The blog is so behind as we were stranded on the Oxford Canal near Upper Heyford for five day because of the floods. The internet was dire so no blogging was done. We were running out of water and there didn't appear to be any signs of the water receding so we have decamped to home and left the boat on the canal side. Steve has stayed on his boat, Tracey has also gone home, so he is looking after Mary H for us.
Below King’s Lock (River Thames) – Friday 20th September
Our last full day on the Thames.
We left our mooring and then the chapter of difficult locks started. Abingdon lock was on self service and two hire boats were waiting to go in. The lady who was doing the locks shut the sluices before opening the gates - that doesn’t work so we had to wait for the whole cycle to go through again - about 15 minutes. When it was our turn we got through with no problem and pulled over for water and emptying. The elsan point was blocked so there was no emptying to be done.
These two signs are permanent at Abingdon lock, but are amusing.
I hadn’t noticed that the lockie had a goat before.
Sandford lock was on self service and we were very glad we weren’t going down the lock as apparently three of the four sluices were jammed and it was taking 30 minutes to empty.
Iffley lock was also on self service and there was a boat waiting to go in however the electricity had just gone off so it was a question of winding the sluices up and down and also the gates. It took forever but we finally got through.
There is a mathematical bridge at Iffley lock. It was built in 1923 and is a replica of the one in Cambridge - which we have also seen. Although it appears to be an arch, it is composed entirely of straight timbers built to an unusually sophisticated engineering design, hence the name.
Osney lock was also on self service and they too had no
electricity, so it was a case of winding the wheel again.
The moorings at East Street were practically empty but we didn’t want to stop there this time - typical.
Our last lock was Godstow lock, and of course it was on self service, but it HAD electricity, so it was simple.
Our destination was the lock moorings below King’s lock and fortunately it was free, so we moored up and sat out until it was too chilly and then we moved onto our decks.
As we arrived at King’s lock, Tracey and I took the dogs for a short walk. There was a cattle grid out of the lock area into a field. Rio, being the energetic puppy, thought that he could get across it. He took a leap and then landed with all four legs down a gap. He recovered himself and got across. It could have been so much worse, I had visions of a broken leg or something. When we went back into the lock area, Rio waited patiently at the gate - he wasn’t going to try that again! It reminded me so much of his first encounter with the sea. He was running around and thought he could walk on water - he couldn’t!! However, we now know that he can swim!
Rio keeps trying to dig for gold!
There are a number of King’s locks on the canal/river system
so I thought I would look it up. Kings
is a modern version of Kingisweire - kin meaning cattle. In 1289, weir and fish traps were recorded on
the current site. It wasn’t until 1928
that the pound lock, which is still in use today, was built to replace a flash
lock.
13 locks
5 locks
Thrupp (River Thames/Oxford Canal) – Saturday 21st September
We started the day with a good laugh!! Rio has become very naughty about being caught. His recall is good, but then it becomes a game about being caught. We now let him wander with a rope on so we can stand on it and bring his game to an end!! Anyway, this morning he was off the boat with no rope and Richard couldn’t catch him. I went out and the game got better (for Rio that is!) Steve then joined us and he managed to rugby tackle Rio to the ground! It was so funny!
King’s lock is the first of the manual locks on the River. It was on self service, it always is these days. It was also our last lock on the River Thames. It was rather sad. I found something in the bushes!
We didn’t turn onto the Oxford Canal but instead went up river to Eynsham lock to empty the toilets.
Back down the Thames and then it was time to say goodbye to my favourite river. As we approached Duke’s Cut lock it started to rain. The forecast wasn’t good for today but we had had blue sky up till this point. Duke’s Cut lock doesn’t have a paddle any more, it fills from the leaks around the gates! We were quite lucky as it filled quite quickly but OtM had to wait for ages. There was a hire boat waiting to go into the lock, I had to smile at the name!
We picked up a hire boat at Duke’s lock who proceeded to
travel at less than our tick over speed.
I kept having to go into neutral to slow down! When we got to Kidlington lock I asked them
if we could either go ahead of them or if they could go a bit faster. The guy at the helm didn’t think the boat
would go any faster! In the end they let
us go into the lock first. They were
three very nice young men 🙂
It poured and poured with rain, it was a dreadful early afternoon. We got to the Jolly Boatman but there was only one mooring place (no breasting up now as we are on the canals). We pulled in and Richard walked up to see if there was any space in Thrupp, there was. In fact there was lots! We moved up and OtM came up behind us.
As we moored up so the rain stopped and the sun came out! We went to Annie’s Tea Room for a cream tea then we sat out until quite late.
Dashwood Lock (Oxford Canal) – Sunday 22nd September
We left Thrupp in drizzle which got a bit harder but not as bad as yesterday.
At Shipton lock, a diamond shaped lock, we managed to get both boats in. I think that will be the only time on the South Oxford.
On Christmas Eve, 1874, a passenger train derailed on the Great Western Railway near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, killing 34 people and seriously injuring 69 others. The accident was caused by a broken tire on a carriage and the train's poor braking system. The Board of Trade's Court of Enquiry highlighted safety issues with the train's wheel design, braking, and communications.
I steered up the River Cherwell but we were both concerned that a red warning might be given at some stage due to the heavy rain.
Up through Baker’s lock and onto Pigeon lock which was just as bad as when we came down to fill. It’s the last few inches that just takes an age.
After Pigeon lock is a disused quarry site. We often stopped there and it was a great place to sit out, especially if there were more than one boat travelling together. However, the last couple of times there have been long term moorers there, but today it was empty - sadly it was too early for us to stop.
It was then Northbrook and Dashwood locks and we pulled over after Dashwood and moored up. We had no sooner stuck the stakes in the ground when the rain started and it got heavier and heavier.
6 miles
5 locks
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