August 2024 - The end of the Oxford Canal and out onto the River Thames

 Single Bridge - No 202 (Oxford Canal) – Sunday 18th August

I was convinced that I heard Rio bark about 4am, so I got out of bed and went into the saloon to be greeted by a very bleary eyed puppy who wondered what on earth was going on! 

Down through King’s Sutton lock, otherwise known locally as Tarver’s Lock - the bridge is called Tarver’s bridge.  We had a boat in front of us and then one behind with OtM bringing up the rear.

We stopped at Aynho Wharf to do the necessaries and then headed on south.

When we got to Somerton Deep Lock there was a queue, fortunately only 4 boats.  Once when we went through there must have been at least 12 boats in a queue.  Today I had given Rio a chew so he didn’t even notice us going down into the deepest lock on the Oxford Canal at 12ft 1ins.

We continued on to Single Bridge, the one before Double Bridge!  Poor OtM had to wait over an hour to get through Somerton Deep lock.  They had stopped in Aynho and a few boats must have passed them.  Usually they are the boat behind us.  We got the chairs out on a pretty awful towpath and waited for them.

I forgot to say that Rio fell in the canal on Friday evening!  He had been getting a little cocky jumping on and off both boats but this time he didn’t make it.  Tracey was getting her washing in on the back deck when she heard a splash, she yelled “Muffin has fallen in, oh no I mean Rio has fallen in!!”  She pulled him out and I went and got a towel and cuddled him for a while before drying him off with the hairdryer.  Fortunately we keep his harness all the time he is out of the boat and it has got a nice yanking handle on it!!  He was a lot more cautious yesterday about getting on and off boats.  I’m not doing very well as Tracey has just reminded me of Rio’s misdemeanour last night.  Richard and Steve were cooking all the meat on one BBQ which was on a low table.  Rio was very interested and when neither of them were looking, pinched a rather large steak from the BBQ!!!  Steve rescued it just in time!

8 miles
5 locks


Thrupp - The Jolly Boatman (Oxford Canal) – Monday 19th August

A grey and not so warm day.  I won’t say chilly as it wasn’t really!

We passed this lovely old tithe barn at Upper Heyford.  It was built around 1400 for New College, Oxford, and is still in use.  It is a Grade I  listed building. 

We got to Lower Hayford where there is an electric lift bridge.  I always do those though have had my moments with them!  Once I fell in getting off the boat - don’t ask, and the second time we were going into Liverpool where there are a number of lift bridges.  Richard thought there were no more, it was pouring with rain and I was soaked so took my jeans off and put them on the radiator only to be told that there was another one.  I put my coat on and went to do the bridge with bare legs, even I found it funny at the time!

We had a long wait at Pigeon’s lock.  It fills quickly enough but the last few inches take an age and cause a long queue.  We have had problems there before and I remember reporting it to CRT but they obviously haven’t done a thing about it.

We had hoped to moor above Baker’s lock but there was little chance of that.  We tried several places where there was room for two boats but the banks were very unstable.  Thrupp was full, what a surprise, but we found two spaces outside the Jolly Boatman, where we had dinner - well it would have been rude not to! 

Steve had been chatting to a crew on a hire boat who was behind him.  They were planning on doing the Thames Ring in two weeks, doing 12 hour days!  I was surprised as I thought hire boats weren’t allowed on the Thames below Teddington.  Later in the day they told Steve that the hire company had said that they weren’t allowed to go on the Thames.  They had got family staying in hotels along the route to say hello and a change of some crew members.  The trip had obviously been planned in minute detail, except for that one detail which has stymied their whole holiday.  What a shame.

9 miles
6 locks


Swinford Meadow (Oxford Canal/River Thames) – Tuesday 20th August

Off to the River Thames today 🙂

We had two locks before we got to Duke’s lock.  Once through there we did a right hand turn to Duke’s Cut lock, a lock with a rise and fall of 1ft 3ins.  We waited there until OtM was behind us then set off down Duke’s Cut.  Richard had a helper, or was it a hindrance at the lock!  I looked at this photo and imagined the cat saying “what’s that smell!!” 

About half way down the Cut there is a left hand turn which is now a dead end.  This used to be the Wolvercote Mill Stream.  The Cut was constructed at the request of the Duke of Marlborough. The Duchy of Marlborough had owned the Wolvercote paper mill since 1720, and much of the surrounding land belonged to their Blenheim Palace estate.  In the 1790s, the Duke saw the benefit of bringing Warwickshire coal to the area, as the upper Thames area typically only received fuel from the Northumberland Coalfield via London, and consequently little cargo was left by the time vessels reached the upper river.  

We soon approached the Thames and I took the obligatory photo of the junction.  In the undergrowth is a directional sign, or at least I guess it is still there. 

Up through Eynsham lock, which was on self service and under Eynsham Bridge.  We then saw this very sad sight. 

Our plan had been to stop on Swinford Meadow but every place was taken by continuous moorers (I am being polite here).  These have all moved in since we were last here 4 years ago.  We did manage to find one spot so OtM breasted up with us.  They are 2 feet longer than us but we us both having a cruiser stern, it works well.  Chairs out on the meadow but had to retreat to our decks a bit later as it was quite windy.

7 miles
5 locks