August 2024 - Swinford Meadow to Lechlade

The Trout at Tadpole Bridge (River Thames) – Wednesday 21st August 

It took us a while to get off Swinford Meadow this morning.  The wind was blowing us back on.  OtM has a bow thruster, but all we have is a Richard thruster!!

Up through Pinkhill lock where we asked to pay our Thames licence but were told that she couldn’t do it but the chap at the next lock could do it.  We got to Northmoor lock and, guess what, the lockie there couldn’t do our licence either.  The third lock was Shifford lock and he didn’t have a card reader!  I guess they really don’t want our money.

I was down below when Richard called me to take Rio down.  I asked why and he said that there was a bird of prey circling and sort of following us.  Richard had visions of the bird swooping down and taking Rio out of his bed.  I’m not sure that that would be possible!

We planned to stop at The Trout at Tadpole Bridge and have dinner there.  When we got there, there was a small mastless yacht and a canoe there.  The canoeist very kindly moved the canoe and we managed to get in with OtM breasted up. 

We got our chairs out onto the back decks but there was a willow tree in the way and it seemed odd to be talking to a load of leaves.  I found a piece of rope and made a tie back!

 

Our entertainment for the afternoon was watching a group of ladies going wild swimming!  They stood in the river waiting for the last member of the group to arrive - they must have been freezing!  I don’t think it is something I would want to do! 

We went up to the pub for dinner.  It was an OKish meal but expensive.  Rio is getting quite used to sleeping on his bed while we eat 🙂

13 miles
3 locks


Lechlade (River Thames) – Thursday 22nd August

We had a visitor today, our good friend James.  As a long time boater with no boat anymore he likes to come with us every now and again to get his “water” fix!

It was quite a chilly day so Rio modelled his new jumper!  He doesn't look too happy, does he??!!

We passed this beautiful slipper boat.

We had 5 locks to do and finally were able to buy our river licence!  The lockie was a very jolly man who made the transactions easy - it is expensive to buy a Thames licence for a month!  The locks were Rushey, Radcot, Grafton, Buscote and finally St. John’s.

I love this bridge, which I believe is called Old Nan’s Bridge.  You come round a corner and see it, then it disappears, then reappears etc. etc.!  The river is very windy at that point.  However, it is all fenced off now - it will be a great shame if they take it down. 

At Buscot Lock there is a building which was the old waterworks.  This was closed and changed to boat hire business in 2012.  The building stands on Brandy Island, once the site of Campbell’s distillery.  Here sugar and spirit were extracted from sugar beet and exported to France, where it was used in the manufacture of Brandy. The island also contained a mill for oilcake, a gasworks, an artificial fertiliser works and a vitriol works. A combination of bad luck and overspending brought ruin to Campbell. Within ten years, he sold the distillery to pay off his debts.

We were soon at St. John’s lock where this statue of Old Father Thames sits.  The statue was commissioned in 1854 for The Crystal Palace’s grounds, was later moved to the traditional source of the Thames at Thames Head, and then in 1974 relocated to St John's Lock. The statue is Grade II listed. 

There were just 2 mooring spots on the meadow at Lechlade so we grabbed them and moored up.  Out came the chairs and the tea was made!  James stayed with us for a while until it was time for his lift back to his car at the Trout.

10 miles
5 locks


Lechlade (River Thames) – Friday 23rd August

Today we had a day off.  Steve and Tracey had been on the go for two weeks, so I think they deserved it!!!  It was a warm day but still windy and when the sun went in the wind was chilly.

We walked up into Lechlade, had a sandwich in the New Inn and then did our shopping before heading back to the boats.

We sat out all afternoon until the sun went down and we got cold.

There are always some cattle on the meadow.  This time they are a brigade of young heifers.  I know it should be called a herd but with this lot it was much more like a brigade!  They seem to walk round and round the field eating, stopping every now and again in a circle for a chin wag!  They are so funny.  When we used to have plants on top of the boat they had to be pushed right to the far side otherwise they would get eaten!  Steve nearly lost his mooring pin cover as one of them decided to see if it was edible, but spat it out.  Another followed and did the same thing! 

The bridge at Lechlade is called Halfpenny Bridge and it and its toll house are Grade II listed.  It was built in 1792.  It was called the Halfpenny bridge because that was the toll charged for pedestrians to cross it, until the toll was done away with in 1839.  In 2023 a car crashed into the bridge and it was closed for 5 months.  You can see the new brick work in the photo.