Monday 4 September
Long Wittenham to Abingdon
Mike, Wendy, Cats Tilly & Mandy
We set off at 11:20 My original plan was to go upstream a little way to a
wider section and turn there, but the combination of wind & current made it
easy to turn where we were. When we reached the main river, at first I
missed the turn into Clifton lock cut, because it was so sharp I didn't even
see it.
Both Clifton and Culham locks were ready for us to go straight in. Above
Culham we saw the new Jubilee Junction that will one day be this end of a
restored Wilts & Berks Canal.
We arrived in Abingdon and moored by what we learned is called Abbey Meadow
Water Park at 13:10 , in time for a pub lunch at the Crown & Thistle.
DAY'S RUN 5.8 miles, 2 locks in 1 hr 50 mins
Tuesday 5 to Sunday 10 September
stationary at Abingdon
Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy (Mike coming & going)
I went back to London on Tuesday morning and came back the same evening,
only to go back (to give a talk in Croydon) the following afternoon, after
which I stayed in London for Thursday to work at the museum. Wendy chatted
up somebody at the Vale of the White Horse district Council office and
persuaded them to let us stay a couple of days beyond their 5-day limit.
I came back on Friday morning. On Saturday we were visited by my brother
Derek & his wife Phyllis, plus two old family friends plus Bill & Di
Bingham, (Bill was a colleague of my father's) and we all had a barbecue
lunch.
On Sunday I was in London again at the museum.
Monday 11 September
Abingdon to Osney
Mike, Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy
The start was delayed until 11:30 firstly because the 24-hour cash machine
in the town was out of order and the Lloyds one wasn't available until
09:00. After that, Wendy went to Waitrose for a few goodies. We weren't
sure whether or not Tilly was on board, so did a wash which drove her into
view from her cave.
There was quite a queue for Abingdon lock, partly because Salter's passenger
boat Goring was in front of us. Then there was another queue for the water
point above the lock, but the boat moored inboard of us sportingly let us go
ahead of them.
Below Sandford lock, Wendy thought she'd picked up some grot on the blade,
but when we stopped above the lock, the blade was clean. Passing through
Osney lock, I asked the lock-keeper whether the "Waterman's Arms" was still
a good pub and was resoundingly informed by not only the lock-keeper but
several assembled gongoozlers that it was still a very good pub (although it
doesn't do food on Monday evenings.
When we arrived at 16:18, the moorings by the "Waterman's Arms" appeared to
be full. From the tiller, I called out to Wendy "Look out for anyone we know
that we can breast up with". Just as I said it, we both spotted our friends
Eric & Sally's "Chérie", which solved that problem. Eric was in the pub
garden with other friends of our Aileen & Shady (whose boat was moored a few
places along), but Sally was on board and swiftly offered us some
refreshment, which we gladly accepted. Wendy ran the engine for the sake of
a drying run of this morning washing, and I caught up with several days of
the log while the generator was on. Later I visited the pub for a few
excellent pints of Morland's.
DAY'S RUN 9.0 miles 4 locks in 4 hrs 14 min
Tuesday 12 September
Osney to Tadpole Bridge
Mike, Wendy, cats Tilly & Mandy
Another delayed start (09:58) because of being unsure of Tilly's
whereabouts. We were on our own at the first two locks, then caught up with
Aileen & Shady on "The Sharp End", who had left Osney a bit before us. The
day was grey for quite a lot of the time, nut by no means the cold, wet day
that had been forecast. The lock gardens were still very pretty. We reached
Northmoor lock during the lock-keeper's lunch break, so Aileen & I worked
the lock.
We reached Tadpole bridge at 16:24. The moorings at "The Trout" were
unoccupied, and just long enough for our two boats to moor without
breasting, which was fortunate for the cats as Tilly and Oscar were far too
ready for a staring match. Just after we tied up we saw what we managed to
identify as a baby grass snake swimming in the river. We had drinks with
Aileen & Shady then all went to the pub for an excellent but expensive
dinner.
DAY'S RUN 19.9 miles, 6 locks in 6 hrs 26 min
--
Mike Stevens - back in London
narrowboat Felis Catus III - still at Tadpole Bridge
web-site www.mike-stevens.co.uk
No man is an island. So is Man.
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