After walking into Oxford on Tuesday today (Wednesday 1st August) we decided to cruise upstream and see if we can get through the left-hand channel at Folly Bridge ...
It's been a year or more since we've cruised with the pram hood on the rear deck down ... Folly Bridge is low!
In the absence of the pram hood I'm wearing my big hat!
My violas have taken a beating in the high winds and hot sunshine and look worse for wear
Lots of novice rowers out today we'll need to watch out for the unexpected!
Approaching the bridge we can see a trip boat which appears to be blocking the right-hand channel ... will we take that left-hand one?
It's a sharp bend and trip boat Lady Ethel sticking out like that will make it even more difficult ... there's also an 'obstacle' in the way with ducks on it!
George decides that he's not risking it
and that we'll take the right-hand arch ... but first we need to let the novice rowers sort themselves out ...
The rowers pull over and stay still as we pass them bearing right round the bend ...
and the left-hand turn down the side of the trip boat.
Lots of wheel turning as George lines up for the arch ...
perfect!
Looking ahead ... and behind us at the bridge
Rounding the bend to the right ... and looking back at where we would have come from if we'd gone ...
through that left-hand archway
The Thames here is narrower, bendier and more overgrown ... to the right here ...
then immediately left ...
and right again ...
left under the footbridge ...
and a left and another right!
Looking back at a bit of straight! ...
when I suddenly realise that Osney Rail Bridge is in front of us and we don't want to go any further. Just under the two bridges and round the corner is Osney Lock cut and Osney Bridge ... a very low bridge! The lock cut will be narrow and this is the only chance we'd have to wind (turn) and return downstream ...
bow towards the trees, but not touching and lots of winds of the wheel, forwards ...
and in reverse ... not touching the bank ...
round a bit more ...
straightening up ...
very happy with the turn!
We're soon approaching the turn for Folly Bridge again ...
we take the turn ...
and line up Still Rockin' for the bridge
Through the bridge George now has very tight right turns to make ...
to get past the trip boat and into the channel again...
Done!
Salters Boats HQ needs a bit of tlc ... it's a lovely building.
Unusual! A galleon type cabin on a narrowboat.
Just over an hour after setting off we're back where we started out this morning at Iffley visitor moorings ... but we're not stopping ...
George slowly brings Still Rockin' into the lock cut where the volunteer lock keeper gets a surprise when he eventually hears us and looks round.
Looking back at Iffley Lock's pretty setting.
By 11 o'clock were all moored up ... looking upstream ...
and at the meadow
and downstream ... on this mooring opposite this house just below Kennington Railway Bridge.
Whilst we were eating lunch I heard what sounded like someone opening the gate on the deck and got a surprise when I saw cows, one of which had it's head over the gate! ... camera ... quick!
They didn't hang around too long and we hoped they wouldn't return when the bbq comes out this evening!
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