On the Oxford

[TheShipsCat]

Hello all, we're taking our first fortnight on our narrowboat share, starting at Cropredy Marina on the Oxford canal in May.  I'd be interested in any news about the stretch we will be boating, suggestions, favorite sites, wisecracks, etc. from this lovely community.

Our itinerary as envisioned is roughly, as such plans are always rough:

Head North from the marina toward Braunston, mooring overnight near Napton in between. 

Moor for the night in Braunston.  Wind back south in the morning. 

Moor for the night at Fenny Compton.
Moor next night in the village of Cropredy.
Continue south in the morning, targeting Bridge 190 by the Great Western Arms for the night.

Thrupp for the next night, if moorings can be found.

City of Oxford for the next two nights or so, with possibly a little day excursion out on the Thames.  We have the license.

Back up to Thrupp again.

Next night's moorings in or near Banbury.  Then to home in the marina.

On Saturday catch a ride to Crick for the boat show.

 

All kind thoughts are welcome and appreciated.  Thanks!

[alias]

A good start is https://canalplan.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi which would allow you to check out the cruising times implied by your outline plan. 

[Lily Rose]

 

Arrive mid morning (preferably) or mid afternoon in Thrupp for the best chance to get a mooring. Always worked for me.

 

Stop for a really good breakfast at the Pig Place 2 hours or so south of Banbury. Just before Nell Bridge when heading south. If there's no space on their moorings stop opposite and it's a 5 minute walk via the lock. You can't miss the place, look for the sofas dotted about on the grassy slopes on your right as you head south.

 

[Stroudwater1]

How many different weeks will you have while your boat share is at Cropredy? If it’s more than 2 weeks in the year I would be more inclined to have the two weeks  in one direction and back rather than not get too far in either direction which you will pass a few times if you have more weeks there? You will get used to the area pretty quickly over the weeks. 

For example you could get up to Lechlade and back with your Thames license or some distance downstream. 
 

It depends what you want from a mooring. If its pubs and busy towpath then the plan is good but if it’s peaceful moorings away from it all it’s perhaps less so. 

Worth mentioning that all the moorings you suggest are honeypot ones and you may not get a space. 

[Wafi]

Another vote for the Pig Place. Check opening hours/days via their website or Facebook page; I imagine they'll be open 7 days a week by May, but they sometimes have trouble if the ground is waterlogged.

 

If you're planning a lunch stop at the Folly, at the bottom of the Napton flight, it's worth calling ahead to book. We were there at the beginning of March, and they couldn't fit us in; plenty of seating outdoors, but the kitchen was already running at capacity. Beer was good, though.

[Victor Vectis]

Make a point of stopping near Bridges 102 or 101 on the Oxford/GU. Yomp up the hill into Flecknoe and visit the Old Olive Tree. (Turn right at the top of the hill then turn left into the village. Pub will be on your left) It's a proper family run British pub and knocks the GW Arms and the Folly into a cocked hat, IMHO.

Give the Greene King beer a miss and try the Church End or Phipps beers if they are on the wickets.

Cheers!

(Might be an idea to call ahead as their opening hours are a bit hit and miss)

[junior]

Have you been to Crick before? If so you'll know what to expect. Personally I went about 10 years ago and thought it was a load of rubbish. 

[Hudds Lad]

Cropredy to Napton is a good 8-9hrs, tall order for your first day depending on what time you can set off, the moorings below the locks are very popular and you may struggle to find a spot if arriving late afternoon. If you can find a spot in some of the mooring areas coming down the locks i'd be inclined to grab one of those rather than chance finding one at the bottom.

Napton to Braunston is about 2.5-3hrs, short cruise but gives you time to explore.

Braunston to Fenny, about 7-8hrs

Fenny to Cropredy about 3-4hrs

Cropredy to Aynho about 7hrs

Aynho to Thrupp about 6hrs

Thrupp to Oxford looks like about 4hrs, unsure as never been, we came off the Thames at Duke's Cut on our one excursion.

 

All sounds mostly do-able, but be prepared for time lost waiting for locks and not getting to moor as close to your intended destination as you'd like. But a walk on the towpath is always good, just remember a torch for the way back from the pub.

[eightacre]

Allow yourself plenty of time. Things go wrong occasionally, and you can't rush on a canal. I suggest you use https://canalplan.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi as previously suggested and plan for no more than six hours cruising in a day. That way, you will have some headroom if the weather turns bad, or you want to stop longer somewhere. Enjoy it!

[MtB]

3 hours ago, junior said:

Have you been to Crick before? If so you'll know what to expect. Personally I went about 10 years ago and thought it was a load of rubbish. 

 

I went 20 years ago and thought the same.

 

Only 10% of the stands had any connection at all with boating. The rest were all clothing, food, jewellery and stuff like that. Really disappointing. I suppose if you want to queue to tramp through the exhibition boats its worth going, but I already had a boat. 

 

My van got stuck in the mud in the field, too. 

 

Mind you I did get a Ron Hough water can for £15! 

 

 

[TheShipsCat]

Ongoing thanks to all.  All this is the kind of feedback I was looking for.  Please keep it coming.

 

Key motivations for the itinerary:
* Wife wants to go to Braunston.  The itinerary is a bit packed, but she likes to keep moving and get in a lot of locks per day.

* I want to spend time in the city of Oxford.  Have wanted to all my life.  A couple of nights will scratch that itch, and give me a day off from piloting.  I'm taking this cruise as my retirement celebration so I get something I really want.

* My inner child "Wanna wanna wanna BOOOOAAAATT!!!", so I'm taking him to Crick to ogle and paw at the the boats we will never own so as to appease and frustrate the needy selfish little cuss.  I know shows like this rather suck, but... kids.
* The possible few hours on the Thames is also for the inner brat but is optional.   

* The itinerary puts us in or fairly close to Oxford on the mid-cruise weekend.  This makes things nice for our family of friends who will come out from London to join us for a day cruise.

 

I did start working this out with the Canal Planner with a six-hour cruise day, but of course, had to make some utterly stupid modifications to the results.
 

7 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

Cropredy to Napton is a good 8-9hrs, tall order for your first day depending on what time you can set off, the moorings below the locks are very popular and you may struggle to find a spot if arriving late afternoon. If you can find a spot in some of the mooring areas coming down the locks i'd be inclined to grab one of those rather than chance finding one at the bottom.

Napton to Braunston is about 2.5-3hrs, short cruise but gives you time to explore.

Braunston to Fenny, about 7-8hrs

Fenny to Cropredy about 3-4hrs

Cropredy to Aynho about 7hrs

Aynho to Thrupp about 6hrs

Thrupp to Oxford looks like about 4hrs, unsure as never been, we came off the Thames at Duke's Cut on our one excursion.

 

All sounds mostly do-able, but be prepared for time lost waiting for locks and not getting to moor as close to your intended destination as you'd like. But a walk on the towpath is always good, just remember a torch for the way back from the pub.

Thank you.  Napton is indeed to far to go from Cropredy in a day, and too short from Napton to Braunston, so we'll moor up 2-3 hours before Napton going north, and something like the same coming back south.  Maybe will stop for lunch a The Folly, and yes, will call for a booking in advance, thanks. 🙂 

 

This was taking the CanalPlan and going "Oh, we can go a little farther..."  Yeah, right.  Appreciate the reality check.

We will spend more time charting out alternative moorings.  Of course I was targeting the sweet ones, which would most likely be gone by the end of day.
   

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, TheShipsCat said:

Ongoing thanks to all.  All this is the kind of feedback I was looking for.  Please keep it coming.

 

Key motivations for the itinerary:
* Wife wants to go to Braunston.  The itinerary is a bit packed, but she likes to keep moving and get in a lot of locks per day.

* I want to spend time in the city of Oxford.  Have wanted to all my life.  A couple of nights will scratch that itch, and give me a day off from piloting.  I'm taking this cruise as my retirement celebration so I get something I really want.

* My inner child "Wanna wanna wanna BOOOOAAAATT!!!", so I'm taking him to Crick to ogle and paw at the the boats we will never own so as to appease and frustrate the needy selfish little cuss.  I know shows like this rather suck, but... kids.
* The possible few hours on the Thames is also for the inner brat but is optional.   

* The itinerary puts us in or fairly close to Oxford on the mid-cruise weekend.  This makes things nice for our family of friends who will come out from London to join us for a day cruise.

 

I did start working this out with the Canal Planner with a six-hour cruise day, but of course, had to make some utterly stupid modifications to the results.
 

Thank you.  Napton is indeed to far to go from Cropredy in a day, and too short from Napton to Braunston, so we'll moor up 2-3 hours before Napton going north, and something like the same coming back south.  Maybe will stop for lunch a The Folly, and yes, will call for a booking in advance, thanks. 🙂 

 

This was taking the CanalPlan and going "Oh, we can go a little farther..."  Yeah, right.  Appreciate the reality check.

We will spend more time charting out alternative moorings.  Of course I was targeting the sweet ones, which would most likely be gone by the end of day.
   

 

Another effect that might catch you unawares is once you get off the boat to spend a day in Oxford (or wherever), you might find a continual itch to get back on the boat and use it. Having paid handsomely to hire it, leaving it moored up and unused for whole days here and there might not feel too good....

 

 

 

[Lily Rose]

I haven't timed it but if you've got time I would suggest going on to the Thames at Dukes Cut then take the river through Oxford at least as far as Donnington Bridge. If you have time to moor overnight on the river then go as far as Abingdon and moor there.

 

Either way, when you go back leave the river at Sheepwash Channel to go back to Thrupp via the canal. You will then have seen both river and canal at Oxford. In my opinion it's better to do it that way round as you're heading towards Oxford as you pass Port Meadow. Looks better that way I reckon.

Edited Saturday at 20:43 by Lily Rose

[TheShipsCat]

9 minutes ago, MtB said:

Another effect that might catch you unawares is once you get off the boat to spend a day in Oxford (or wherever), you might find a continual itch to get back on the boat and use it. Having paid handsomely to hire it, leaving it moored up and unused for whole days here and there might not feel too good....

Nahh, I'm always happy to "cottage" in the boat for a day here or there.  I like to see places, and get a day off the tiller from time to time.  At about £85 a running day, what we pay on upkeep for our boat share makes accommodations in Oxford look right pricy.  Last September we took a day off to go out to York from Saltaire, and it was a grand day out.  Couldn't have been happier.

 

13 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

How many different weeks will you have while your boat share is at Cropredy? If it’s more than 2 weeks in the year I would be more inclined to have the two weeks  in one direction and back rather than not get too far in either direction which you will pass a few times if you have more weeks there? You will get used to the area pretty quickly over the weeks. 

For example you could get up to Lechlade and back with your Thames license or some distance downstream. 
 

It depends what you want from a mooring. If its pubs and busy towpath then the plan is good but if it’s peaceful moorings away from it all it’s perhaps less so. 

Worth mentioning that all the moorings you suggest are honeypot ones and you may not get a space. 

 

We get three usable weeks a year, plus a winter week that we will not use.  Our third week this year will be at the end of October out of Cropredy, and we will hire for another week from somewhere in reach of there for another week on that trip, TBD.  Our boat will change bases spring next year, but the decision where hasn't been made yet

 

All of this assuming that our democracy and our freedom to travel has not come to an end, but I'll leave that for the politics forum section. 

 

[Lily Rose]

Given that your third week is at the end of October, and that your boat's base changes next year, I think I'd be inclined to concentrate on cruising some of the Thames (and seeing Oxford) in May and leave Napton and Braunston until October.

 

The moorings at East Street on the Thames, and those at the bottom end of the canal, are close to Oxford city centre and to the Waitrose supermarket in Botley Road. The latter will probably come in handy half way through your fortnight.

 

I think a fortnight should give you time to get from Cropredy to Oxford and then either up river to Lechlade or down river as far as Henley, or maybe even Windsor. Possibly even both, try canalplan to see how feasible that would be. The Thames above Oxford and the Thames below Oxford are like two different rivers!

 

By October you run the risk of the Thames being fast flowing, and therefore less enjoyable or even unnavigable, due to rain. This is much less likely in May. I often walk along the Thames in Abingdon and outside of late Spring and summer it's frequently flowing faster than I would be comfortable with on my boat.

 

On the other hand, heading north from Cropredy in October will be no problem at all. Heading south from Cropredy potentially would be as there are several sections of the canal between Banbury and Thrupp that can get badly affected, or even closed, due to flooding from the river Cherwell after heavy rain.

 

[Jonny P]

1 hour ago, Lily Rose said:

I haven't timed it but if you've got time I would suggest going on to the Thames at Dukes Cut then take the river through Oxford at least as far as Donnington Bridge. If you have time to moor overnight on the river then go as far as Abingdon and moor there.

 

Either way, when you go back leave the river at Sheepwash Channel to go back to Thrupp via the canal. You will then have seen both river and canal at Oxford. In my opinion it's better to do it that way round as you're heading towards Oxford as you pass Port Meadow. Looks better that way I reckon.

A circular trip through Oxford via Dukes Cut would be good advice if it was open. The lock has been closed now for months and no date set for repair.

Edited Saturday at 21:21 by Jonny P

[Lily Rose]

24 minutes ago, Jonny P said:

A circular trip through Oxford via Dukes Cut would be good advice if it was open. The lock has been closed now for months and no date set for repair.

 

I'd lost track of that as I ignore the CRT stoppage notices if they're not relevant to my current plans.

[TheShipsCat]

On 12/04/2025 at 14:19, Jonny P said:

A circular trip through Oxford via Dukes Cut would be good advice if it was open. The lock has been closed now for months and no date set for repair.

So I guess the only crossing onto the river from the canal is at Isis lock?  I suppose we could cruise upriver to the vicinity of Duke's cut and turn back.  If we can turn there.

 

Latest conversation with the wife has us skipping the Braunston leg until October and only talking the Oxford south from Cropredy to the city.   Thus, there is more time to cruise on the river.  I'm a decent canal pilot, but I don't want to be cocky and I've not narrowboated on a river.  Any tips about navigating the Thames/Isis in the Oxford vicinity would be very welcome.  I'm not sure that a river cruise with our visiting family of friends would be a good idea with me being green to rivers.

 

I'm also wondering what the best strategy for mooring in/near enough to Oxford might be. looks like we'll be there 3 or so days.

 

Is it advisable to plan to use the water point at the end of the canal?  Looks like one would have to reverse back to the winding hole near the Isis lock bridge after.

On 11/04/2025 at 14:33, Lily Rose said:

 

Arrive mid morning (preferably) or mid afternoon in Thrupp for the best chance to get a mooring. Always worked for me.

 

Stop for a really good breakfast at the Pig Place 2 hours or so south of Banbury. Just before Nell Bridge when heading south. If there's no space on their moorings stop opposite and it's a 5 minute walk via the lock. You can't miss the place, look for the sofas dotted about on the grassy slopes on your right as you head south.

 

Pig Place is marked temporarily closed on Google maps, unfortunately.  Dunno if that's current. 

[john6767]

In Oxford to moor on the canal it is the stretch before Isis lock at Jerrico, but I think it is 2 days.  
 

For water I would say fill in at Thrupp on the way down.

 

if you just want a couple of hours on the river go upstream from Sheepwash channel, you can turn before you get to the first lock if you don’t want to go through any lock, but if you turn below any Thames locks take care as it can be very shallow, and  there is often a buoyed channel below locks.  
 

If you can spend a bit more time continue up the river past Kings lock, where Dukes Cut joins, and there are mooring on fields at both sides of the river and that will give you more of the sense of what the upper Thames is like.

[Lily Rose]

5 hours ago, TheShipsCat said:

Any tips about navigating the Thames/Isis in the Oxford vicinity would be very welcome.  I'm not sure that a river cruise with our visiting family of friends would be a good idea with me being green to rivers.

 

I gave several family members cruises on the river in 2017 having only had the boat 2 years at that time and never been on a river before.

 

When you arrive at Cropredy have a chat with Sarah (the manager) and ask her if she's had any reports, good or bad, from moorers who have been on the river recently. Also ask on here. If there has been a lot of rain during the previous week or two it might be best avoided but otherwise it should be fine. You can also ring one of the lock keepers between Oxford and Abingdon (for example) and ask their advice/opinion on the current state of the river. Richard (office phone (01235 522 061) at Abingdon, is very helpful and I had many a reassuring face to face chat with him before I brought my boat down from Napton to spend a couple of weeks on the Thames.

 

This page is very helpful 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/river-thames-locks-and-facilities-for-boaters

 

and this

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/river-thames-current-river-conditions#current-river-conditions-updated-12-april-2025

 

Unless there is a risk of red or yellow boards there's really not too much to worry about. I managed 2 weeks in 2017 and a month in 2018 and loved it. No mishaps.

 

If you start by going upstream you'll get a more gentle introduction to it and after a day of two should feel more confident going downstream.

 

Regarding    https://thepigplace.co.uk/

 

Give them a ring before you leave Cropredy. They may be closed at the moment as they are predominately for campers and the season hasn't properly started yet. By the time you are on the canal in sure they will be. Weekends are a lot busier and more fun, weekdays are quieter and more relaxing. They're open 7 days a week in summer and probably in May as well.

 

 

 

[Torblimey]

In case you're interested I brought my narrow boat from Devizes to calcutt last year, filmed a lot of it for family and friends as they wanted to follow the journey.

Posted on YouTube for easy access.

 

 

That's the final Thames part into Isis lock from the south, fast forward towards the end if all you wish to see is Isis lock.

There's also a few southern Oxford vids too.

I've made all vids generally available, no talking.

 

[Wafi]

3 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

Regarding    https://thepigplace.co.uk/

 

Give them a ring before you leave Cropredy. They may be closed at the moment as they are predominately for campers and the season hasn't properly started yet. By the time you are on the canal in sure they will be. Weekends are a lot busier and more fun, weekdays are quieter and more relaxing. They're open 7 days a week in summer and probably in May as well.

^ this. I live just up the road; I think they rely on campers to create critical mass for the cafe, so they tend to shut down for the Winter and reopening dates are sometimes delayed by waterlogged ground (though probably not this year). Looking at the booking page on their website for camping, it looks as though they may reopen this Friday (18th April).

 

I wouldn't write off your Winter hire week just yet; you can get some really nice days even in the middle of Winter, and the canals are much quieter. You've effectively paid for that week anyway; if the weather does turn out to be nice and you're not too far away, you could always pop out for a long or short weekend or just a day trip.

[Lily Rose]

36 minutes ago, Wafi said:

and you're not too far away

 

San Francisco according to the profile, which is probably why they won't be using the winter week.

[TheShipsCat]

6 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

San Francisco according to the profile, which is probably why they won't be using the winter week.

Yes, that.  Plus the wife does not feel safe flying into the UK in the winter. 

[Lily Rose]

On 14/04/2025 at 02:33, TheShipsCat said:

I suppose we could cruise upriver to the vicinity of Duke's cut and turn back.  If we can turn there.

 

One of the (many) good things about the Thames is you can turn almost anywhere. Even where you're in a bit that's too narrow for your length of boat you don't normally have to go far to find a wider bit. Probably less true as you get nearer to Lechlade but even there it's a lot better than a canal for turning.