7am 29th June and we pull away from our Shillingford mooring
... Heading upstream once again
It was a cold morning
Approaching the first lock of the day at Days
Sluices on Days Lock are all closed. The Environment Agency has warned of a water shortage on the upper Thames asking lock keepers and boaters not to empty an empty (of boats) lock but to wait a while for a boat to go down with the water.
Looking back at Wittenham Clump as we leave Days Lock
In the past the river frontage above Days has been a really popular mooring spot with easy access into Dorchester, but these days there's fencing everywhere.
You can actually still more there but think carefully when the meadow has grazing longhorn cattle on it! And I understand that the new owner is charging £8 per night.
This bull is on the opposite side of the Thames bellowing to his prospective harem on the other side!
The willows have been pollarded too but will grow again soon
Three out of three's not bad! The notice informs - no mooring, no parking and no fishing!
That's a Great White Egret flying off after sharing the space with the Heron
A first for me!
I love this setting of a group of properties sharing a common garden
All Angels C of E Church at Clifton Hampden
Clifton Hampden Bridge opened in 1867 replacing a ferry service which operated on the site since the early 14th century.
It's getting colder by the minute and we've both put on warmer coats, George has his hat on too and it wasn't a sun hat I can tell you!
Shallow water as we approach ...
... the sharp right hand turn to Clifton Lock
... where thriving plants are for sale
... and the ripe cherries were too high for me to reach!
... and George knocked off his specs into the lock as he threw the rope up onto the lock bollard - unrecoverable!
... where the blue tits were enjoying the feeders
... and this enaemic looking duck is sleeping
The footbridge above the lock is really pretty but has been closed due to rotting wood
Under Appleford Railway Bridge ... it's only 13' high
After not seeing any other boats on the move since we set off, as we approached Culham Lock we had to hang back whilst two narrowboats and a cruiser came past on a twisty, narrow section of the Thames
The lock is awkward to get to being on a sharp bend and beyond a tight bridge and was on self service. Unfortunately a cruiser had just gone in and started to turn the lock and weren't willing to drop the paddles for us to enter
... and this lock takes 20 minutes to fill on self service!
Our turn now to wait another 20 minutes while rising
... and by then two more boats are waiting of come down
Once out of the lock cut we can see our destination
... left of the green bouys and round the bend
Abingdon is alway a welcome sight as we enter the town
By 11 am we were safely moored up on the town moorings
... with good all round views.
It was so cold that not long after we'd moored the central heating was working to warm us up.
2 comments:
Your usual wonderful pictures lifted my spirt this morning. You are so fortunate to have the cool weather. Hot, hot, hot and muggy here at Napton. too hot to sleep at night, and I am miserable.
The area of the Thames you are on now is really lovely. Thank you for sharing. I hope George has an extra pair of specs!
Love Jaq xx
Hi Jaq, hope the weather up north has cooled a little by now and that you're feeling a bit brighter. Yes George does have a spare pair of specs - the ones that darken when it's very light - looks a real cool dude! x
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