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Thames trip this year leave Warwick April head down Oxford uncharted for us  once passed Banbury what's best moor in Oxford or the river . Is the tidal stretch ok . Then back up GU all with arm extensions etc . All recommendations welcome especially good eating pubs.

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Thames at Oxford is not tidal but obviously at certain times like now it is subject to changes in level due to rainfall.

 

ETA I see you mean Teddington to Brentford for the tidal bit. This is a very tame bit of tidal river and unusual for it to cause any issues.

 

 

 

The best mooring in Oxford for a narrow boat is between Osney bridge and Osney lock. It is a short walk into the centre of town from there.

 

Mooring rings. I'd prefer to be closer to the bridge in case of noise from the pub but all of the mooring is okay as long as you can find space.

 

 

Edited by magnetman
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In my experience mooring in oxford on the canal near Isis lock can be a bit hit & miss....there isn't much space but when I did get in it felt safe enough despite the dosser boats on the back water...you are close to the train lines and its a busy towpath...so can be noisy...they leave the engines running on the railway all night! 

 

I found it a better mooring between Osney bridge and the lock on the Thames...but if its the same its limited to 48 Hours...I think it's still the same...you had to register your arrival time/date last time we were there...not sure if thats still the case....Just be aware the flow on that part of the river can be higher than expected as it's narrower...not a big issue if you are used to rivers however unless in flood. 

 

Moorings on the rest of the river aren't too plentiful so plan and tie up early....the tidal bit isn't an issue...but as ever watch out for how much fresh is about and spring tides etc...Make sure you have an anchor....Oh and they have recently mucked about with the water taps so they have got rid of the nice big fire hoses to fill from,

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when discussing the Thames it is always worth checking one important thing.

 

Do you need to tie up at official moorings with access to services like shops and pubs?

 

If so then planning is worth doing and stopping early but if you are happy to tie up to random trees then there are endless opportunities for this and despite what people say if you generally steer clear of popular areas it is unlikely anyone will come out and charge a mooring fee. 

 

Look for signage in this regard. Some places like Henley charge up to £12 per night and they do collect.

 

 

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Past Banbury, stop at Aynho Wharf for the Great Western, Thrupp, then set off fairly early and get on the Thames that day and grab a mooring somewhere. I k ow you like to stop early, always a good plan on the Thames.

Are you going up to the top, well worth it??

If not, the moorings on East Street above the lock are quite useful.

Most of my Thames trips have been long days moving boats so I will leave the fine details to others, but for the fact that I've never paid to moor on the Thames in all my visits!

Your boat is well suited for river work, plenty of grunt in the engine....and I bet you are glad you didnt bin the anchor now!

The final turn into Brentford can be a bit hairy if you leave Teddington late, so try to arrive well in time so you can go out as soon as the tide and locky let you.

Back on the GU, Brentford Basin is a good breathing and restocking point,.again, try to arrive early.

From here to Berkhamstead is now London commuter boats mooring, so you may need to breast up at times, or keep going to find space. If you head into London proper, book the Rembrandt Gardens moorings well in advance, or one at Ice House Basin. The Regent Canal, Lee and Stort are well worth doing whatever MrSmelly says. Only bit I wouldnt bother with is dropping into Limehouse and then back out again, take Ducketts Cut instead.

 

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Before you get to the Thames, fill up with diesel at Aynho, that will be the last you see at anything like a normal prices for a long time.

 

Personally it find it more pleasant to get onto the Thames from Duke Cut, the canal down into Oxford is a bit grim and very slow going.

 

Go all the way up to Lechlade first, there are lots of nice free end of field moorings all the way up, the only place you need to pay is at Lechlade and that is only £5 (I think) a night.  Well worth chilling there for a few days if you have time.  

 

For mooring in Oxford you can stop on the already mentioned East Street moorings above Onsey lock.  There are EA moorings and are free for the first 24 hours and then £10 a night for max 2 additional nights.

 

Abingdon is great with lots of good free council mooring for a max of 3 nights.

 

As you get further down there are fewer free mooring, but there are still a few EA 24 hour mooring, usually close to locks, but expect to be paying mostly £12 a night to moor from now on.

 

Reading has not go too much going for it, except that Caversham Boat Services and Better Boating in Reading are the only 2 places I know if the sell diesel are normalish prices and allow any split.

 

Henley at a weekend is mad, but it is good to moor on the fields downstream of the bridge and sit is the sun and watch the mayhem.  Don’t think about moving!

 

At Windsor you get great views mooring on the Eaton side but the bank is very high for a narrowboat, and if levels are low it hard to get into the side.  The Windsor side is earlier to moor and is the same cost, so you pick which you like!

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17 minutes ago, matty40s said:

The final turn into Brentford can be a bit hairy if you leave Teddington late, so try to arrive well in time so you can go out as soon as the tide and locky let you.

 

 

Just out of interest the lock keeper at teddington has no control whatsoever over when you choose to leave the lock.

 

Obviously it is best to follow guidance but as it is part of a PRN waterway with a 24 hour lock keeper on duty you can pass through it whenever you want to.

 

Some people advocate a different approach to Brentford and it is one I have used on a number of occasions. You check what time Richmond are going to open the half tide barrage (phone Richmond lock - they do answer) and leave Teddington to arrive just before the barrage is due to open. You may have to wait but there will be no flow so it is not that arduous unless windy.

This will be slack water from Teddington to Richmond as the barrage is closed. when it opens you can punch the tide as it starts building (as long as you have adequate power*) and get to Brentford a short while before high tide. In some ways this is more relaxing than going out on a falling tide.

 

 It may be better to follow lock keeper instructions but they can't "let you" do one thing or the other. They can only advise.

 

* IF you don't have adequate power to deal with tidal flow then there is an argument to say you shouldn't be there because you don't know what is going to happen.

Edited by magnetman
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4 hours ago, magnetman said:

Just out of interest the lock keeper at teddington has no control whatsoever over when you choose to leave the lock.

 

Obviously it is best to follow guidance but as it is part of a PRN waterway with a 24 hour lock keeper on duty you can pass through it whenever you want to.

 

Some people advocate a different approach to Brentford and it is one I have used on a number of occasions. You check what time Richmond are going to open the half tide barrage (phone Richmond lock - they do answer) and leave Teddington to arrive just before the barrage is due to open. You may have to wait but there will be no flow so it is not that arduous unless windy.

This will be slack water from Teddington to Richmond as the barrage is closed. when it opens you can punch the tide as it starts building (as long as you have adequate power*) and get to Brentford a short while before high tide. In some ways this is more relaxing than going out on a falling tide.

 

 It may be better to follow lock keeper instructions but they can't "let you" do one thing or the other. They can only advise.

 

* IF you don't have adequate power to deal with tidal flow then there is an argument to say you shouldn't be there because you don't know what is going to happen.


I would certainly agree with leaving Teddington before High Water. 

Also worth adding that you need to book Thames Lock, Brentford, at least 48 hours in advance. You can do this on the CRT licencing website. They will normally expect you to arrive at or shortly after high water (which at Brentford and Teddington is 1 hour after London Bridge). The lock is now only operated HW-2 to HW+2, between the hours 0700 to 1900.

 

This page includes some tips on how to spot the entrance to Brentford Creek.

 

http://thamescruising.co.uk/?p=36

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We have found that you can usually moor on the Oxford canal somewhere above Isis lock.

The "Bookbinders" is worth a visit and its just visible from the canal, an interesting blending of an English drinking pub and a French restaurant. Gets busy so go early.

If you are new to rivers then probably best not to moor on the Osney bit. Its a narrow bit of river so even in calm conditions can flow quite a bit and you will be trying to stop and moor whilst running downstream. If there is loads of space then its fine but if you are trying to fit into a gap it can be tricky.

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10 hours ago, dmr said:

We have found that you can usually moor on the Oxford canal somewhere above Isis lock.

The "Bookbinders" is worth a visit and its just visible from the canal, an interesting blending of an English drinking pub and a French restaurant. Gets busy so go early.

If you are new to rivers then probably best not to moor on the Osney bit. Its a narrow bit of river so even in calm conditions can flow quite a bit and you will be trying to stop and moor whilst running downstream. If there is loads of space then its fine but if you are trying to fit into a gap it can be tricky.

I once managed to wind just above the lock so I was going into the flow and kick the boat into a space not much bigger than it between two plastic boats there without touching anything…with people on deck sipping g & t’s. I went out and brought a lottery ticket but sadly my luck had run out by then!

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Ive seeen a huge plastic thing come up the long and turn there (I assume a plastc would turn rather than wind? 😀) but I wouldn't fancy it. I think there is a little hydro scheme somewhere there that adds to the flow.

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There is a very nasty sluice immediately below Osney bridge on the towpath side which can have quite a powerful pull if there is much water about. 

 

Also the weirs at Osney are very unusual in that they draw water directly from the lock cut, under the towpath so any time there are yellow or red boards it can be awkward to get the boat onto the upper layby as it gets drawn across. 

 

When weirs are shut in and River calm that mooring is fine but yes some boats have it as their limit of navigation so it can get busy. 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, magnetman said:

There is a very nasty sluice immediately below Osney bridge on the towpath side which can have quite a powerful pull if there is much water about. 

 

Also the weirs at Osney are very unusual in that they draw water directly from the lock cut, under the towpath so any time there are yellow or red boards it can be awkward to get the boat onto the upper layby as it gets drawn across. 

 

When weirs are shut in and River calm that mooring is fine but yes some boats have it as their limit of navigation so it can get busy. 

 

 

 

I think Osney is potentially the most difficult lock on the Thames if heading downstream in anything but gentle flow, a sort of baptism of fire as its often the first lock encountered.

The cross flow away from the lock landing can be difficult. New boaters will have the "back line first" drilled into them but at Osney is probably better to do the front line first, or both at the same time if you can. I think there are two sluices and a bit depends on the flow over each of them?

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I've done Osney coming down in red boards by mooring above the weirs on the towpath side (near the pub), getting the lock open then just shooting past the weirs with reasonable speed. Single handed so not going to get onto the layby comfortably. This was when I was first boating on the River on a 32ft narrow boat/SR2. Used to do quite a lot of things I would not do now. 

 

The south Oxford with the Cherwell over the towpaths was fun too. 

 

Happy days. 

 

 

Edited by magnetman
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25 minutes ago, dmr said:

Ive seeen a huge plastic thing come up the long and turn there (I assume a plastc would turn rather than wind? 😀) but I wouldn't fancy it. I think there is a little hydro scheme somewhere there that adds to the flow.

Here's the hydro scheme, and also (in the foreground) one of the weirs. This photo is looking upstream from just above the lock. 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.7494837,-1.2723469,3a,75y,310.9h,86.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAF1QipN_02DvHH0i6PbUGgeIcXWmXr0UMKkdeBu4VRtt!2e10!3e11!7i5376!8i2688

 

Edited by Scholar Gypsy
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Those radial gates nearest to the lock shift a heck of a lot of water when they are fully drawn. As does the weir in the foreground. Not sure on exact amounts but almost all of the River goes through those two weirs and that is quite a lot of water for a narrow channel. 

 

police-tape-near-osney-lock-in-oxford-wh

 

 

At least there are guards on them these days. In that picture it looks like they are completely unprotected.. shocking ! Chomp chomp boat for lunch. 

Edited by magnetman
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4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Those radial gates nearest to the lock shift a heck of a lot of water when they are fully drawn. As does the weir in the foreground. Not sure on exact amounts but almost all of the River goes through those two weirs and that is quite a lot of water for a narrow channel. 

 

police-tape-near-osney-lock-in-oxford-wh

 

 

At least there are guards on them these days. In that picture it looks like they are completely unprotected.. shocking ! Chomp chomp boat for lunch. 


Yers, a lot of water!  Some of the stream goes down the Seacourt Stream which leavers the river above Kings Lock; some through the Castle Mill stream past Isis lock, and there is also a weir by the road bridge.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.7556715,-1.2751725,15z 

Elton lock on the Nene has the landing stage above the weirs. 

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1 hour ago, dmr said:

I think Osney is potentially the most difficult lock on the Thames if heading downstream in anything but gentle flow, a sort of baptism of fire as its often the first lock encountered.

Oh yes! My first encounter with a Thames lock. Entered the river at Isis Lock, single handed, plenty of flow on (I didn't know the meaning of red/yellow/green boards then), heading downstream without a map so I didn't know exactly where the lock was. Came around the bend too fast, saw the lock, top gates open and keeper waiting for me. And inside the lock was an enormous gin palace with a huge expanse of gleaming white transom right where my bow was heading. Bit of a brown trouser moment as I went full astern and just managed to stop within a few inches of that expensive fibreglass!

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21 hours ago, magnetman said:

Just out of interest the lock keeper at teddington has no control whatsoever over when you choose to leave the lock.

 

Obviously it is best to follow guidance but as it is part of a PRN waterway with a 24 hour lock keeper on duty you can pass through it whenever you want to.

 

Some people advocate a different approach to Brentford and it is one I have used on a number of occasions. You check what time Richmond are going to open the half tide barrage (phone Richmond lock - they do answer) and leave Teddington to arrive just before the barrage is due to open. You may have to wait but there will be no flow so it is not that arduous unless windy.

This will be slack water from Teddington to Richmond as the barrage is closed. when it opens you can punch the tide as it starts building (as long as you have adequate power*) and get to Brentford a short while before high tide. In some ways this is more relaxing than going out on a falling tide.

 

 It may be better to follow lock keeper instructions but they can't "let you" do one thing or the other. They can only advise.

 

* IF you don't have adequate power to deal with tidal flow then there is an argument to say you shouldn't be there because you don't know what is going to happen.

Another advantage of going early is if there are a lot of narrowboats waiting on the tide, the lock keeper will have told them the theoretical best time, which is when they all set off, this has the benefit for him of fitting them all into one locking (or two) When they get to Brentford the lock will only take 2 boats and there is a lot of shuffling around.  Go early and miss the rush.

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9 hours ago, David Mack said:

Oh yes! My first encounter with a Thames lock. Entered the river at Isis Lock, single handed, plenty of flow on (I didn't know the meaning of red/yellow/green boards then), heading downstream without a map so I didn't know exactly where the lock was. Came around the bend too fast, saw the lock, top gates open and keeper waiting for me. And inside the lock was an enormous gin palace with a huge expanse of gleaming white transom right where my bow was heading. Bit of a brown trouser moment as I went full astern and just managed to stop within a few inches of that expensive fibreglass!

 

And yet people on this forum constantly tell single handed boaters that we shouldn't travel with fenders down. You never know what's going to be in those locks ahead of you or if boats are going to have their own fenders in place. I've entered Thames locks last many times and could see from the faces of some GRP boat owners that they're glad there's some rubber hanging from the outside of my boat. 

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21 hours ago, Phoenix_V said:

Another advantage of going early is if there are a lot of narrowboats waiting on the tide, the lock keeper will have told them the theoretical best time, which is when they all set off, this has the benefit for him of fitting them all into one locking (or two) When they get to Brentford the lock will only take 2 boats and there is a lot of shuffling around.  Go early and miss the rush.

I  used to leave Teddington about 2.5 hrs before HTT, this gave me a leisurely run down to Richmond and arrival there at about the time the barrier is lifted. Just once I left over 3hrs before so I could go through Richmond Lock just because its there ;)

Then its push the last 1/4 of the tide down to Brentford arriving soon after the lock is open. Rarely were there any other boats going in so it was always straight in. Never stopped  in Brentford on the way in  as I preferred to take advantage of the fact that Hanwell flight would be empty as generally  only boats going out of Brentford would have used it that day ;)

Edited by Loddon
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One thing to be aware of when doing it this way is that the bridge below Brentford gauging locks is very low if there is a big tide. It is a dodgy bridge and I have seen a boat wedged under it with the tide coming up. The section between Thames lock and the gauging locks is "semi tidal". 

 

Luckily for them there was not much left to come in and the boat was not forced under but it was quite an alarming situation to get into. Tide comes in quicker than you think and that is quite a wide bridge. If you misjudge it and need to reverse out against the incoming tide Bad Things can happen fast. 

 

The keeper at Brentford will advise on this but obviously as it is a curved arch working out the air draft is not all that straightforward. 

 

If in doubt it is better to wait just below the bridge or above the Thames lock and take boat through bridge once tide has turned. 

 

 

Edited by magnetman
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17 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

And yet people on this forum constantly tell single handed boaters that we shouldn't travel with fenders down. You never know what's going to be in those locks ahead of you or if boats are going to have their own fenders in place. I've entered Thames locks last many times and could see from the faces of some GRP boat owners that they're glad there's some rubber hanging from the outside of my boat. 

 

That advice is usually given for narrow canals where the locks are only a few inches wider than the boat. This makes it all too easy to rip a fender off entering or leaving, or worse still jams the boat as the lock fills or empties. 

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If the East Street moorings in Oxford are full then a good option is on the towpath side upstream from Sheepwash channel and below Bossom's boatyard.  There's always some space to be found between trees, nice and quiet, you might need to do some vegetation clearance. It's strictly speaking 24 h but the sign has been nicked and I've only seen warning notices on boats once. An easy walk to Jericho and the railway station.

 

You can usually find somewhere to tie up well below Folly Bridge opposite Christchurch Meadows, but it gets very busy close to the bridge. A lot of the "long term" boats seem to have been moved on.

 

If you're under 30 ft or don't mind a long reverse, you can often find a mooring at the bottom of the dead end beyond Isis Lock on the canal level. There's space there for a couple of boats after the residential moorings.

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Worth stopping at the Pig Place on the Oxford for their excellent bacon and sausages. Don't be tempted to moor overnight there as they charge. On the upper Thames stop at Kelmscott for the Manor House. It was the summer home of William Morris. It has recently been renovated and is delightful. It does have restricted opening - from memory Thursday, Friday & Saturday https://www.historichouses.org/house/kelmscott-manor/visit/

There is mooring on the river for it -there is about 100ft of piled bank with a concrete cap but no rings. There is also a meadow which has mooring potential.

Lechlade is well worth a visit - beware of cattle in the riverside meadow don't leave anything on your roof that they can pull off. Our lift ring was abducted by them. We were not charged for mooring there.

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