a branch of Blackwells. So I managed to be back at Sainsburys to add a roll of greaseproof paper to the end of the conveyor as Mick was paying.
A canoe course on the Castle Mill Stream
A detour to the Chinese supermarket on Hythe Bridge Street to stock up on Rice noodles and tapioca starch. That was everything from our shopping list apart from a side of salmon, that could wait for the morning.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 people in one room boat, 1 meeting, 6ft plus of Director, 1 very happy chappy, 1 downpour, 7 hours! 1 bike fully laden, 2 bags rice sticks, 2 bags tapioca, 0 salmon side, 1 do like knowing my way round a city.
On Friday there was a section in the fortnightly Boaters Update from C&RT about the breach on the Aire and Calder. In it they give the 23rd August as a date for reopening the navigation. I can almost hear the engines in Goole starting up!
Update on major maintenance work in Yorkshire & the North East
Over the past six months we’ve had to deal with unexpected failures of waterway components as well as some pretty horrendous stormy weather in the north of the country. We appreciate the adverse impact this has on boaters in the region and have been working tirelessly to get things back to normal as soon as we can.
Repairs to the breach at New Bridge on the Aire & Calder Navigation are almost complete. The navigation will re-open on 23 August. A silver lining of this big project has been that we were able to take the opportunity to do other work on the navigation, which will minimise future disruption, during the stoppage:
Lemonroyd Sluices – Work to repair the sluices is still underway but the lock will be operational for the re-opening of the navigation. A further 1-day stoppage in September will be required to complete the work. This will be planned around freight movements.
Ferrybridge Lock – Gate replacement work finishes today (13 August).
Dredging – Hydrographic surveys and sampling are complete and dredging is planned to commence next week from 16 Aug at Lemonroyd. Dredging at Ferrybridge will not commence until October to comply with environmental conditions. It is difficult to say exactly when the dredging will be complete as we, much like the rest of industry, are facing a shortage of lorry drivers which will impact dredging disposal. When the navigation opens all freight passage will remain on a reduced draft. Given the long period with no freight activity we would not recommend loading deeper than 2.0m (6’ 6”) with some ballast for the first few trips.
Dredging (South Sheffield & Yorkshire Navigations) – Survey work has been completed and potential areas for dredging identified. A couple of the locations identified will be picked up as part of the spot dredging works.
Edge Piles – Our engineers will continue to monitor the piles until remedial work can be undertaken. At this stage we do not anticipate any disruption to freight barge movements.
Only a few hours cruising left on the Thames and the last day of our licence, although I think we could have got an extra day because of the hold up at Boveney.
NB Snowy Owl
Today our trip would be a relaxed one unlike Mick’s two years ago. The river then was going up and down, not by much, but that much made a lot of difference to cruising. He first made his way up the pretty Iffley Lock stopping for a night or two near a rowing club.
Croxford
He walked up to Osney Bridge where boats were starting to cling onto the moorings, then on to see what the turn into Sheepwash Channel was like. He did his homework and made his decision to go for it before the next band of rain had chance to rise the river any further. Thankfully it paid off and he made it to the safety of the Canal.
Iffley such a pretty lock
Today we pootled up the river with no fears of levels rising. The lavender at Iffley Lock looked wonderful as ever, a Lock Keeper arrived as we did and worked us up. A chalked sign announced that Osney Bridge would be closed between 10 and 12 today, but there was plenty of space on the East Street moorings where we could wait.
Clubs
The rowing clubs looked all gleaming in the sunshine and the dreaming spires were all very well tucked up behind the leaves of the trees.
No spires in sight
We went round Folly Bridge to the right a trip boat preparing to show the sights to it’s passengers.
Folly Bridge
Osney Lock was on self service, our last on the Thames for this trip. The bow rope was all ready on the roof ready to be picked up with the boat hook. We’d just closed the gates behind us when a keeper arrived, he’d been to see how things were progressing at the bridge ahead. He reiterated that there was plenty of space on East Street for us to wait.
Where is everyone?
Space, blimey! Only three boats moored up along the whole stretch, we’ve never seen it look so empty. We pulled up almost to the far end to wait for the work boat to finish.
No space to get through
An EA work boat a while ago had collided with a water main that runs under the bridge. Today they were putting in a bypass pipe so that the original one could be mended without interruption to the supply. The work boat sat plum in the centre of the bridge, we had a cuppa and waited for midday.
House being clad in copper
Another two boats arrived behind us, the workmen would be another half hour, maybe an hour.
Waiting impatiently
Then a trip boat arrived, it hovered mid channel next to us waiting for the work boat to move, but move it did not, not until about 12:45. We were out, ropes untied and on our way.
Under
I managed to get a photo of a hole in a pipe, but the proper hole was in a much bigger pipe a little further on, only a quick glance upwards and it looked like bits of wood had been strapped to the hole to stem it’s flow. I didn’t notice a bypass pipe, but then we were through the bridge very quickly.
Goodbye to the Thames
The right turn into Sheepwash was easy, not much flow to make it a worrying manoeuvre. We turned and waved goodbye to Old Father Thames and headed back towards C&RT waters.
All under wraps
Work is happening at the Swing Bridge to restore it, most of the structure encapsulated in white tarpaulin, so nothing to see.
A boat was pulled up on the pontoon below Isis Lock, waiting for the bridge to open. They kindly asked if we wanted the lock gate opening for us, but we actually wanted the pontoon so that we could fill with water from a handy tap alongside the permanent moorings on the canal. We swapped over and they headed out onto the river.
Just by Isis Lock
The water pressure was pretty good and by the time the next boat appeared our tank had just filled. They were wanting to do the same as us so were happy to wait for our hose to be stowed.
Back onto dinky waters
A narrow lock! And a pretty one. No heaving or having to bump the gates to get them moving, just a gentle little sigh to let you know it’s ready to move. I know that won’t be the case by the time we reach Somerton Deep Lock, but for now I’ll enjoy the ease of the locks.
We’ve heard the stories of so many boats on the Oxford Canal at the moment. Sadly the canal into Oxford seems to have a bit of a reputation, fortunately for us it meant we had the choice of moorings.
Final bit of model painted, a portrait
Having spent quite a bit of time here over two winters whilst I’ve been doing panto we know the advantages of where to moor. Nearer Isis Lock you are slightly sheltered from the noise of trains, but the outlook is of the hoardings for the development that may one day actually happen across the canal in Jericho. But this mooring now has a lot of over hanging branches, not so good for solar. Further along you get the view of College Cruisers and the house where the first murder in Inspector Morse happened. Here you get a lot of sunlight, but increased train noises. We chose sun and being nearer to the footbridge.
Tilly was quite happy to be back in this outside, she knows it very well, except someone’s changed it’s colour to green!
3 locks, 2 river, 1 narrow, 4.51 miles, 5o much space at East Street, 1 copper house, 1 hour wait, 1 right, 1 full water tank, 1 washing machine running again, 1 meeting confirmed, 1 get together postponed, 1 menu written, 1 shopping list, 1 Gothel portrait, 1 Dame painted, 1 model totally and utterly complete, 1 cat back in the Oxford outside.
A lie in, waking to the sun streaming in through our bedroom porthole. Wonderful.
Lovely!
Sadly the clear blue sky didn’t last long, but at least today we wouldn’t get soaked.
We took our time in setting off, eating up some bacon was on the cards so this came accompanied by a few mushrooms and poached eggs, not a full breakfast so no photo today.
Good views from up there
The two miles to Clifton Lock has long back gardens coming down to the waters edge on one bank and meadow land on the other.
Along quite a stretch there were diggers with a constant procession of dumper trucks. There were too many for it to be a farmer improving drainage and every now and then we came across a culvert from the river. Is this land going to be built on? I’ve had a quick hunt around on line and it seems that there may be a development near to Little Wittenham, but without trawling through pages of stuff I’m unsure. I just hope the views from our mooring are not affected.
Clifton Hamden Bridge
Clifton Hamden Bridge is made of sturdy brick, when built it used to join Oxfordshire on the north bank to Berkshire on the southern, but in 1976 boundaries changed and Oxfordshire engulfed the south bank. The bridge replaced a ferry on the shallow reach of the river where it had been fordable to cattle and horses. But in 1826 on a ceremonial trip from Oxford to London, the Lord Mayor of London’s barge grounded in the shallows here. Weirs upstream had to be lifted to free the barge which was stuck for several hours. This led to the building of Clifton Lock in 1835 along with weirs which improved the depth, but this meant animals could no longer cross so the bridge was built in 1867 designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Clifton Lock
The lock keeper saw us up Clifton Lock informing us about Whitchurch Lock and it’s broken collar, this was why there were so many Le Boats about, they’d all headed towards Oxford yesterday due to the closure. Looking at the lock gates you can see where recent flood levels have left their mark.
Now we were on the reach where Oleanna had engine troubles two years ago. The river was on yellow boards, stream decreasing. Oleanna was having to force her way upstream and her engine overheated, necessitating the need to lower the anchor shortly after the Appleford Railway Bridge. Link to the post. Today the flow is far less. Mick can now check the engine temperature without having to slide the rear hatch as he’s added a heat sensor to the engine. All seemed as it should be, I still opened the hatch to check the gauge, all good.
Pootling about
At Culham Lock we waited behind a hire boat to go up. The lock is 7′ 11” deep so takes a bit of filling, so we had a wait. Flapping of wings from across the canal from a pigeon who flapped it’s way not very well across the river dipping into the water and eventually landing on our gunnel. It wasn’t happy, maybe it’s wings had got a touch too wet. It made it’s way onto the lock landing and spent an age flapping it’s wings whilst crouching, maybe it was in pain. I considered trying to catch it but Oleanna wouldn’t be the best place for it under the beady eye of Tilly. It managed to fly back across the river into a tree. This is when we noticed what had caused the problem, a mink!
The pigeon managed to fly away, but it’s friend on another branch was very quickly grabbed by the mink, dragged down the trunk of the tree and taken out of sight, possibly into it’s burrow. It took no time at all. After about a minute or two the mink was back out looking for its next victim!
Up in the lock
The Lock Keeper squeezed us in behind the hire boat then brought in another narrowboat alongside. Ropes were adjusted on the hire boat in front, their ropes on the stern not really long enough for the job or depth of the lock. Extra turns round bollards and t-studs for the boat we were alongside, I think we had the best position for an easy ride up.
The queue above the lock was several deep, not enough lock layby for them all to tie to. Was this an early indicator of how busy Abingdon would be?
Once round the bend above the weir the other narrowboat overtook us, forging ahead to grab a space.
Picture postcard
Abingdon came into view, all picture postcard in the sunshine. We spotted only a couple of spaces we’d have tried to fit in, I suspect they wouldn’t be empty for long.
Abingdon Lock
We’d already been told at the previous lock that Richard the Abingdon Lock Keeper wouldn’t be there, he has been suffering from Long Covid for the last year. So I was all prepared to go and press buttons. However a voluntary volunteer (unofficial) was stood at the panel ready to help people through. He was very chatty and warned us of a sunken boat upstream and told tales of a widebeam taking 4 hours to fill their water tank from the tap above the lock.
Not far now
Down to a quarter of a tank we wanted a bit of water, a lady was just waiting for her tank to make the ‘boom I’m full’ noise so we waited, hose out claiming our position in the queue.
23ft long!
We were soon attached to the tap, not too much water going everywhere. Looking at the directions our hose would be too long (as would most hoses on narrowboats), but thankfully we still got water. The pressure here was similar to that at the bottom of Hillmorton. We decided we’d do half an hour and then let someone else have use of the tap, which meant we got to about half full.
Sunk
A pause for lunch and then onwards to Sandford Lock. After a visit to Abingdon from RCR in 2019 Mick had realised that the overheating hadn’t been solved. He kept to the edges of the river where the flow was less, meaning he could keep Oleanna’s revs as low as possible. Today the bollards below the lock were in view, last time I’d been here they were just peeking above flood water. Today I had to use a ladder to assist getting off Oleanna. Up at the lock I’d been beaten to the buttons by a young chap who was only just tall enough to reach the buttons, his Mum and Dad were waiting for the lock below too.
All went well until he hadn’t seen that we’d been joined by another small cruiser, so he started to close the gates as it was coming through. Plenty of shouting meant he removed his finger from the button stopping the gate, phew!
A good spot for a bbq
An Oleanna sized hole was waiting for us above the lock, just where we wanted to be for the day. What NO trees! The friendly cover’s a bit sparse too. I remember last time when there were six cats who ganged up against me. I’ve been patient all day for you to finally tie up a good outside and this is what you catch! Can we go back to yesterdays outside? Pleeease!!
It’s pants here!
With the sun still being out and a grassy mooring we got the barbecue out. Tilly was allowed to stay out with us for a while even though it was after dingding. I’m sure she just stayed out because it’s normally against the rules, not because she wanted to as she didn’t venture far!
4 locks, 12.09 miles, 1 lie in, 2 poached eggs, 1 squeeze, 1 volunteer volunteer, 30 minutes of water, 18m not 7m, 1 sunken boat, 1 meeting arranged, 2 out of 5 options for another, 2ft 6” lower, 1 button presser, 1 unimpressed cat, 4 veg kebabs, 2 salmon steaks, 1 pleasant evening.
PS The Selby Swing Bridge from the basin onto the canal was lifted out yesterday. It is being sent away to be mended, due back in 12 weeks time. So no stopping to press buttons for a while. Not sure where the temporary footbridge is though. Link to photo
We pushed off at the new normal time of 8am, oh for a lie in! Coming in towards Reading there was a lady carrying a large bag, it looked like she was about to feed the swans, big bag of grain and most probably her Ikea blue bag was full of white sliced bread. But zooming in with the camera I could see her bag contained something else that was white, a swan. She undid velcro fastenings which held the swan safe and then set it free into the river. Then the bag of seed was scattered out for everyone to enjoy.
An interesting extension to an old barge
Near the junction with the K&A we passed the lovely 1905 Dutch barge. The lady on board had been wanting to head up the K&A, but is stuck for the time being. We waved across to her and her Dad, who’d come along to crew for her.
Good job we didn’t want to go shopping at Tescos this morning as all spaces were taken. Onwards through Caversham, the lock on self service. Below the lock the diesel price was 4p cheaper than above, we’ll be needing some before too long but not quite yet.
The house with the round tower balcony and galleon weather vain is one of our favourites along this stretch, it straddles a slot where you could moor a boat.
Approaching Mapledurham Lock
By the time we reached Mapledurham Lock the Keepers were on duty and the sun was out. The lady wished she’d brought suncream with her, I wished I hadn’t put my winter waterproofs on! A sign warned you to stay to the right at the next bridge, Whitchurch Bridge in Pangbourne, someone apparently has stolen the sign pointing towards the lock!
The leafy approach to Whitchurch Lock
There were plenty of spaces below along the bank should we have wanted to pull in, maybe ‘next time’. The Lock Keeper was busy chatting in his hut so a walk up and wave to him was needed, we passed through with another boat just before 11. Apparently an hour later the lock was closed. *Another broken collar, hope it doesn’t take as long to mend as at Boveney.
Mick decided it was time for elevenses, I postponed them until we’d passed the Seven Deadly Sins houses. Seven gothic mansions. Were they built by DH Evans to house his seven mistresses or to house seven lady friends of the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII)? No matter who they were built for they are lovely. One has just sold, well half of one, and another is having some TLC, the last one in the line is now more visible than I remembered.
Two years ago you could moor along Beale Park for 48hrs, a short while later sign posts were put up saying ‘No Mooring’, nothing to do with us, we hope! Cruising alongside the park at first we noticed the posts where the old signs had been. Then a blue banner near the island. From her on there are twelve marked 48 hr moorings, payable at £10 a night, refundable if you pay to go in the park. There were a few boats on them, but it was far too early in the day for us, we needed to cover more miles.
Wild swimmers were heading upstream, another downstream, this one wisely wearing an orange cap and dragging a very obvious float behind.
The moorings at Goring
During the day my meeting in Chipping Norton was cancelled, well it had only been a maybe. So we were in flux as to how far to get today as we didn’t need to be in Oxford quite so soon. Then another email came in asking if I would still be going to measure things, this would be useful, but I’d be on my own and with no technicians about! In the end I decided to defer my visit to next week, we could slow down a touch, maybe.
Goring Lock and weir
Goring Lock is where Mick and Paul got to on their first day of moving Oleanna from the Kennet and Avon two years ago. The Thames had been in flood and I’d had to abandon ship to go off to work on panto. Mick joined Carol and George for a couple of days whilst waiting for the river to settle down a touch before he and Paul continued on upstream. Today things were far far calmer. The boat we’d shared Whitchurch with joined us and tried for a second time to buy a licence, they also failed for a second time.
Half a mile on is Cleeve Lock, here the lock was on self service so I went up to do the honours, boat hook in hand to pick up our bow rope. The boat we were shared with tried for a third time to buy a licence, maybe I should have said I only accepted cash!
Singing in the rain
Above the lock is a water point. Here the water sprayed everywhere, possibly a third of what came through the tap actually making it’s way through to the hosepipe. A couple were trying to do something at the water point, huddled under a small umbrella so as not to get soaked!
A handy spot for a spot of lunch
We pulled in at an available spot for lunch, risking that the weather would change as we ate, this of course is exactly what happened as the heavens opened just as we wanted to move off, this was then the theme for the remainder of the day. Bright sunshine followed by torrential downpours.
This was only a hundredth of the geese
Moulsford Prep School is obviously very very popular with the geese of the area. The grassy bank to the river was covered in geese, this was not a gaggle but a gargantugaggle of geese. Just imagine how much goose pooh there must be there!
Onwards to Wallingford. The pretty church spire peeking out from behind the trees. There were a couple of spaces here, but we left them for others. NB Legend ended up mooring here the same year Mick and Paul were fighting their way up the Thames, they were just a few days behind us and ended up having a much longer stay in Wallingford than planned as the river boke it’s banks five times during the winter, followed by the pandemic and the first lockdown.
Above Benson Lock the next batch of Le Boat hire boats were making ready to set off, I think we counted five with crews unpacking. By the time we reached Days Lock we’d caught up with one of them, the Lock Keeper told us to hold our breath as he squeezed us in alongside them, only a couple of inches to spare.
Breath in!
As we left we asked the Keeper if it was still possible to moor on the fields above the lock, we’d heard that a new land owner had put No Mooring signs up. The Lockie said that he thought we might have to pay, maybe on line, but people certainly moored there. This was welcome news, but would our favourite mooring be free?
The first space had new fencing nearby. A stake looked like it had once had a sign on it, the sign possibly now on the ground. We knew we were too deep to pull in there so carried on a short distance. There were no signs along this stretch two years ago and today there were no signs again. The gap was empty and the wind assisted us tucking us into the bank between the two sets of trees, our mooring.
Tilly land
Tilly was straight out, claiming trees and broken branches. Across the field came a buggy, was this the landowner coming for their money? No they went diagonally across the field and out of view, never to return. Obviously our presence wasn’t a problem, we think they were tending their sheep. Tilly stayed out being very busy until I had to call her in at 7, past cat curfew!
Sadly it was a touch too windy and occasionally wet to have a barbeque. Once all the hire boats had gone past the world was calm. The amount of sky though more than made up for it. We’ve spent so much time in London, or in amongst trees, this evening we had a view back. The sunset did not disappoint.
Day’s Lock view
7 locks, 24.36 miles, 4 soakings, 2 very hot boaters, 9 favourite houses, 1 favourite boathouse, 12 moorings back, 6 swimmers, 1 tight squeeze, 11ses, 2nd broken collar, 1 river behaving this time, 3 kingfishers, 1 favourite mooring, 1 stunning sunset, 2 week gap found, 1 happy cat, 3rd day in a row Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Normally on a day such as today we’d sit out the rain, maybe let Tilly out for a while. But today we had no choice, it’s hard to get going knowing you’re going to get soaked before you even reach the first lock of the day. Even the winter waterproof trousers came out, initially a wise decision until we realised the rain running off our life jackets ends up going round the crutch straps!
Spring Cottage
Cookham Lock was our first and as it was only 8:30 it was on self service. Here panels were left open on the control pedestals and inside the door it gives you instructions on their use, including timings for the lock to empty and fill. 3mins 30 to empty and 4mins 15 to fill.
Round the big sweeping bend at Bourne End a familiar boat from our trip a couple of years ago Black Magic, wonder if they had anything to do with Rowntrees? A temple like structure has been built over the water, it could also have been a swimming pool, but then the chap walking around inside must have been walking on water if that was the case!
At Marlow Lock we waited for a Le Boat boat to come down, they were hunting round for a water point. Because it was raining so much I’d left my phone inside with my map so I couldn’t help pin point it for them. Looking now at Waterway Routes I notice that there isn’t a water point there, their next tap would be at the marina on Bourne End or at Cookham Lock.
Marlow Bridge
There was a space with our name on it at Marlow, we pulled in for me to hop off to top up on milk and bread from Sainsburys. The town was just waking up on a Sunday morning. A chap stood at the door of Sainsbury and said ‘There’s a bit of smoke in the shop so be careful going in and coming out’ ! Smoke!!! His tone suggested there was nothing to worry about and the aroma with the smoke was flavoured with hot cross buns, so obviously the bakery had had an incident this morning.
With cuppas in hand and a brownie each for elevenses we pushed off again shortly after a widebeam had pulled out also heading upstream. We started to follow them, but their pace was extremely slow, more suited to that of a shallow canal than the 8km you can do on the Thames. So Mick cranked Oleanna up to over take them at least we’d get to the lock sooner to be able to set it for both boats.
The lock was set against us and a boat approaching from above, I opened the gates and worked the lock for them, then waved Oleanna in expecting the widebeam to follow. Temple Lock is 41m long, we are under 18m so we were surprised that they didn’t come in behind us as they hadn’t looked longer than us as we’d passed.
They stood holding ropes at the back of the lock landing. I was asked would they fit? My reply was ‘I don’t know, I’m not a lock keeper’. They then brought their boat in to the mouth of the lock peered in but decided that they wouldn’t be able to fit alongside us so pulled back out. A chap on the bow suggested that we’d been going too fast as we’d passed them, he was quite disgruntled. Then he said they wouldn’t fit, it wasn’t anything to do with their length, but their width as they wouldn’t fit along side us. Thinking back on the incident they most probably thought we’d over taken them to beat them to the lock, which to a certain extent is true but we’d never imagined that they wouldn’t be able to fit in the lock as well. Each to their own and we left them sorting themselves out below the lock.
Waiting for the slow tap
Below Hurley Lock all the beautiful launches in the pool outside Peter Freebody and Co were tucked up under their covers, not much shiny woodwork on show today, not any photos as my camera was keeping dry inside. Here we had our first lock keeper of the day, we were soon up and on our way again, passing NB Zenith at the water point who were exclaiming at how slow the tap was!
The beautiful houses on the bend had caught a hire boats eye, they were doing circles infront of them. On round the bends and islands, now we needed to keep an eye open along the moorings at Medmenham.
There she was
A few boats on there she was No Problem XL. A paddle boarder and another boat meant we wouldn’t ‘bip’ our horn, so we slowed right down hoping to be spotted. We were. Sue came out to say hello, we’d been in contact to say we would passing. We trod water a social distance away from No Problem XL.
Sue
Sadly Sue lost Vic, her husband, a couple of months ago to Lung Cancer, which was diagnosed only a couple of weeks before he passed away in his sleep. 32 years of marriage, 22 of them living afloat. She also lost one of her dogs at the back end of last year, so life hasn’t been kind recently. But Sue is surrounded by a community of boaters who all look out for each other, she looked very well and it was so good to stop and have a short catch up. Hopefully next time we’re on the Thames we’ll be able to stop for longer and not get blown off course across the river.
A boaters smile
Below Hambledon Lock we nosed at the marina where Still Rockin used to winter. Wonder where she is now?
Look at those lovely buoys
Henley is ready, very ready for the regatta next week. The lock keeper told us to keep to the right when we reached Temple Island. No chance of getting things wrong here. Numerous red buoys mark your course. Don’t tell anyone but two years ago when we moored a short time after the regatta we were gifted one of the red buoys by the river god. It would be nice to have a second one. Mick wondered if they were held down by mud weights, he’d quite like one of those too. But we were good and carried on along the western bank of the river along the course.
A couple of sculls were making use of the course as were a couple of Dragon boats, all powering their way along as great speed. Stands and marquees filled the banks the closer we got to Henley. Have to say the white fabric around all the structures on the river would drive me mad, I’d have to go and reattach them all to make them look neater.
Beaten to Marsh Lock by a paddle steamer trip boat we waited our turn with several hire boats and canoeists. Nine swans also took advantage of a lift up the lock.
People were having parties in their gardens, the weather having improved greatly since this morning, the occasional shower still came past so our waterproofs were still worth having on.
Sonning Bridge
Up Shiplake and then Sonning Locks. The Lock Keeper making sure we knew about the Kennet and Avon Canal being shut at Southcote Lock. A new anchor block is needed and the lock gate has been removed by a crane. Stop planks have been installed for the lock to be dewatered. The time scale of the full stoppage hasn’t been issued yet. Thankfully we’re not heading that way.
Hollyhocks taken a bit of a battering in the weather
After admiring the Lock Keepers wife’s hollyhocks we pulled in just above finding a space alongside the busy towpath. Tilly eventually managed to find a gap big enough between woofers to get across the path and into the trees. Here she was kept busy finding friends, one of which she brought home, but I successfully managed to remove her and her small friend in one go. I suspect this mooring will get a stamp from our thug!
International Cat Thug Day
8 locks, 20.01 miles, 1 excessively wet morning, 1 slow boat to Temple, 1 No Problem XL, 1 smiling Sue, 1 regatta in waiting, 257 red buoys, 56793 bottles Moet Chandon on ice, 2 dragons, 1fake, 1 narrowboat 3 hire boats 4 canoes 9 swans in a lock, 2 friends, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp.
As you can see from the above we got moving today.
A yellow flashing light could be seen near to the lock as we had breakfast, whatever was happening needed to be watched and we weren’t the only ones going to gongoozel.
Lots of high-vis
The crane had arrived and was being set up alongside the lock. Fencing panels removed to get the outriggers in position. Despite the number of people wearing high-vis, a bright yellow crane with a flashy light, members of the general public still tried to walk through the area even though there was a footpath just behind a hedge. Extra barriers were put up to protect everyone.
The crane powered up, extended itself, turned then lowered it’s big hook to which chains were attached. These were zoomed out over the top of the lock and positioned ready for use. Someone got a big hammer out, knocked wedges out and the broken collar.
It being Saturday morning we decided to do an outside broadcast to the Geraghty zoom call. Not sure what the other topics were today as we were very much engrossed in activities by the lock.
The chains were attached to the lock gates, slowly the gate was lifted back in line. More hammering, nuts and bolts were tightened, wedges knocked in. A bit of a careful lean on the gate was required to get everything back in line. A cuppa was handed round, a bit more hammering, then the moment of truth.
Was it only the collar that had gone, or could something have happened to the hydraulics too?
Ready!
The gate faltered a bit then closed met by the other gate. They then both opened. Closed, then opened again. The Lock Keeper came to the end of the island and announced that she wanted the first three boats. She wouldn’t be packing the lock, that would take too much time, just three boats at a time. There was an obvious cheer from the small crowd.
Second lock down, our turn
The first boat above the lock was a hire boat who’s crew had abandoned ship this morning, the hire company sending a cab for them. This didn’t matter to anyone, the first three cruisers made their way into the lock as everyone else rushed back to their boats to make ready.
Filling up the lock
Below the lock two cruisers were first in line, in they went, the grey narrowboat in front of us being given the cross signal. Boveney lock is only 45.59m long so clearing the back log would take some time. Boats were left to sort themselves out, most people relieved to be able to move again. Only one boat pushed their way round as they’d been stuck longer than others, everyone else just let the next boats go, easier and quicker than letting those out from the inside first.
Thank you!
We were in the second lock, three narrowboats and a pretty wooden boat that was just narrow enough to come alongside in the gap behind us. Up we went all the time the Lock Keeper on the phone calling the other locks either side and hire companies to inform them that she was up and running again. Big thanks as we left.
Excuse me!!! Doesn’t that cat know all the health and safety implications of sitting out when they move the outside! No wonder he’s got a funny ear!
Each boat found their natural pace. NB Zenith passing us before we passed the narrowboat in front of us. Zeniths second mate sitting out on the bow watching the world go by. I really hoped that Tilly couldn’t see this as it might give her ideas. We all know our cats and I have to say I wouldn’t trust my little thug not to have a walk down the cat walk to see if there was anywhere to jump off to land, so she will just have to live with the world passing by through the window.
Bray Studios looks to have been almost rebuilt. They were in the process of knocking bits down two years ago. Now the building looks crisp again, behind it you get a glimpse of the studios. In a field a short distance on was a huge wall of plywood about 40ft high. Maybe this will be a giant green screen for some filming?
Bray Lock is even shorter at 40.94m. This meant the keeper only took two boats at a time so we had a wait before it was our turn. Above the pretty village of Bray comes down to the waters edge soon followed by the bigger fancier houses in the run up to Maidenhead.
Red and yellow and pink and blue!
In the run up to Maidenhead Railway Bridge buoys marked a channel, a sign mentioned a regatta. Gazebos filled the river bank, we moved over to port despite the colours of the buoys being wrong. At least at this end there was a sign, coming through the bridge ahead boats were unaware and headed straight down through the course, thankfully no races were happening at the time.
What a lovely roof
A pause was required for lunch below Boulter’s Lock, it also meant we got out of the rain for a while. With the sun back out we joined the queue for the lock, the lock keeper trying to squeeze a couple of cruisers in behind three narrowboats. It worked, but was a touch of a tight squeeze. I’d put my wet weather gear on again and as the lock gates closed I felt very over dressed compared to everyone else. But as the water started to rise the black clouds came back over bringing rain, I now felt that I was the only one prepared.
Overtaking the overtaker
The rain felt like it was setting in, did we really want to get soaked? It was a bit after 3pm we decided to stop if we could find space on one of the islands below Cliveden. The cruisers had different ideas and both sped off whilst all three narrowboats looked for somewhere to moor.
NB Old Nick
All the spaces on the islands were taken, we waved at NB Old Nick which looked very comfortable nestled into it’s mooring. We tried further up along the river bank finding a space where the bow came into the side, but the stern stuck out a touch. This would do us if only our rope throwing skills meant we could moor! After a bit of toing and froing with the rope we succeeded.
Tilly had already approved our choice and shouted at us toHURRY UP!!! The rules were recited along with another one ‘No sleeping with a politician!’ Mick said he was fairly sure John Profumo was dead, Tilly had no idea what we were talking about. I have no intention of cuddling up to anyone but She and Tom.
Fun on the river
Once we’d booked ourselves into our mooring, £10 a night to the National Trust, I had a look at possible walks. The estate would close at 5:30 when visitors are asked not to be in the grounds. I chose the red route (3.1 miles 1.5 hours walk) and decided to go clockwise round it, so hopefully if I overran the time, I’d be past any member of staff in the car park, I did take my NT membership card in case I needed it.
Bye!
Luckily Tilly was busy as I headed off, the occasional glance over my shoulder to make sure she wasn’t following me. The route took me to Spring Cottage where a minimum 2 night stay will set you back £2250, but it does sleep 6 and you get a welcome hamper and can book a chef to cook for you, although I suspect that would cost extra.
Here a zigzagging path climbs up the cliff. At the top spectacular views make your out of breathness all worth while.
Not a bad view
Views across the countryside below and one back to Cliveden House.
Cliveden House and Gardens
I was surprised at how far away it was, next time we’ll stay for longer and get closer to the house and gardens where over 25 years ago I helped do specialist paint finishes in a new wing alongside the infamous swimming pool.
Green Drive
Surrounded by trees I followed the cliff top path to a cross roads where the route led to the Green Drive. Here a large avenue of trees leads you away from the house, it’s width gradually diminishing as you reach the car park. This was possibly the original approach to the house.
Hello!
I avoided the car park bypassing it to the view point, more stunning views across the lower landscape and to the river. Carved bears and snails look after the track before you continue through the wood at the top of the cliff again. Then a steep path brings you back down to the Thames where I headed northwards back to Oleanna where Tilly greeted me with her tail held high. It’s good here, can we stay? Maybe next time Tilly, maybe next time.
3 locks, 6.34 miles, 1 lie in, 1 crane, 6 workers, 90 minutes reduced to 9, 35 boats, 3 at a time, 7 downpours, 1 regatta, 1 empty wee tank, 1 over dressed prepared boater, 0 island moorings, 1 National Trust mooring, 3.1 miles, 1hr 15mins, 1 stunning view, 0 people on the Lady Astor balcony, 1 cat in heaven, 0 MP’s toes to keep warm, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
