Pinkhill to Oxford

Fri 20^th August  Pinkhill to Osney

James had a short chat with the man on Beulah May before we left. We were on our own in Pinkhill Lock, self-service.

Pinkhill Lock

As we passed the boatyard, there was a young man in a dinghy with an outboard getting a bottle of gas. Further down the river, we noticed him coming down the river behind us, gradually catching us up.

We passed under the toll bridge at Swinford, and came to Eynsham Lock, which was keeper operated. The chap with a dinghy came in behind us. We paused as we left, and emptied two cassettes at the facilities there. When we had finished, we set off, and found him just round the corner, having broken down. He asked us for a tow, and so we towed Hugh for about two miles down the river to where his narrowboat was moored.

Swinford Bridge

Eynsham Lock

Hugh on tow

Soon after this we passed the junction with the Dukes Cut, and came to King’s Lock. This was self-service, and we shared it with another boat. We had to close the bottom paddle before filling the lock.

Leaving King’s Lock

The Skew Bridge is not such a problem going downstream. We once saw a sailing boat go under here, and they deliberately capsized the boat, and righted it again after they had gone through.  The nunnery at Godstow comes just after this.

Skew Bridge

The Nunnery

Godstow Lock was self-service again, and once again we had to close the bottom paddle before filling the lock. We still had the other narrowboat with us.

Godstow Lock

Tern

Heron

On the approach to Osney Bridge we were warned by another boat to beware of the water. Soon we could see two jets of water coming down from the underside of the bridge, from the broken pipe that we thought they were meant to have repaired. Thankfully we managed to avoid getting wet.

Broken pipe under Osney Bridge

The moorings were in short supply at Osney, and there were two gaps which were too small. Thankfully Lee Swift left so both boats could get in.

We went for a meal at The Punter, a vegan pub, which used to be called the Waterman’s Arms in an earlier life.

Moored near Osney Bridge

3 locks, 6 miles. Dep 0945, arr 1245.

Sat 21^st August  Osney

James went to find the lock keeper at Osney Lock to pay our mooring fee of £11.00. Free for the first night, then £5.50 for each of the subsequent nights. Maximum three nights.

Mooring ticket

We noticed an unusual refurbishment or redevelopment of a Victorian terraced house, which look quite inappropriate.

Victorian Terrace

Someone's idea of a good refurbishment

We walked across the bridge and under the railway bridge to the bus stop at the railway station, and caught the bus to Aylesbury. It took 1¾ hours, going through small villages as well as Thame and Haddenham. On arrival at the bus station in Aylesbury, we found that our local bus was waiting, so we got on and were soon at our destination.

We called in at Lidl for some bread and milk before going to our apartment. We went to see John and Ruzenka, our neighbours downstairs, for a catch up. Later we had a Chinese meal delivered.

In the night we had a very loud thunderstorm.

No boating today

Sun 22^nd August  Osney

We went to the canal basin for our church service. It was lovely to see everyone. Phil and Anne were back from sabbatical, and were leading. We were allowed to sing, but with masks on. We caught up with Bryan as well, as we spotted him among the boats.

Back to the apartment to close it down again, and Jack and Sandra collected us and took us to the Dog House, where we had booked a table for Sunday lunch. We had the senior’s meals which were plenty big enough for us. They kindly then took us into Aylesbury, where we just caught the 1410 bus to Oxford.

In Thame as we went through, we phoned our friend Pam, to tell her we were on the bus, and she waved from her window as we passed.

We took a few pics of Oxford at bus top height.

Oxford from the bus

Back at the boat we noticed that Kathleen Rose was moored behind us.

We slept well.

No boating today

Next: leaving Oxford heading north via the Sheepwash Channel and the Oxford Canal.