Abingdon to NewBridge

Yesterday Morning I got up before 7, because weather was in change i wanted to have a long day cruise.

First thing  prep a beef stew, I cooked in the oven on the way.

I like to have this as well, only make them 40 minutes before serving mmmm nice.

 Could see and feel the hot spell was on return. Become some scaterd sunshine later in the day.

 This trip boat goes from Oxford to Abingdon and return.

 Flying swan

 Sandford lock 8 foot 10" last massive lock on the Thames.

 Tames start to change when getting closer to Oxford

 Are we still in the UK or

 The bridges getting lower

 At this point past Osney lock, all the big floating Gin palaces are a saga blot.

 Osney Bridge

 If you cruise under this bridge you get on to the Oxford canal.

 Start of the water meadows, do not get fooled of the width, its very shallow at the water edges, so stay in the centre of the river.

 Godstow Bridge

 Past this bend a hire boat had gone inside of marking ( Shallow water) and got proper stuck, I tried my best to drag the boat of but had to give up in the end. So I cruised up to Kings lock and spoke to another boat crew and they would have a go as well. But most likely the hire's had to phone the hire company and get rescue from them. They had driven the boat far away in to the shallows.

 After Swindord the Upper Thames start to get more narrow,
like river Soar I did few weeks ago.

  Meandering through meadowland

Arrived at Newbridge 5 pm  
Its two pubs, one each side of the bridge, a water centre you can hire rowing boats and small electric one's etc. Some permanent mooring's and a good stretch visitors mooring ( 4 £ pr night ) . The nearest village is a mile away.

Upper Thames is very isolated and rural stretch of river, meandering through meadowland and having little contact with civilisation.

Yesterday cruise was of 22 miles and 9 Locks

Happy days!