Friday, 12 July 2019

Thrupp - just.


Tuesday 9th July; Somerton Meadows to Thrupp

A quiet night, apart from a couple of goods trains rattling along the railway line during the night.  There were only 2 other boats on the moorings, a fair distance from us.  The cattle had been moved to the next field along so they didn’t wake us.  Meg demanded, and got, a lovely pre-breakfast walk and I got a non-fuzzy picture of the field.


We set off sometime before 9, waving goodbye to the Calcutt hire boat couple, who we had seen several times, having breakfast a little further along.  They are on their way back now. 
Here is a good boat name - Toblerhome, with a paint job to match.


There were several boats on the move this morning.  At Allen’s lock an elderly single-hander was attempting to bow-haul his boat into the lock.  I asked if he had engine trouble but he said no, he thinks it is easier to pull the boat in on the ropes with the engine off.  Well it might be if your bow hasn’t grounded.  I suggested he motored in as I was there to do the bottom gate and that was a bit quicker, once he had got himself unstuck. Eventually we were able to come in.  Allen’s lock still has the British Waterways sign, which looks to have been repainted.


On we went through Lower Heyford, where Mill Lift bridge is electrified (it was so heavy that before electrification, although I could raise and lower it, I wasn’t heavy enough to hold it open without a lot of effort, so always tried to get a passer-by to sit on the beam).  It’s a doddle now.  We cruised on towards Kirtlington through banks of green willow and meadowsweet.



Although there was space to moor at the quarry, Chuffed is too short to use the pole and tree to moor  and the bank was mostly concrete so we couldn’t use a stake.  So we went on past the lovely Tea Gardens (we will miss their opening this time, sadly) and down Pigeon Lock and moored on the stretch below for lunch.

We didn’t stop long, as we hoped to be able to moor overnight in Thrupp.  Enslow was quiet, but there was a bit of a delay at Baker’s lock, where you drop down onto the Cherwell.  A single-hander was stuck.  He said there was an obstruction behind the gate – true – but the main problem was that all his side fenders were down.  Once he had lifted them he reversed out, managing to release the stuck one, and then of course his ascent was trouble-free.

As we descended, we saw a narrowboat coming up steer directly below the bridge that carries the towpath over a side branch.  But far from being inexperienced or strangers to the area, they knew they could use it to turn, and once we were past they reversed onto the end of the mooring for their lunch.


We shot down the river, revs as normal but with deep water and the river flow it felt very fast.  Once through the diamond lock at Shipton Weir we slowed down through the approach to Thrupp, where we found it completely rammed unless you paid £10 for one of the spare permanent mooring spots.  Dave brought Chuffed smoothly round the bend and under the lift bridge.  The bench on the bend has been yarn-bombed most beautifully.


We spotted Maffi, who said there was a little space down by the Jolly Boatman.  There was, luckily, and far enough away so we couldn’t hear their extractor fan.  The busy road is quite close though.

We thought, being so close to the Jolly Boatman, we’d eat there.  Even on the terrace by the canal the traffic was too loud, so we sat inside with a view of the canal, where it was quiet.  The beer was good, but the food …. Well, we finished ours, which was more than the people sitting outside did.  The ducks had their burger buns and the man threw half his burger onto the grass for the next passing dog.  The staff were lovely but we won’t be eating there again, I think.

As it was still early we took Meg for a walk, passing the Milly M where Maffi and Molly were sitting outside.  We had a pleasant chat with Maffi and Molly tried to interest Meg in playing, but Meg wouldn’t give up her ball.  Molly is a dear little thing.  No picture unfortunately as I forgot.  We walked past the tea rooms and followed the footpath to find the Cherwell, mostly hidden behind vegetation.  As we had no map we decided against trying to find a way back to the canal and retraced our steps instead.

11 miles, 7 locks, 2 lift bridges (electric)

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