A new day, a new week and a new location

Monday, 11 April 2011 16:07

My itchy feet were playing me up again and as a result I have my wish of yesterday - a cruise and a quiet mooring! The glorious Thames was quiet this morning and the sun promised to stay out until we moored! We saw a couple of narrowboats, a cruiser and a canoe on the move!

Iffley Lock was our first lock of the day - this is from downstream

It is such a pretty lock and has interesting links with the Oxford Rowing Clubs

But first, this collection of boats were moored below Donnington Road Bridge - we missed the large barge slipping by us - he was moored in front of us at Christ Church Meadow.

Donnington moorings

Opposite - amongst the rotting Thames "dumb" barges was this dummy - not going far today then?

Dumb and dumber

Isis Boat House and the Isis Tavern are on the west bank - the boat house is now the home of the newest rowing club on the river - Oxford Academicals Rowing Club.

Isis Boat House

The Isis Tavern, once a farmhouse, has no direct road access and beer was once brought by punt - - and it now contains memorabilia of the university boat races.

Isis Tavern

So, to where I started this blog - Iffley Lock. The lovely stone bridge above the lock is across what was once the weir stream for the older Iffley Lock (probably built in 1774) and then rebuilt completely in 1924 to the west of the old one. Beyond the bridge are boat rollers.

Desborough Stone Bridge

As I understand it, the old lock stream is now the weir. It was from the old lock that the Oxford Bumps Rowing Race started. More about Oxford Rowing history is here - clickety click. On the lock side of the bridge is the Bull Ring starting point, presented to the Oxford University Rowing Club by Lord Desborough (Olympic Fencer and Oxford Blue) in 1924, when the bridge and new lock were constructed.

The Bull Ring

Leaving Iffley and its history and traditions behind, we carried on downstream towards Sandford. The lock is now open, (clickety click for the repair details) but there are a few things that are obviously still outstanding. We spent a few days here a while ago - the village is interesting and has yet another link with Lewis Carroll!

Crane and workers at Sandford Lock

We shared the lock with a small cruiser, we were "in new territory" now (apart from back in the autumn of 2008 when we spent two days on the Thames cruising from the Kennet and Avon Canal to the Oxford Canal). Sandford Lock is the deepest lock on the River above Teddington Lock.

Leaving Sandford Lock

So, as we are now on a new bit on the river, I shall leave you here, wondering where our quiet mooring is and how we got here. Come back to find out .....