Sandford Lock

 Today's Navigation - River Thames

We needed to stop in Abingdon today for some rather needed shopping to top up our stores for the last few days of this trip. So, we set off in good time. With the bank so high we had to adopt an unusual technique. The next lock was only a very short distance away with the Thames Path running alongside the river. We both crawled off the boat along the gangplank which was almost level from the roof to the ground. Mike then pulled out the mooring pins and returned to the boat as before but with Christine holding the centreline to prevent the boat drifting away from the bank and giving Mike an unwanted dunking. Christine walked to the lock getting there at much the same time as the boat.

Just before the lock it looks as if the wide river goes straight ahead but we were diverted off to the right. What we could see was the old course of the river, much of which is navigable with a pub at the end. But boats are prevented from going further by the weir as high as the lock rise.

In the lock we were joined by a Le Boat hire from Benson on its second day with a three generational family. We were to see them several times during the day. They seemed to be enjoying their new experiences.

This outflow/inlet (not sure which) is marked as part of Didcot Power Station. However, with the old coal fired system no longer in use and the cooling towers now demolished, we wonder if the facility is now redundant. Does anyone remember that it is still here?

The bridge below Culham Lock is only just large enough - width and height - for one of the larger boats at a time. Must be quite daunting for a new boater out of Benson, coming round a bend and seeing this. Will they fit? Of course - but they know that a larger bridge in Oxford is a barrier preventing further progress.

As we came into Abingdon we could see the sign making the old junction with the former Wilts and Berks Canal. There is a Canal Trust aiming to restore 70 miles of this canal down to its other junction with the Kennett and Avon. The project involves working with several local authorities and government departments and has not always been easy but there is still hope. If it is completed it will add a tremendous extra dimension to cruising in this region.

Abingdon provides an exceptional; amount of free mooring, either side of the main bridge. It seems that the boaters manage to live harmoniously with all the other users of the adjoining park and makes a sharp contrast with other places like Reading that seem to want boats to pass through as quickly as possible without stopping. On the opposite bank (left in the photo) there is a busy hire base with a variety of day boats, canoes, paddle boats and so on.

We locked up and walked into town. A lock keeper at a previous lock had said that he thought that Abingdon was not good for shopping! It seemed a busy town centre with plenty of small shops, cafes, restaurants etc, including any number and types of hairdressers. However, there are very few food outlets, either large or small specialists. No butcher, no baker and definitely no candlestick maker (or hardware shop for that matter) We had a choice of a smallish CoOp (surprisingly expensive) or Waitrose. The former seemed nearer so we did most there but no bread other than sliced plastic wrapped loaves. We did get a few items including a loaf of sourdough at Waitrose but even there the range was modest, to say the least. We were left wondering where the people of Abingdon get their food. Surely not just what is on offer from these two?

Back at the boat Christine unpacked and stowed away, by which time it was lunch!

It was just a short distance to Abingdon Lock but we had quite a delay. Some boats were already attempting to go up, including two day boats from back in town with a group that were already rather merry before they set off. The lock was on Self Service and they were somewhat confused about what to do. Fortunately the lock keeper returned from his lunch break and got things moving. However, there were already two 70ft narrow boats ahead of us so we had to wait for another turn. 

The next set of boats to come down started to emerge and then the keeper beckoned us in only to stop us quickly when he realised that there was still another cruiser left in the lock! We could not really see what was happening other than it seemed that there was some frantic pulling on ropes. Then the gates closed and the lock re-filled. It seems that the boat had caught on the cill but luckily it was not a major hang-up and so they were soon released, no doubt somewhat shaken and chastened. A good reminder to all, that boating does take care and attention to avoid the main pitfalls.

We were quite keen to fill up with water but we were third in line, with another just arriving and little space for all to wait. We were taking space on the lock landing already reduced by a squatter. The by now notorious changes to the water points are clearly going to give rise to serious problems - bearing in mind that the numbers of boats at the moment is very much lower than would be expected for this time of the year and that in a 'busy' year, boats might have to wait in line all day and perhaps even into the night. The boat using the tap had already been there an hour and still not full.

Not far above the local we could see a marker buoy in mid channel - as we came closer we could see that there was a sunken boat. Sad sight.

Culham Park Mx was in full flow. As we could see the track in the distance ahead of us, bikes were speedily chasing around the track but, alas, the race finished before we came close enough for any kind of photos. We took what pictures we could, sans bikes, but as we left that stretch a new race started with a horde of bikes in melee downhill to the first corner and then an uphill run. Alas there was no gap in the trees for a picture.

A smart older boathouse, part of Nuneham Park.

We were quite wrong last night to suppose that the 'shed on water' was a hospitality unit. Today we met it on a return grip and were able to capture the name - CampiBoats. They are a small startup company with just two boats but seem to be well booked up this season. Clearly a challenge to many people's expectation of a river boat! And their base is Shillingford Bridge, just where we first saw it

We were now approaching the southern edge of Oxford and had already decided that we would not attempt to get off the river tonight. Hence we were already looking for a mooring when we arrived at Sandford Lock. Fortunately the lock keeper was still on duty (same one who had been at Abingdon earlier) and Christine went immediately to enquire. He said he would check but he thought that they still had one of the lock mooring spaces on 'the island' available. Yes, he said, tie up first and pay me later! Which we gratefully did.

Much later, as we were eating our meal we spotted a large trip boat coming down to the lock. Aboard was a party of around 75 people, celebrating someone's 21st birthday. They will be returning around 9:30.

11.3 Miles - 6 Locks