Reading Jail

Now moored up just outside Reading Jail after a varied and interesting day. We set off just before 8:00 under grey skies and drizzly rain, but it cheered up and the sun eventually came out. We shared the first three locks with NB Sulis. After chatting with James & Albert on Sulis we discovered that

Wallingford

A superb day’s boating on the Thames from Oxford to Wallingford. Isis lock from the Oxford Canal out onto the Thames: We were waiting at Osney lock at 9:00 for the lock keepeer to come on duty. He relieved us of £36 for our Thames licence and we were on our way.Just above Osney lock

Oxford

We are moored by bridge 239A just short of the end of the Oxford canal. It’s been a long day. We set off at 6:45am and didn’t moor up until about 6:00pm. All was going great until about 4:30, when we hit the twin problems of a long string of no mooring, due to permenant

Twyford Wharf

At last we now feel that we are on the journey proper. We set out from Kinver about two weeks ago, but it just felt like moving the boat to Cropredy, not like we were on the summer trip itself. We arrived in Cropredy around 11:45, brought the boat down to near the lock, so

Cropredy

Queues, queues and more queues! Last night’s sunset. We started off at just before 7:30. It was a bit chilly but very pleasant climbing the Napton flight. We haven’t  been this way for 11 years. The top pound below Marston Doles was almost empty, with only just enough water to bump along the bottom. Water buffalo

Napton

A great day’s boating today, though it started off a little odd. We did the first lock on our own, then spotted a boat just in front of us. We caught them up at the second of the Fosse locks. We almost wish we hadn’t. It was a scruffy old boat with loads of junk

Radford Semele

A busy day today with 23 locks done. We set off about 8:30 and arrived at the top of the Hatton flight at 9:55. Just under 3 hours later we were at the bottom. We shared all the locks with a single hander, so for just three of us it was pretty good going. Our

Bridge 63 Grand Union

A day of different styles of travelling today. We drove up to BBCC last night, moved the boat down to the bridge by the Black Buoy pub and unloaded our stuff. Then we went to the pub for our evening meal. I did quite well, they had run out of what I ordered so they

Trains and boats and ……

Now back home for a few days after a journey consisting of walk, bus, train, walk, bus, walk, car ! The boat is safely moored up at Black Buoy Cruising Club. We’ll pick her up next week after a trip made up of car, car, walk, bus, train, bus, walk! @nbjustheaven