After a cup of tea (it's still Tuesday 31st July!) we set off to walk, it's 11:15 ...
the two miles into Oxford
The result of the high winds we've been having!
Sensible horses seeking the shade!
Looking back
25 minutes later we're in sight of Folly Bridge ...
where you can hire a day boat, a punt or take a ride on one of their trip boats
There was once a pound lock near Folly Bridge and I wondered if this may have been part of that pound ... it's to the left of the left-hand navigable channel.
Salters boat Wargrave returning to base
This is the left-hand channel and has a sharp right turn under the bridge
A castellated house built in 1849 for mathematician Joshua Cardwell
Looking up the channel ... we've never been through this one ...
we've always chosen the right-hand channel here passing the Head of the River public house ...
and so into Oxford ...
We purchased tickets and walked up the 99 steps of Carfax Tower, the only remains of the 12th century St Martin's Church (no building in Oxford is allowed to be higher than the tower at 74'/23m) to have a look at the views ...
What a very narrow house next to the Lloyds Bank building
We continued our walk ... to the retail park ... White Stuff has a sale on!
Shopping finished we had a look around to see where we were and could see Oxford Castle down the hill but we didn't visit ... perhaps next time.
The covered market next ... I love this shop
where you can see the artisans at work
The Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian Library
My attempt at an 'arty' picture!
Next a visit to the University Church of St Mary the Virgin
It's possible to climb steps here too for 360° views but the queue was too long and it was too hot to hang around.
A quick look at Oriel College quadrangle, unfortunately it was closed today ...
and Lincoln college, it was open but no-one wanted to know!
walking ...
to Christ Church Meadow ...
from where of course there are great views of Christ Church College ...
where the queue to get in was extremely long!
By 3:30 I'd had enough, it was hot by that time with very little breeze so we caught a bus but it ended up not being much quicker as we had quite a walk when we alighted! If you would like to see a bit more about Oxford from the last time we visited and had a guided tour click here.
It was good to be home and sitting in the shade on the deck
Salters boat Wargrave came by and at first I thought he'd taken the wrong turn into the lock ... but no he was going to wind (turn) in the channel and put the boat's bow into the arch of the balustraded bridge ...
here you can see one of the operatives holding the bow rope to help with the turn ...
he was stopping to let passengers off and no kidding, I could have reached out from our deck and touch his bow! Even the passengers were worried that he wasn't going to stop in time!
The old ways are the best! Pushing off from the wharf!
I thanked the steerer for 'dropping by' as he left very safely.
A little later trip boat Goring came by and I managed to get this photo showing how close to the bridge they bring the boats!
To end the day ...
the last rays of the sun
before sunset.
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