Bath to Oxfordshire adventure

[TheRev]

Hello. My friend has brought a 65 foot narrow boat near Bath and is hoping to cruise up to Oxfordshire on it.

He’s new to the canals and I would really appreciate it if any one has any advice/ warnings.. it’s ambitious! Will he make it? Thankyou, in advance, for any support.

[Tony Brooks]

Yes - lock closures and sufficient water on the actual K&A canal willing. I find that the K&A locks heavy, so having someone with him will help, and he will have to face the lock flight into Devises.

 

If he can pair up with another experienced boater for Woolhampton lock it will help because once out it is best to go straight through the bends and swing/lift bridge in one hit, but by then he will be far more experienced.

 

Make sure he knows where the lock landing for County lock in Reading is. It is confusing and far too easy to get pulled across the river towards the weir. I understand the lock landing is back under a bridge out of site of the lock.

[Mike Coombes]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

 

Make sure he knows where the lock landing for County lock in Reading is. It is confusing and far too easy to get pulled across the river towards the weir. I understand the lock landing is back under a bridge out of site of the lock.

 

 

Bollards under the bridge Tony. I turned a 55 foot hire boat there during a red board springtime flood some years ago.

 

Tied the bow loosely, with extra lines and let the stern go. Swung round a treat. The weir was REALLY fierce too!

 

Called the hire company at Aldermaston who said bring it back as far as you can. So we did, until we got to a padlocked lock two from home. Not the normal key. The yard came and fetched us.

 

That was the last time I was on a narrowboat. Going on another Monday from Devizes. Looking forward to it already!

[David Schweizer]

On 18/07/2025 at 16:19, TheRev said:

Hello. My friend has brought a 65 foot narrow boat near Bath and is hoping to cruise up to Oxfordshire on it.

He’s new to the canals and I would really appreciate it if any one has any advice/ warnings.. it’s ambitious! Will he make it? Thankyou, in advance, for any support.

 

It is certainly more than possible, and will require a couple of days on the Thames between Reading and Oxford. When we kept our boat on the K&A near Bath, I used to move it, single handed, every year from Bath to the Midlands (and back). Apart from the sometimes unco-operative locks on the K&A, I had no significant difficulty.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2025 by David Schweizer