A meandering cruise

We’d waited long enough and left at 8:30 without seeing the mooring warden for the £5 overnight mooring fee at Wallingford, his loss our gain!

Leave the green bouy on the right going upstream!

… particularly here, if you don’t you may very well end up in the weir stream!  All the weir sluices are open here. The river is quite low, perhaps we need more rain … not!

Leaving the first lock of the day at Benson

Although it can no longer be seen from the River Thames there’s been a manor house at Rush Court since the 1280’s at least

Within the grounds these days are a Nursing Home, Bright well Vineyard, a walled garden ...

… and lots and lots of history and intrigue!

The view from the river has I’m sure changed much over the centuries.

Teepees in the woods 

 … as we approach Shillingford Bridge

 What stunning views these properties have over the river, I can never resist this picture whenever we pass here

 Where the River Thame joins the River Thames

… which meanders this way

… and that way as we cruise towards Oxford

If you don’t look closely or don’t know this stretch of the Thames it would be difficult to see the lock sign in the trees on this right angle bend

… which leads us to a small landing stage for the sanitary station and refuse bins.  Unfortunately the Elsan disposal was out of order so we’ll have to change our plans a little.

 Little Wittenham Bridge leading to

Days Lock as we follow a small cruiser in

 … and this narrowboat follows us … a novice boater we think

 … as he smashed into Still Rockin’s rear end taking the paint back to the bare metal.  George was not at all happy!

 How lucky are we!  A great mooring just there

… with views of the lock and Wittenden Clump in the background

… and open field looking towards the lovely village of Dorchester

 A few minutes after we’d secured our ropes working boats

 … came by from the Basingstoke Canal boat meeting

Renfrew and Chertsey