News, news, news .....

Our Narrowboat Epiphany website is now "live" again. I shall be blogging our travels, cruises and adventures on it from today so you will need to go it to keep an eye on us! click here

John will be gradually copying our January to March blogs from blogspot to narrowboat epiphany and the RSSS feed to your email inbox will also be updated in the next few days. It is not all singing and dancing yet and the usual popular features will be added gradually. Look out for some new ones too!

So please bear with us - bookmark narrowboat epiphany and we will let you know progress there!

Up and down and then up again

Today I tested the public transport from Sandford on Thames to Banbury! All for the sake of picking up my glasses and our post! So I caught the 106 bus (it was on time) which goes to Oxford Station. Then a train to Banbury (one stop). All went very smoothly!

Christchurch Meadow - the bus goes along St Aldates on the far side of the meadow

Glasses picked up - I can now see marginally better - I went to Hilliers Garden Centre for lunch. Sorry Wrens Nest, I didn't have time to call in - but I did see you! Our post lady met me at Hilliers - with a few envelopes and some home made raspberry jam!

Normally when we are cruising, our friends send our post to the nearest post office, post restante, for us to pick up when we get there. However being on the South Oxford for so long it has become a habit for us to meet up to exchange post! Soon we will have to go back to our "old ways". The same will apply to prescriptions - a request sent to my GP with a stamped addressed envelope to a pharmacy near where we plan to be in about a week or so. Once our website is up again you will be able to access my collection of pharmacies around the country!

A Salters trip boat - another way of getting in and around Oxford on the River Thames!

Shopping done, browsing done, I caught the train back to Oxford. It was slightly worrying that I recognised where I was on the train from spotting the canal - Banbury Tram moorings, Somerton Deep Lock, the old warehouses on the River section, Shipton Weir Lock, Thrupp (a mental wave to our friends moored there!), Kidlington, Enslow, moorings all the way into Oxford, and then Jericho.

Back on the bus - I kept an eye out for the end of the Hythe Arm, the River Cherwell and a glimpse of the Thames! Home again at last - the lock here at Sandford was full of water when I left but on my return it was empty again and some of the jacks removed. So it looks as if the new bottom gates work!

Three jars of lemon curd later (made by my fair hand on my return) and a meal, it is now time for a relax in front of the box! Tomorrow is the "up again" as we cruise upstream to Oxford!

"A good place for drowning"

We find it is always worth exploring a new area to find hidden gems - country churches, old buildings, bus stops, post boxes etc. Sandford on Thames sprawls up the hill from Sandford Lock and the old centre of the village is nearer the river.

Near the lock is a development on the old mill site of up-market newish properties, many with a river view of the reach below the lock. The Kings Arms was once "The Ferry" - as a ferry took passengers and horses and carts to Abingdon. Jerome K Jerome once described Sandford as a "good place for drowning", indeed the adopted son of J. M Barrie drowned in 1921 near the lasher weir (site of the old lock).

Built in 1826 for mill workers these cottages around the village green had flat roofs made of tarred paper. They were occupied by workers until 1982 when the mill closed. The mill race continues to flow beside the lock.

St Andrews Church

The post office closed in 1987 but was in the white cottage opposite the church. Today there is a post box at the top end of Church Lane.

Inscription over south door - written by Rev Charles Forebench in 1646

The graveyard of the church is very well kept and peaceful - we spent a while just absorbing the sun and calm atmosphere

I loved the bench and garden that has been created alongside, behind what was once the church hall and "plant". This is now a private residence walled off from the church grounds.

Lewis Carroll was a famous visitor, in the guise of Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson - he preached on several occasions at the invitation of his friend Rev W H Rankin. His first visit on Whit Sunday 1862 is commemorated by the "Alice Sermon" on the theology of his two famous works!

Sadly, St Andrews was locked - God was away for the day! There is a comprehensive guide of the church here - clickety click

Old pub on main road

On the main road through the rest of the village stands an old pub building - possible once The Fox. A bus stops nearby that terminate at Oxford Station - number 106, hourly.

Sandford Lock on the Thames under repair

We chatted to the Lock Keeper at Sandford Lock today as we wandered over to The Kings Arms for Sunday lunch.

The Kings Arms, over from Sandford Lock

He explained that he had "handed over" to the engineers and it was in their hands as to when the lock opens. It is scheduled for opening on Saturday 26th March.

Floating pontoons above Sandford Lock

The floating pontoons above the lock were were for equipment, materials etc to be delivered to the lock. We assume the crane opposite our mooring was in use for this too.

The "jacks" are to prevent the walls of the lock being compromised because the water is not in the lock. The bottom gates are now in place, but the dam has to be removed, the jacks too, before it opens!

Sandford Lock from downstream

From about 1294, the original flash lock at Sandford was in the Western Stream, now a backwater. Its position can still be seen alongside the present lock and also where the upper gates were. There was also a mill by the lock.

Sandford was probably the first to have a modern pound lock, in 1936, to overcome the real difficulties of these flash locks. The present lock was built in 1972-3 in the same location. There are some very interesting photos and more information on this website - clickety click

Upstream from Sandford Lock

After a good roast lunch we returned home to Epiphany and a quiet afternoon, with the occasional gongoozler with camera in hand! We could have earned a fair bit here if we had charged for taking a photo!

The Thames and good weather

These words are not always synonymous! We have been fortunate so far! Here are some more river views for you to enjoy, taken on our cruise from Osney to Sandford Locks.

Folly Bridge - we went under the SE end which is to the right of this photo!

Here is the end of the River Cherwell by Christchurch Meadows - it has been present during our time on the Oxford Canal, running prettily, in flood and even iced over!

The River Cherwell joins the Thames

Even the weirs at Iffley Lock are well kept and attractive

Downstream of Iffley Lock and the covered weir footbridges

The cut around Rose Island (also known as Kennington Island) once housed a boatyard, apparently. Now there are various types of boats moored there.

Rose Island - the river stream is to the right, the house is hidden by the tree from this upstream view

This house has an amazingly long garden - but what a place to come to on a sunny afternoon or warm evening!

The house is right of centre - you can see it just!

Lastly another photo of our mooring - beyond this barge, moored awaiting who knows what from the lock repairs!

Boats, crane and blue, blue sky

Ah! Now I know

I have often wondered about the large ornate boats I remember from our last trip on the Thames back in 2008. As the weather was so good I was determined to get some good photos of them.

The first one I spotted is now a residence and I was delighted to identify it a Corpus Christi's College Barge. My brother is a Corpus Christi Alumni - so this one is for you, David!

Corpus Christi College Barge on its mooring

A closer look - note the large oval windows, a real design feature!

College barges go right back to the time when ceremonial barges were built for royalty and dignitaries, for special occasions. In this country, monarchs have had ceremonial barges - city liveries and Lord Mayors of London have had them, too. Indeed, our current Queen is having a traditional ceremonial barge built for her Diamond Jubilee, which I understand will be processing up the Thames in June 2012. Boris Johnson is hoping it will carry the Olympic Flame!

Ceremonial barge - http://www.city-barge.org/HistBarge2.html

By 1850, most processions had become land based and the existing barges needed expensive repairs. However, it is believed Oriel College bought the Goldsmith's Barge in 1848, thus beginning the tradition of College Barges. They were used in the days before College Boathouses for the rowing crews and were a bit like a "gentlemen's club on water". Only seven remain today. Have a look here if you are interested in reading more - clickety click

We saw one more College Barge - once belonging to St John's College and now moored outside the Oxford Thames Hotel at Sandford. I believe it is occasionally used for events.

St John's College Barge

St John's College Barge on its mooring

There is nothing so nice .....

Words fail me - how can I describe today? Wonderful, stupendous, amazing, joyous, relaxing, I think you get the message! Here is a brief summary!

Leaving Osney Lock with Oxfordshire Narrowboats' Aynho for company

The sky was blue, the river calm and quiet - except for a few canoeists and rowers

Oxford College boat houses and canoes, downstream from Christchurch Meadow

Iffley Lock is well looked after - another place we must stop on the way back upstream so I can take some more photos of its features.

Iffley Lock House and daffodil display

The Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel at Sandford is created from a number of medieval buildings, the oldest being a medieval College House. It can be linked back to the Knights Templar.

A Four Pillars Hotel - 4 star luxury by the Thames

Some of the Thames properties are really enviable - this one with its own end of garden mooring would do - but not the boat!

We had spotted a number of nice mooring spots as we came downstream and thought we might return to one or more another time! Sandford Lock is closed for new bottom gates so when we arrived we turned and "rough moored" against the meadow there. The Kings Arms pub is in walking distance for Sunday Lunch and it was doing a good trade today!

Looking upstream, our mooring above Sandford Lock

We also attracted a lot of gongoozlers - two Japanese (tourists?) were rather intrusive with their camera - our fault for having the swan doors wide open and Toshiba laptops on display!

There is much more blog material from today - so more to come!

River Thames, Osney to Sandford Lock

1 hour 39 minutes, 3.94 miles, 2 locks

We spot some boats on the our goodbye to Canals and hello to the Thames

An old wooden hulled narrowboat on the South Oxford

Narrowboat leaves Kings Lock on the Thames

River trip Boat waits for summer

The sun shines for us on the River Thames

Kings Lock was on "self service", which means it is a "do it yourself" lock as the Lock keeper is lunching, or away doing other jobs.

Kings Lock awaits

We were joined by a trad narrowboat that we had seen a couple of times in our travels recently and who had followed us through Dukes Cut. John waited to open the paddles (using large wheels) as the top gates were closed by the other boater.

We let the other boat go first and after John had shut the bottom gates we followed on, around the bends, past narrowboats "rough moored" and down to Godstow. Godstow Bridge has a well known pub, The Trout Inn  (for Morse fans anyway) beside it - we shall explore Godstow on our way upstream, I hope!


Above Godstow Lock are moorings beside the ruined Godstow Abbey, with the remains of St Leonards Chapel just standing! Again, more about this another time!

Above Godstow Lock

The Lock Keeper was on duty (despite the self service sign) and as we went down the lock a barge left the landing below to lead us on towards Oxford.

Leaving Godstow Lock

We could see the tower of St Barnabas Church in Jericho over the moored boats at Bossom's Boatyard and beyond Medley footbridge the river narrowed towards another way back onto the canal system!

St Barnabas, Jericho and its distinctive tower, in the distance

Looking back it is an attractive area and popular with walkers and boat watchers - there were a few today, but no doubt there are more in warmer weather!

So we came to the entrance to Sheepwash Channel - we were definitely not turning left and going back to the South Oxford Canal!

It is always good to see there are other patriotic Cornish around and our ensign waved at their flag.

Osney Bridge is low - but we were OK as we had moved a couple of coal sacs to get through the low Yarnton Bridge on the canal. The bridge and its weir are very deceptive as the stream is extremely fast through and beyond the bridge.

The moorings are beyond the bridge, before the lock, with very good access to Botley Road and into Oxford. We learned how not to try to moor in a fast stream here! Fortunately there were a couple of boaters around who were able to shout advice and haul Epiphany in with her mid rope. Lesson learned, we moored fast with all three ropes and are safe and sound!

River Thames, Kings Lock to Osney Bridge

1 hour 49 minutes, 3,34 miles, 2 locks

New adventures for narrowboat Epiphany

We set off without a plan! We knew where we needed to be, but not how we were going to get there. We had a choice of more canal and river in a few days time or "goodbye" South Oxford canal and "hello" new territory and the River Thames. No contest really!

So a straightforward cruise to Dukes Lock and then a right turn into Dukes Cut and through Dukes Cut Lock.

In Dukes Cut Lock - note paddle gear

Unusual ground paddle gear at Dukes Cut Lock(note the hook attached to our windlass)

The first part of Dukes Cut is what is says it is - a cut.

Narrowboats moored on Dukes Cut

A right turn at the end took us onto a Thames backwater and through meadows with a couple of twists and turns.

Sign post and EA forewarning of need of correct licence

Thames backwater through meadows

Avoiding the well marked weir, another right turn and past some laid up "dumb barges" and we were on Father Thames.

Weir and right turn corner

Barges moored - river towards Lechlade on right of photo

The river flows south west to Lechlade (our destination soon) but turning sharply south east today we were immediately at Kings Lock - our first river lock since leaving the Trent in early September last year. We really felt as if we had started our new adventure for this year.

On the Thames at Kings Lock landing

Because of this "feeling," I shall leave you here with us waiting above Kings Lock and begin afresh later!

The news of our narrowboat Epiphany website is good - John has not much more to do before it will be up and we will be back to normal, blogging, updating the medical and book swap pages as we travel.

South Oxford Canal, Thrupp, to Kings Lock, River Thames

2 hours, 46 minutes, 4.05 miles, 4 locks