The signals a bit better this morning…

Once thru Boulters the houses of Bray are pretty spectacular, as are some of the boats. The three below are in a row

Boveney Lock is the last before entering Windsor, first around the racecourse, then the meadows as the Castle looms straight ahead.

We thought we’d try for Iris’s special mooring, a tiny free spot in the middle of town. Some days your luck is in ! It’s a short walk for shopping, thru lots of people and a queue all the way down the high street to visit the castle.

Today we will head back to Shepperton, and the mouth of the Wey.

What a contrast…yesterday we ended up having a cold tea sitting under some shady trees as it was 32 degrees in the boat ! Everything was left open when we tried to sleep, hatches/doors/windows in an effort to get a bit of draught thru the boat to cool it, and us. I got up at 5:30 to close everything as a light shower fell

This morning was cool and cloudy, what a relief, and much nicer to travel in. At the end of Cliveden Reach the houses start again, gradually increasing in size, and no doubt value. But exiting Boulters Lock you enter Bray, home of the Fat Duck, et al. It seems de le rigour to have a wooden slipper launch at the end of your garden.

We are safely in Windsor, at some special moorings, so special the internet signal is too weak to upload photos. I’ll try again tomorrow or later on tonight.

With good weather forecast we thought we’d push onto Windsor today. Even going thru Marlow Lock at 8:30 it felt rather warm. We shared the lock with another Sea Otter, Locks Ride

Prime Thyme with Locks Ride in the background

Locks Ride were heading to their home mooring at Penton Hook, a long day with numerous locks so I waved him on. On both days our alternator has failed we’d put in 6 hours in hot weather. By now it felt in the high 20’s and I could feel my feet burning on the hot engine deckboards…….time for a re think. After utilising the services at Cookham the allure of a shady stop in Cliveden Reach could not be thwarted.

Rather than be marooned on Gulls Island as usual we elected for a shore bank one. This allowed us to walk up to Cliveden House and Gardens. It was considerably longer and steeper than expected, so a cool drink and early lunch was first. With the temperature in the low 30’s now we had a short stroll around before the long walk back, at least this time it was downhill.

We’ve pulled our chairs out to sit on the shady riverbank, it’s still over 30 in the boat ! Tomorrow we will try for Windsor again, the forecast is for much cooler weather.

Sorry about the lack of blog yesterday, Henley’s wifi signal was practically non existent. We are now in Marlow, but first a word about yesterday……

We are moored up in Henley, it’s not Regatta week, but it’s still extremely busy and we were lucky to get a berth.

We had an interesting companion for one lock, a Fisheries vessel complete with electrical stunning device, so the fish can be counted before resuming a normal fishy life.

The run into Reading via Caversham is always attractive, houses one side, park the other.

We topped up with diesel at Caversham Boat Services, and got a 1 week extension to our EA licence. Lunch was on the run as we knew Henley moorings would fill up, the last couple of locks being shared with a Yorkshire couple in a hire boat, with their dog Jigsaw. As we moored close together boats were compared, Lady Sophie had a spacious interior, but still only suitable for a couple. At £1500 per week it’s not a cheap holiday…

Onto Marlow….

A fairly uneventful run apart from the weather, ITS warm !

Henley was still taking down from Regatta week, we actually went down on the course this time, with a lot less boats.

Mooring was at a premium in Marlow, and a fellow Sea Otter joined us for a while. Its new owners were re locating Dovetail to the K and A, and we were able to help with the numerous questions its owners had. It’s always interesting looking at different layouts, they also enjoyed a tour around Prime Thyme.

The main reason for the Marlow stop is Lady Sew and Sew, a great craft shop we’ve visited many times before. With a commission in hand, and met Mum, they didn’t disappoint.

Today we headed to Pangbourne, a favourite town of ours for numerous reasons. But first we stopped at Sheridan Marina, an excellent place to purchase those odd items…including a new shower head, diesel fuel tank gauge stick, dish rack and gaffer tape ! All essential in running a narrowboat 😁

Then onto Goring, by now we were a group of 3 boats doing the locks together, especially useful for the single handed narrowboat.

Then into Pangbourne, and a great mooring on the meadows. Now the main event, laundry, bit boring Tasotter….not so much!

You see it’s next to an Aston Martin and Lamborghini dealership ! “Would you mind if I took some pictures for my blog ?”…. certainly not sir, would you like a coffee ?

I must thank Sam for her hospitality at Reading Aston Martin, a great dealership with a wide range of new and pre loved cars for sale. The Zagato was divine…..but anyone would have sufficed ! There were plenty driving around the town as well, bliss 😁

We also discovered Nino’s Italian Cafe, with the best coffee yet ! as well as the cheese shop, and butcher with superb pies……you see Pangbourne has really got all that matters.

There’s dire weather predicted for this afternoon, so once again we left our mooring just before 9am catching the lockie just changing the signs from self service to Lock Keeper on duty.

In no time at all we had done the days 2 locks, 1 for Elsan and 1 for Water, and slipped into Wallingford just as the rain started 5 minutes too early. We are moored in front of a monster…….its bow is towering over ours with a very large anchor hanging from it. The owner complimented our boat, I suggested it could be used as a lifeboat for him. Something to go with the hot tub on the top deck.

As the rain settled in we wandered into town for a bit of shopping and browse around the Lamb arcade with all its antiques in little shops…..like you see on Bargain Hunt.

Suffice to say a vintage camera, Olympus Pen EE, and some sapphire earrings were successfully negotiated for. An Italian style coffee provided a proper cup for lunch, none of that foul americano stuff please. Reading books and relaxing are this afternoons duty, tomorrow who knows…..Goring ? Ciao

One of my favourite moorings on the Thames tonight, for 2 reasons….nostalgia (I used to see them from my cottage in North Moreton) and peace ( something to do with England vs Germany in a football match). Last night was noisy enough in Oxford with an all male hire boat crew returning at 2am !

As we had to get thru a lot of rowing courses leaving Oxford we were the first boat out of the lock as the lockie came on duty. Then thru riverside Oxford and Folly Bridge….as we had taken the northern side coming upstream we tried the southern…

Once thru Folly bridge it’s open playing fields, rowing clubs and a WIDE river…..feels strange after the confines of the Oxford Canal

Our second lock wasn’t manned, so we helped 3 narrowboats go thru upstream, not helped by the rowers blocking the exit as they turned around. Repeated blasts on my horn didn’t do much but a much older and wiser narrowboat owner just put the power on and shot thru…..which moved them quicksmart….after all they are worth 5 points each !

The next couple of locks were all manned and shared with the same boats. One couple’s old 1971 cruiser was powered by a 1954 Ford Anglia engine..with an SU carb from the petrol fumes it left !

So we are settled in nicely, only 1.5 hours upstream of Wallingford, perfect for the thunderstorms predicted tomorrow.

We are back on the Thames again in Oxford, but this time via Sheepwash Channel rather than Dukes Cut. After using the facilities a final time at Thrupp, we headed off for the final 5 narrow locks. Most of the traffic had been coming the other way, so the locks were in our favour, even if the swing bridges weren’t.

One thing that can catch you out are the stop locks. In case of a canal breach planks can be inserted to restrict water loss, but they are very narrow and frequently overgrown. As you do the final bit of tiller waggling the blackberry usually makes a grab.

As you enter Oxford there are a lot of residential moorings, along with the overgrown weeping willows and oncoming boats there is little room to manoeuvre.

After a few hours cruising we turned right thru Isis Lock onto the short Sheepwash Channel. Under some road and rail bridge, with very restricted headroom, and then a left onto the Thames and back to Osney Bridge moorings. Plenty of time for shopping

Tomorrow we will gradually head downstream towards the River Wey. As we are going with the current travelling times will be much shorter, but a laundry is required along with a little more sight seeing so plenty more to blog about.

We are back in the land of internet signal again ! Currently moored at Thrupp after deciding to gradually wend our way home, via the Oxford Canal, River Thames and Wey.

After yesterday’s text blog I thought I’d just post some pics today. The crossover bridge was used when the towpath switched sides. It’s a smooth curve with lots of grip designed for horses without interrupting the pull of a boat.

Most of the locks are 10’ plus in height, but unlike the River Wey the flow of water is very controlled with little turbulence. Indeed there is no need to rope up when going down, and only a centerline is used going up. Some of the paddle gear and gates are very hard to operate though, H has done an excellent job with either myself or other boaters giving her a hand when required.

The River Cherwell has unusual locks either end. It was very calm, Green Indicator, but can flow can increase rapidly, disrupting traffic for the short time it connects the Oxford Canal

Venturing back into Thrupp one has to negotiate the lift road bridge, luckily there was somebody on hand to do it this time.

Tomorrow we will head back to Oxford, a short day, but there will be lots of fresh hire boats to negotiate……

I’m wandering up and down the canal trying to get a signal tonight. So sorry no photos, it’s too slow to upload them. We had an early start this morning, and got thru Thrupp services before the rush. Then onto an unusually shaped turnover bridge lock prior to a short run on the Cherwell River. The countryside has been beautiful, as has the weather, and we’ve moored up on Heyford Wharf. Hopefully tomorrow the internet connection will be more forthgiving.