Just back from where we were moored last night, on the other side of the lock, was a very nice looking pub, The Kings Arms. Not that we went there, although Macc and I did walk through the garden, as our evening walk included a little look at the village of Sandford.
This morning we set off before 9. On the edge of Sandford is a big hotel, and they have a wedding venue on the river’s edge.
The Kennington Rail Bridge is a bit like the others we’ve been under, although this one doesn’t carry passengers. It seems it’s the line to the Mini factory, so often has train loads of Minis going over.
The next bridge is a modern road bridge, but it was the graffiti (if you can call it that) which caught my eye.
We got to Iffley Lock before the lock keeper was on duty, but there are no restrictions on this one so we could go up. A boat had also arrived at the top, but as the lock was empty we went first. It’s a very pretty lock, but I failed to take a photo until after we’d left. This was also after we’d come face to face with a huge trip boat who eventually signalled that we should pass on the wrong side; as we went past he said that he doesn’t fit on the lock landing so has to go the other side — although how I was supposed to know this in advance I’m not sure. As we were going up the lock I had a text from the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2, asking if I could go on this lunchtime and talk about the water shortages. I of course said I could.
The next reach goes through Oxford, and the first indication is the long line of college boat houses. Each one has two or three colleges using it.
At Folly Bridge, there’s the base for the big trip boats, one of which had just come off its mooring and turned. You can go round either side of the island but I stuck to the right, even though it’s not immediately obvious that there are clear arches. When you get closer you can see the middle one is the one to go for.
On the other side are smaller trip boats, including Golden Slumbers that we saw yesterday.
We got to Osney Lock at almost exactly 10, and this one does have restrictions — one lock up and one down each half hour. The lock keeper checked there was no-one to come down, then set the lock for us so we could go up. Above the lock, the East Street moorings are closed, seemingly permanently. The lovely old building opposite has been completely extended and transformed, although we’re not sure what it’s now used for. Google maps still has it as a building site.
Opposite, a very modern house has been slotted into an old terrace.
Then we went under Osney Bridge — this is too low for the big white plastic cruisers that inhabit the lower Thames, so things are always quieter at this end of the river. Shortly after that is the turn for Sheepwash Channel, one of the ways to get to the Oxford Canal.
After a tree-lined channel, the views then open out dramatically as you pass Port Meadow.
This whole section felt quite shallow, and seemed to be hard work. Towards Godstow Lock there are buoys marking the shallowest bits, which leaves a pretty narrow channel.
There was one small boat already waiting at the lock, and as we got to the lock landing the lock keeper came down to speak to us. She said we’d have a wait of ten minutes or so while some electricians worked on the lock, and then she’d get both boats up. It also turned out she used to live in West Sussex so was a fan of Kingley Vale and its yew trees.
Time was getting on, so I asked the lockie if there were moorings above the lock. She said we could tie up on the far end of the lock landing extension for up to 24 hours — in front of the ‘no mooring’ signs! The lock landing proper has bollards, but there’s another bit which is set back slightly where we’ve had to use mooring stakes; she said it was so quiet at the moment that we’d be fine there. Of course having said that, two widebeams arrived to go down. We were secure by 11.30 and I could think about what I’d be saying to Jeremy Vine. The item was on just after 12, and I sat in the shade of a tree to explain how water shortages and lock closures are impacting the canals and rivers. Jeremy also gave the podcast a nice plug, so that was an added bonus! After lunch I took Macc for a walk round the ruins of Godstow Abbey, which are right next to the boat.
I also went for a walk over Godstow Bridge, where there’s a very nice looking pub called The Trout. That part of the bridge also goes over one of the weirs, which has very little water going over it.
On the other side of the road is a community orchard, and each of the trees has a label telling you what it is.
Adrian walked into Wolvercote to investigate the shop, but bought little apart from an ice cream.
6 miles, 3 locks, free mooring. (85 miles, 32 locks, £124.50)