We had a leisurely start to the day this morning, hoping the weather would improve, but no it started to drizzle.

Leaving the excellent Osney moorings behind us, we immediately went past Sheepwash Channel. This is one of the ways to get onto the Oxford Canal, but we opted to stay on the Thames for 2 more locks, and use Dukes Cut instead.

Leaving central Oxford behind we emerged onto the meadows. Unlike most towns there is no mooring permitted, instead it was full of wildfowl. Of course during winter it would be flooded.

After 30 mins or so Godstow Lock, and Nunnery emerged, the later being ruined. As usual the lock was unmanned and is last automated one on the Thames going upstream.

The river twists and turns now, quite unlike downstream. Numerous sunken boats sighted during this cruise are testament to its power, you can’t just leave a boat moored up unattended all winter. The mooring ropes require constant attention, something we don’t have to do, being on a canalised part of the Wey.

All too soon we were thru Kings Lock, turned to starboard and entered Dukes Cut. Immediately things narrowed down, and there was no current ! Time to throttle back.

We had to do 2 narrow locks, with boats appearing all around us…..frantic tiller waggling and Hazels experience helped some hirers thru before it was our turn. I’d forgotten just how narrow they are ! Our boat is 6’10” wide, the lock 7’….yes I have 1 inch spare each side, with the fenders up !

I’d obviously not lost the touch, no loud bangs or crashes ! Next up Hazels favourite…….hand wound pedestrian lift bridges. It took 70 turns to wind up…..17 to let down….slow hydraylics

One of the joys of the canal are reflections and bridges. With the sun out, and a nice twisty course, there were plenty of both.

I decided to push onto Thrupp. Last time coming thru I’d had an abscess under a tooth, today was a lot better, and our late lunch mooring has morphed into an overnight stay. It felt good to finally get Prime Thyme onto a canal after 5 years ownership.

First the good news, Cooper is home, eating well and on the mend. This is mostly due our fantastic Housesitters, who promptly got him to the vet, and have followed up with lots of tlc. We are forever in your debt guys, Cooper is easy to capture your heart with such a gentle and loving nature, plus his dog smarts.

Other good news is our successful arrival at Oxford. Desborough Cut to Oxford in a week isn’t bad going, especially with a strong current against us most of the way. Must be due to the lock labourer………

We filled up with water at Abingdon Lock, and chattered to a couple, older than us, who lived aboard a 20 ton 80’ long Dutch barge. He had just spent an hour filling the water tank! And it costs just under £1000 to fuel it up !!! A serious bit of kit, on a lighter note we passed a converted lifeboat, which still had markings “for 70 persons”. Slightly squeezy me thinks.

All too soon we were entering the outskirts of Oxford, more rowing boats and people meant more careful steering culminating in Folly Bridge. This split bridge, around a corner with ferry’s and punts can get interesting. Thankfully the weather, yes it’s raining again, had kept most away as we slipped past the Head of the River Pub. Due to its low height it also restricts most of the “Gin Palaces”, it’s mainly narrowboat territory from now on.

We moored up just above Osney Lock, in the far distance below.

It’s very handy for a short walk into town….apart from provisions some wool was purchased, and a Hasselblad lens leapt into my bag ! Tomorrow we shall go past the Sheepwash channel entrance to the Oxford Canal, instead using Dukes Cut after 2 more Thames locks. We shall go past Inspector Morses pub, no doubt bumping into the odd body or two ! “Make mine a pint Lewis“.

It was a short stroll from last nights mooring into Wallingford for a bit of shopping and some books before setting out again. Unlike the last couple of days a clear blue sky greeted us.

It was a day of bridges, varying sizes and styles, but always a good reference marker in plotting your course.

We had been warned about Benson Lock and potential silting problems, sure enough a dredger was out as passed slowly. Above the lock is home to the Le Boat hire fleet. We had watched them returning to base yesterday, fortunately the new hirers hadn’t been released yet, so no collision damage done as they master the art of controlling a boat in a lock. Not always as easy as it looks !

Next up Shillingfold Bridge, and some lovely riverside properties. As we are in the countryside now the numbers are decreasing.

For the last 2 locks the rain set in again, but fortunately we teamed up with a Caversham HireBoat, swapping duties around as the 2 final locks were self service. Finally Abingdon after 6 hrs.

Just a short blog tonight, Cooper our dog is poorly and at the vet. I know our house sitters are taking great care of him and we couldn’t wish for better people doing so, but we always worry when away from them and he is in our thoughts tonight.

We’re listening to the Church bells in Wallingford as I write this post. We sadly said goodbye to Penny this morning, as she has had to turn around and start heading back to Cartbridge.

Our first lock was unmanned and against us, no worries Hazel has got this sorted. Then along some classic riverside residences.

Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worse, more rain pelting down all the way to Goring. I’d had enough, and as there was a mooring pulled over for morning tea and then lunch. The weather radar showed a thunderstorm coming around 1pm, but as the sun was out we decided to try and get to Wallingford. If so we should make Oxford in 2 days, allowing more canal time.

At the next lock my left ear popped, and finally cleared after a week. Phew, I didn’t want to fly again with it blocked as our descent into Heathrow had been painful. As we motored on I could see the storm, but our 21hp 3 cylinder diesel engine pulled us ahead of it ! Well the wind blew it crosswise behind us 😁, and we had sunshine into Wallingford. No moorings in town …. so we just moored downstream of the bridge, ready for a run into the town tomorrow.

We had some torrential rain last night, and it was still drizzling when we decided to make a run for Pangbourne.

Unfortunately the rain increased, Hazel retreated to the cabin whilst I steered in full wet weather gear. This does keep me dry at all times, but as the wind increased as well, so the temperature dropped. What happened to the hot July days of last year. By the time we got to Reading all was wet and cold, but we managed to top up the fuel in a brief respite at Caversham Boat Services. £30 of diesel will last most of the holiday ! With a headwind and increased river flow the long stretch to Mapledurham Lock seemed to take forever. Thru the lock and use the services, but then the heavens opened again. Nothing to do but push on….

The rain abated on the run into Pangbourne, but the wind was very strong making manoeuvring difficult. I slid into the first mooring possible, whilst Penny found one ahead. At last out of the wet weather gear, just as the sunshine came out ! Typical…..

We’ve had a walk into town and have provisioned up. A nice afternoon off now, we’ve made it Pangbourne and Penny is happy, the water tank is full and elsan empty…what more could you want 😁

It’s was a wet start this morning, leaving Gulls Islands and cruising to Cookham Lock. We availed ourselves of the services and found Penny moored up in Iris around the corner. We decided to travel together with the promise of finer weather. Indeed by the time we reached Marlow the sun was out. Time for a cuppa and decide on a plan of action..

The elephant in the room was HENLEY, specifically Henley Regatta. The heats are running all week, with the finals this weekend. We’d been thru during Regatta week, and swore not to do it again…..But it would waste 2 days if we didn’t go thru now.

The executive decision was made, give it a go unless the weather turned nasty again. We had a couple more locks and potential mooring spots still available.

We started to sense a buzz in the air, more boats, helicopters and lots of notices for approved mooring spots. Sure enough upon exiting Hambleden Lock bedlam broke loose ! Boats everywhere, and none of them obeying the instruction sheet just given to us.

A little boat zipped up inside of us, did a spin and waved some long canes ? Ah, they are the professional geese wranglers, trying to keep the flocks of Canada geese off the course !

Oh yes, let’s add a huge paddle steamer, old fashioned rowing barges, overhead cranes with camera operators and very fashionable things being driven up and down the course whilst scoffing numerous G&T’s and Champers ! Plus the shore party tents, dining tents and pop up pubs ! Talk about crazy ! One sign at a lock said “ Please wait….silly season still loading. It had 6 lockies on duty ! At one stage another boat nipped in and waved, where’s the police when you need them ? It IS the police ! Out on the water having fun with a little boat and large blue beacon !

Thank goodness we got off the course and under the bridge…..more mayhem…everybody on boats trying to wave to friends in the pub onshore or find somewhere to moor. The river rumour was its £600 per mooring spot ! We moved on……

The lock keepers at Marsh Lock congratulated us on getting thru, and normal service was resumed, along with the rain. It started to fall heavily, so we moored up above Sonning Lock. Once we get thru Reading tomorrow it’s onto Pangbourne, Goring and Wallingford. Lovely Thames valley towns fondly remembered from childhood days.

We had a stroll into Windsor this morning, to get some shopping and perhaps look around. Even at 9am train and bus loads of tourists were milling around.

So we headed back to the boat and instead wasted an hour trying to contact Australia. Why do telco’s make it so difficult, connect with this network, validate with that and use this….no signal strength and definitely no joy so let’s go boating. We caught up with Iris at Dorney Reach, site of the old Olympic Rowing Course, in a lovely tranquil spot. Trying telecommunications again we had success this time, and wished Dad a happy birthday. When FaceTime works it can be great, but using it overseas seems so frustrating. I’ve no idea how we eventually connected thru !

As it was a little too early to stop we did 3 more locks, ending up in Cliveden Reach, moored up in the inside passage of a little island. It’s blowing a gale today, and which has called for some tricky manoeuvring, it’s time for a drink and relax.

We didn’t bother to start moving till 9am this morning, when the lockies come on duty. A nice sunny start to the day bode well..

On arriving at the main junction, a confluence of the Rivers Wey and Thames, as well as the Desborough Cut and numerous weirs it’s essential to get the correct landing….but nobody was home ! Oh well, let’s crack on. I opened the lock, then Hazel pushed the buttons and thru we went all by ourselves.

You can see the huge size of these locks….some of them fill or empty in a matter of minutes ! So it’s essential to hang on and not stuff up or there can be serious consequences. Emerging out we used the services, and then headed out into waterside suburbia. Chertsey lock had a single volunteer, unable to give us a license to cruise on the Thames, which is run by the EA, otherwise known as the Environmental Authority.

Penton Hook Lock, nobody home……where is everybody ? Finally at Bell Weir Lock we found a lockie able to write a 2 week EA license for us. Also a whole load of boats, (2 narrowboats, 1 hire boat, 2 wide beams and a Dutch barge), so many in fact they didn’t all fit in. The hire boat was left floundering in their wakes, it’s the quick or the dead unless the lockie takes charge….and she was of course getting me my license 😁

As ever the Thames provides an endless range of scenery, be it boats, houses or islands, called Aits on the Thames. Magna Carta was very different from last year, when I went swimming. The drizzle had set in, but I managed to catch a glimpse of Royal

Having lunch on the go we pushed onto Windsor, first visible by its estates, don’t even think about mooring sir, then the Castle.

Coming thru Romney Lock you emerge into Windsor one side of the River and Eton on the other. Penny had found a free 24hour mooring spot, but around the corner we have stopped at the Brocas, riverside land owned by Eton College, that will be £8 a night please sir. It does have a spectacular view though ! After a drink with Penny we are ready to have dinner and crash…..it’s been a long but rewarding day.

We are gradually getting later in waking up….4am this morning, but managed a couple more hours sleep before breakfasting.

Papercourt Lock was set in our favour, always a good way to start the day. Newark and Pyrford weren’t, which allowed time for photos.

It felt strange going past Pyrford Marina, we’ve berthed there for many years, but Cartbridge is much pleasanter, and cleaner.

Next up was New Haw, probably the hardest on the river. It has short metal lock arms, cranked at 45 degrees right beside a bridge. The lock gates “stick” to the wall and are a 2 person job to shift ! However our luck was in, with a boat waiting for us to join them. Great for Hazel, we breezed thru and joined them again at Coxes Lock, one of the prettiest with it’s converted granary.

We caught up with another boat at Town Lock, Weybridge and had the lock gates closed on us. Mortified our new companions realised we could have all fitted. No worries we said , and helped them thru. With the clouds getting blacker we decided to stop downstream a bit, in front of some grand designs…for lunch, and the first proper bit of rain.

Thames Lock is the only manned one on the Wey, but the Lockie was happy to put us thru by ourselves. Of course just as she closed the gates another boat appeared, so opened up again to let them in. Because it’s a semi staircase lock it has to be at just the right level to go thru 2 sets of gates. But just as we were ready to go, all systems STOP. Another boater coming the opposite way had presumed to let our water out of the second lock so he could get in. He was duly educated by the lockie, and we started the procedure again. By now it was raining but she grinned at us as we thanked her, the other boat did apologise to us. Lesson learnt !

It was then only a short run to one of our favourite spots on the Thames, Lady Lindsay’s Lawn. We even had a squirrel run past for Hazel. Tomorrow we’ll heading upstream, slowly, to avoid the Henley Rowing Regatta and its finals next weekend.

After a reasonable nights sleep we are both feeling better, but I’m totally deaf in one ear from sinus congestion. So we stopped at Guildford again, for more pharmaceuticals, and another camera…well actually it’s a little single handed, power zoom LUMIX GM1. Ideal for snapping shots off the back of the boat, and not as drastic as dropping a Leica in the drink.

CS Lewis of “Alice in Wonderland” fame lived in Guildford, and there is a delightful statue just alongside our mooring point.

Hazel had a very productive shop, getting all those items we couldn’t find yesterday. It’s amazing how Jet lag befuddles the brain. Guildford isn’t quite as smart as it used to be, though there is a Jaeger outlet in Marks and Spencer’s now Mum 😁

We decided to return to Cartbridge rather than press on, first exchanging some books at Dapdune Wharf, using their services and then heading back downstream. The river splits off and one almost does go down a rabbit hole, or rather under a bridge into the countryside.

It’s all very quiet at Cartbridge now. I’ve given PT a quick wash and we’re charging everything up whilst connected to shore power. If I’m feeling better tomorrow we’re head downstream to Weybridge and the Thames.