I've been a bit remiss in not posting any trip reports since I left Stockton, so it's catch up time.
Sunday March 22nd - Stockton to the Blue Lias 0 miles 1 furlong, 1 lock, 30 minutes. Arrived at the boat around 6.30pm, and after loading my stuff onto Arun and setting the lock I finally set off at 7.10pm. Reversed into the lock and then winded in the arm before mooring for the night outside the Blue Lias at 7.40pm. Monday March 23rd - Blue Lias to Fenny Compton 15 miles 2 furlongs, 20 locks, 8 hours 5 minutes. Set off as soon as it got light at 6.25am, up the Stockton flight. Cleared the top lock at 7.55am and turned right at Napton Junction at 9.25am. Up the Napton flight with a Canaltime boat following, clearing the top at 12.05pm. The wind had really picked up by now and there started to be a few showers as well to add to the enjoyment. A pity I couldn't have set off the week before when the weather was glorious, but there you go. Moored at Fenny Compton at 2.30pm and walked into town to get some provisions - most importantly milk, as I'd forgotten to bring any with me and I was gasping for a cuppa!. Decided to stay there for the night, as the next watering hole wasn't until Cropredy, some three and a half hours away and I was a bit cheesed off with the rain. Predictably, the sun then decided to come out but I was already settled in by then. After eating I was feeling so sleepy that I failed to make it to the pub anyway. Tuesday March 24th - Fenny Compton to Banbury 10 miles 6 furlongs, 12 locks, 5 hours 35 minutes. Set off at 6.15am, arriving at Claydon top just over an hour later. Cleared the Claydon flight by 8.20am, Cropredy by 9.50am and after a 30 minute stop for Diesel at Sovereign (288 ltr), I moored up a bit above the lift bridge in Banbury at 12.20pm. Early stop, as I was going up to London for the evening. Wednesday March 25th - Banbury to Enslow 18 miles 2 furlongs, 11 locks, 8 hours 50 minutes. Late start from Banbury at 9.05am. Fortunately someone was coming up in the lock, so I got them to leave the gates ready for me and to work the lift bridge for me as well. Aynho bridge by 12.45pm, and the first lift bridge (Chisnell) was open, so no hold up there. BW seem to have improved the lift bridges a bit, as each one now has a chain and ring set in concrete in the ground to secure it to. Knotting chains doesn't really work very well, so I resorted to sticking a screwdriver through the chain to stop it pulling back through the ring. Tied up outside the Rock of Gibraltar at 6.15pm and ate there later on. Very quiet in the pub this evening. Thursday March 26th - Enslow to Long Wittenham 26 miles 3 furlongs, 14 locks, 10 hours 20 minutes. Off again 1t 6.20am, through the last few locks before Oxford. Turned right onto Duke's Cut at 10.20am and had a quick weed hatch visit to clear the prop before getting onto the Thames. 20 minute delay at King's lock while I bought a 15 day visitor's license, finally leaving King's Lock at 11.20am. Slight problem at Iffley lock, as I arrived there at lunchtime. The head gate walkway is being repaired and is impassable at the moment, so the only way across the lock is via the tail gates. Not much use when the downstream lock landing is on the opposite side of the river to the control pedestal. Fortunately, as I was about to leave the lock I spotted another narrowboat approaching from downstream, so I was able to leave the gates for them to shut. Through Abingdon at 3.15pm and after investigating the options for mooring by Clifton Hampden bridge I decided to go up the weir stream to the Plough at Long Wittenham where I tied up at 5.05pm. Friday March 27th - Long Wittenham to Aston 37 miles 5 furlongs, 11 locks, 10 hours 25 minutes. Again it was 6.20am when I cast off, winded and then headed back out of the Weir stream. Through Goring by 10.10am and after a 2hrs 15mins wait for Chris' train to arrive in Reading, set off again at 2.35pm. The electrics at Caversham lock were playing up, so I had to phone for the lock keeper (who was off duty) to come and sort it out. Through Henley at 5.12pm and moored to the rather short jetty in Aston at 6pm. Up the lane to the Flower Pot for an excellent meal and beer before returning to the boat in the mist at the end of the evening. Saturday March 28th - Aston to Monkey Island (Bray) 14 miles 4 furlongs, 6 locks, 3 hours 55 minutes. Set off from Aston at 8.35am, and stopped above Marlow lock for a trip into town to go shopping. Through Marlow lock at 11.20am, and along what I think is probably the prettiest stretch of the river (Marlow to Maidenhead). Through Maidenhead by 1.10pm and tied up to the landings on Monkey Island at 1.45pm. My brothers and I were treating my parents to a meal and night's stay at the hotel there as my father turned 80 in February. Must say, I'm not all that impressed with the hotel. The menu was uninspiring and overpriced and the service was not up to scratch. When you're shelling out 7 quid each for afternoon tea and a couple of scones, you don't expect the cups to be chipped and cracked! All the same, we had a very pleasant evening together before Chris and I retired to the boat. Sunday March 29th - Monkey Island (Bray) to Reading 26 miles 4 furlongs, 11 locks, 8 hours 20 minutes. Set off back up to Reading (where Chris had to get a train back) at 7.30am. Had a quick chat with Ian Clark while going through Hurley lock at 11.30am. Through Henley by 1.05pm and tied up in Reading at 3.50pm. Walked to the station with Chris and saw her off on the 4.20 train. Back to the boat, but decided not to go any further today. Monday March 30th - Reading to Abingdon 29 miles 4 furlongs, 8 locks, 8 hours 15 minutes. Late start this morning (8.50am). Through Wallingford by 1.15pm and Clifton Hampden by 3.15pm. Arrived at Culham lock just as the lock keeper was leaving, so had to work this one myself. Because the paddles are particularly fierce here, the electrics only seem to open them about an inch at first and only about 6 inches in total. Takes ages to fill a lock like that. Tied up in Abingodon at 5.05pm and wandered into town for a Chinese takeaway later on. Tuesday March 31st - Abingdon to Oxford 9 miles 3 furlongs, 4 locks, 3 hours 20 minutes. Off at 7.25am, expecting to find the lock on public power, only it was not to be and hand winding was the order of the day. The timeclocks hadn't been adjusted to BST yet, so the power only came on at 8am as I was about to leave the lock. The lock landing below Sandford lock appears to have had some extra wooden rubbing boards added since I was last here. The only problem is that they are well above gunwale height and are now sufficiently proud to rub the cabin sides. With a bit of care I was able to secure Arun so that the stern was resting on one of the riser posts (which kept the back cabin sides clear) and the bow was just high enough to avoid going under the rubbing board. Tied up below Osney Bridge at 10.45am, and wandered into town to do a little shopping. Oxford was the destination today, as I was going up to London again in the evening. Wednesday April 1st - Oxford to Tadpole Bridge 19 miles 5 furlongs, 6 locks, 6 hours 30 minutes. A very late start today (12.45pm), as I wasn't feeling too good first thing. Through King's lock by 2.10pm, and managed to get firmly aground on a sandbar between Eynsham and Pinkhill locks. After about 30 minutes of effort I finally managed to get Arun free and I was off again. Toyed with stopping at Newbridge for the evening but seem to remember that the beer wasn't up to all that much last time, so decided to keep going to the pub at Tadpole Bridge. Had to work through Shifford lock on my own as the lock keeper had gone by then. Tied up outside the pub at 7.15pm and went inside for a very good meal and beers. Thursday April 2nd - Tadpole Bridge to Lechlade 11 miles 4 furlongs, 5 locks, 4 hours 20 minutes. After yesterday's lovely weather, this morning was a bit of a let down. Couldn't be bothered to get going early - it was 11.10am when I finally set off. Through Radcot bridge at 12.45pm and reached Grafton lock while the lock keeper was at lunch. Work is still being done on this lock but it is still possible to pass through. It just looks like a bit of a building site, that's all. Stopped above the lock to fill up the water tank and again, above St John's lock to empty the Thetford and to get rid of the rubbish. Got to Lechlade at 3.55pm, but pressed on up to the Round House before turning and retracing my path to Lechlade. Moored for the night at 4.15pm, and will go and investigate the pubs shortly. To Be Continued. Terry Streeter NB Arun - Lechlade
