Its not only the scenery that we go through on the journey its the diversity of things that you see. I therefore include a selection of the different boats seen on the trip.
A great name but you have to do the accent
We saw this boat near Enslow Wharf -if you enlarge the picture it has a huge mast, solar panels and satellite dish.
A floating steel shed under construction
We came off the Thames last Friday and have made our way back up the South Oxford canal to Banbury and sunshine, light showers anp heavy showers. Anne's sister and husband joined us for the day on Saturday after yomping down the canal from Lower Heyford - a very pleasant day especially with help through a few of the locks. We also managed to BBQ some prawns before the heavens opened in the evening. Ones from Morrisons athough the one lock keeper on the Thames had caught about 30 huge american crayfish in the weir stream in one night, they make excellent eating.
We stopped Sunday night at Sarah and Deans smallholding just above Nell Bridge Lock where thet have put in mooring on the off side for £5.75(inc VAT) plus £2 for electricity- you can also buy free range pork and sausages- a really good idea which I hope is succesfull for them.
I will try and upload some pictures but I am having difficulties at the moment.
So far only 2 cappuccino's - both in Banbury- the Thames above Oxford is a no go area for good coffee.
The weather changed last Friday as we reached the Thames with heavy rain showers and strong south westerly winds which resulted in us running aground and me having a close encounter with a local tree as the wind blew the boat across the river as we set off one morning. A good lesson though as we should have gone through how we would leave the bank taking into account the wind and the current- something we now do each time on the river.
We are moored tonight above Rushey lock far from the madding crowd except VC10s and AWACS 707 (picture below) flying round from Brize Norton
Looking from our mooring to Swinford Toll Bridge
Face watching over you at Radcot Lock
Old Father Thames with paddle at St Johns Lock Lechlade the last one on the Thames
A Lincoln tug which has a lovely bow shape
My brother Peter visited us at Lechlade with his Gordon Setter Jackie who found a great place to watch the ducks and swans. They are used to find the game birds and set them flying , so she was stalking any bird she could find on the ground when we went for walks across the meadow.
The trip down the Oxford continued in very hot sunshine. A few images seen on the way.
A mini narrow boat near Kidlington
Parking outside the Boat Inn at Thrupp
A lovely oak house next to Pigeon's Lock
A very clever farmer above Nells Bridge Lock has created moorings on the offside with power and water for I think £5 per night
Wigrams Turn marina had a moorers BBQ Saturday night which was excellent and we then left early Sunday for our trip to Lechlade on the Thames. The weather has been great - we are now in Banbury centre with a reasonable Orange 3g signal.
A group of young people on a canoe camping trip making their way through the centre of Banbury. We also saw several groups doing their Duke of Edinburghs award walking up the Napton flight in very hot sunshine.
It was a special FMC weekend with plenty of their boats present in the old wharf in the Marina
A collection of Stewarts & Lloyds tugs
The steam narrow boat President which is 100 years old this year and the butty Kildare together with 3 others including Vulcan and Monarch
Images of the Braunston festival in all over 80 boats attended
Tunnel tug which used to operate in the Tardebigge tunnel
Horse drawn NB Elland with Bilbo Baggins the horse
