Boating around Oxford

[lognor8]

Hi Everyone

 

My wife and I spent a holiday last year in Portsmouth ( to visit the Victory) and when we drove home we stopped off at Oxford for a few hours. Unfortunately it was raining so we just had a pub lunch and only stayed for 2 hours. While there we saw some boats on the Thames (or was it the canal?) and decided that this year we would like to try a narrowboat and visit Oxford properly and the surrounds.

 

We plan on spending a mid-week break Monday- Friday (providing there are vacancies) aboard to see if we like it, probably around late August/September time so could anyone recommend a hire company and maybe a few places of interest that we can take in for those few days?

 

We haven't been on a boat before so I'm not sure about locks and things. We are in our 50's and not as young as we were and I am concerned that operating locks will be too much of a strain. Or am I thinking too much!!

 

I know I can find the info elsewhere on the internet but I wanted to ask the knowledgeable people here first.

 

Lastly, I visited Middlewich Folk And Narrowboat Festival last year and had a great time. I read that there was one in Crick this year, too late for me to book time off work ...Is there a magazine or website with an events list?

Edited May 27, 2010 by lognor8

[Liam]

Crick is this weekend

[lognor8]

Hi Liam

Blimey, that was a quick reply. Yeah, realised that, I have just edited my post

[Liam]

Off the top of my head...

 

This weekend is Crick, the next weekend th June is one at Etruria... then on the 18th to 20th June it's Middlewich and then the weekend after is the Braunston Gathering.

[Guest]

Crick is this weekend

 

As Liam says Crick is this weekend and starts this Sat 29th,

 

 

As to a boating hol. - I can thoroughly recommend for your first time boating on the Ashby with a hire boat from the Ashby boat company. You can have a very nice short break with no locks, but if feeling adventurous you could venture far enough to pass through Sutton stop lock - the rise and fall is a just a foot or so.

 

If ever there was a lock that could be designated as a 'nursery' lock this is it.

[MaryP]

We are in our 50's and not as young as we were and I am concerned that operating locks will be too much of a strain. Or am I thinking too much!!

 

That would include a good number of us, and we manage!

 

Perhaps thinking too much. If you're reasonably healthy I would hope/expect you'll be fine!!

[ymu]

Perhaps thinking too much. If you're reasonably healthy I would hope/expect you'll be fine!!

And you'll soon feel healthier!

 

Locks aren't too challenging, and there's always people around willing to help out during the season. Just take it at your own pace, wear sensible shoes, and all will be fine.

 

Oxfordshire Narrowboats are just over a day's cruise and a handful of locks north of central Oxford on the canal, at Lower Heyford, with Banbury a day's cruise in the other direction. College Cruisers are based in the centre of town, near the end of the canal just opposite Isis Lock which connects the canal to the Thames. I don't know much about College Cruisers, but Oxfordshire Narrowboats will always send someone down with you to the first lock and make sure you know what you need to know. They're very good, IME.

[jonk]

If you stick to the Thames then all the locks are done for you I believe, so you can just relax and explore! Oxford is a wonderful City to explore - make sure you visit Blackwells Bookshop (best bookshop in the world!). Abingdon is not far away by boat and is also worth a visit, as is the river West of Oxford. The Oxford canal is more challenging

[Bones]

I would recommend Oxfordshire Narrowboats. They have a base in Radcot on the Thames if you just wanted to stick with the Thames.

[Athy]

If you choose the canal option, you will be very worried about locks until you have gone through your first one - as thousands of inexperienced hirers successfully do each year, then you'll wonder what the fuss was about! If you are unsure what do, as YMU says there are usually other boaters around (especially during that holiday time) who will help and/ or advise. None of us bites and only a few of us bark.

Edited May 28, 2010 by Athy

[Bones]

If you choose the canal option, you will be very worried about locks until you have gone through your first one - as thousands of inexperienced hirers successfully do each year, then you'll wonder what the fuss was about! If you are unsure what do, as YMU says there are usually other boaters around (especially during that holiday time) who will help and/ or advise. None of us bites and only a few of us bark.

 

Absolutely! They really aren't that hard, you just take it slowly and enjoy the break from the boating and the opportunity to chat to people on the towpath. At 50 you are hardly past it!!! You get really good training when you hire if you chose the right company but just ask what training you get before you book it.

[Water Rat.]

We haven't been on a boat before so I'm not sure about locks and things. We are in our 50's and not as young as we were and I am concerned that operating locks will be too much of a strain. Or am I thinking too much!!

 

 

:lol: OMG I am past it - better sell up and move into sheltered housing!!

[lognor8]

:lol: OMG I am past it - better sell up and move into sheltered housing!!

 

 

Thanks for that, it made me laugh . Actually when I wrote.."We are in our 50's and not as young as we were"....I was being polite. Both my wife and I are a bit 'fragile' health wise but we're not ready for sheltered housing yet

 

The more I read up on this, the more I am saying 'why haven't we done this before?'. Everything I have read points to a relaxing holiday (with a capital R).

 

Thank you all for the replies. I will look at the hire companies mentioned. I especially like the post regarding the locks on the Thames being manned.

 

I didn't know Middlewich was holding another festival this year.....one for the calender!

 

Anyways, thanks again for all the replies...

[magnetman]

I was once told by a BW worker that the guideline when fitting new lock gates was that a fit and healthy 13 year old girl should be able to open and close them without assistance.

 

I don't know if there is an equivalent old age where the strength returns to that level but I'd think 50 would be a bit too young to be worrying about it.

 

The south oxford with its coffin locks is a really nice canal.

[Midnight Rider]

I was once told by a BW worker that the guideline when fitting new lock gates was that a fit and healthy 13 year old girl should be able to open and close them without assistance.

 

I don't know if there is an equivalent old age where the strength returns to that level but I'd think 50 would be a bit too young to be worrying about it.

 

The south oxford with its coffin locks is a really nice canal.

I'm sure we could produce a list of locks that the fit & healthy 13 y.o. girl would give up on, unless she was 16 stone & built like a brick outhouse.

 

Tony

[warwickshireman]

Another possibility is to hire an Anglo Welsh boat from their base on the Thames near Eynsham which is just a few miles upstream from Oxford.

 

A Monday/Friday break would give you time to go up the river to Lechlade (very quiet and remote) then back down to visit Oxford (not so quiet).

 

Then return via the Southern section of the South Oxford canal and the link to the river known as Dukes Cut which will give you a chance to try your hand at working narrow canal locks (just three of them).

[mikevye]

Just done the Oxford from Braunstone to Cropredy fabulous canal and countryside recommend it to anyone. Pleasant suprise at Braunstone the canal side pub just by swindlers has had a major facelift and doing two for one meal deals, really nice food to. Couple of niggles, boat named lucky beaver appears to be moored permenantly on the lock moorings at the bottom of the three rise outside Rugby and after a full days sailing found the pub at Hawksbury junction stopped serving food at five on Sunday evening!! They must be made of money. Still all in all great trip.

[Guest]

Hawksbury junction stopped serving food at five on Sunday evening!! They must be made of money.

 

That'll be the Greyhound... I think they probably are - that's got to be one of the most popular public houses on the system - justifiably in my view.