Leaving Abingdon ...

… definately for the last time this year!

We crossed the river from our mooring just after 9 yesterday morning

… to the boat services to take on diesel and swap a gas bottle

While we waited I managed to catch the flower waterer, no wonder these planters look so magnificent all summer.

I chatted to the service guy while the diesel went in about the two bridge holes in this picture.

This one (on the right above) leads to a slip-way to the Nags Head public house on the other side of the bridge possibly for the delivery by boat of supplies in years gone by.

The other hole navigates round the island on which the service station stands and can still be navigated by canoe  

The chap who moored these two historic boats watched us as we left the services but was most reluctant to acknowledge us as we passed by Warbler (originally called Libra) and FMC Plover but we persevered until we got a reluctant wave!

I do love this scene!

First lock today at Culham thankfully had a lock keeper in attendance

As we left the lock this cruiser was just about to come through the bridge but held back for us to come through first as there’s not much room between the lock and bridge.

Lucky photo of a Red Kite!

Thirsty cows as we enter Clifton Lock cut

also manned by a lockie, in fact several of them!

Approaching Clifton Hampden Bridge with the spire of Church of England’s parish church of St Michael.  I love the underside of the Silver Birch leaves in the wind.

The wind was gusting up to 30mph as we cruised today

Nearing our destination we encounter a group of canoeists with a narrowboat coming towards us.  George sounded the horn to warn them that we were on the river and it made us laugh to see them scatter every which way!  Fortunately they were all adults and managed to beat the wind and paddle to the sides and allow us through ...

… and we’re soon is sight of Wittenham Clumps near Dorchester and moor up in the same spot we were in a a couple of weeks ago

Today has been wet, wet wet but the sky started to lighten just before 5-pm

… and the start of a lovely sunset at 7-pm.