Date - 5 May 07 Day - Saturday Start - Folly Bridge, the Thames, Oxford 0945 End - Upper Heyford, 1900
We had bit of a rude awakening this mooring, about 3 30 we were both woken up by a loud female scream, I got up and looked out but all I could see was 2 girls on the towing path laughing and giggling, After this I didn't get to sleep properly and until gone 5 I heard people talking as they passed by. I can only assume it was a route home from a night club or something similar. About 8 am the rowers started in ernest and they passed very close to the boat, it is surprising the effect a stroke from their oars has on an 18 ton steel narrowboat, let alone when they actually hit the boat with their oars. After saying good bye to the crew of "Pilgrim" who were moored just up from us we set off at about quarter to ten, working out way across the river between all the rowers and then waiting behind an eight while they turned round in the river. A quick word with the locky at Osney Lock reviled he came from Lowestoft. The most expensive diesel we have seen this trip was 70p/lt and it was not on the Thames but at Oxford College Cruisers, they also charge £15 for a pump out. We met up with Guy at Pigeons Lock and stopped for a short chat while the queue for the lock cleared. At lower Heyford there were several very nice old wooden rowing skiffs moored up, also some very smart wooden canoes. They were all on their way to Oxford for the "Go with the flow" event on the Thames on Monday, They should make quite a sight all rowing and paddling down the cut, there must have been about 10 of them in all. We moored for the night just below Allen's Lock at 1900 hrs and walked up to the Barley Mow to eat, We had not been there before but the main courses are home made and very reasonably priced, they also had London Pride and another beer on the pumps. -- Brian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit this site and help save our waterways http://www.savethewaterways.org.uk/
