Off down the South Oxford next week

[alan_fincher]

THE pub at Fenny Compton is the Wharf, canal side a Fenny Compton Wharf (bridge 136) strangely enough! Lots of mooring both sides of the pub, but usually busy, but sounds not at the moment. Mind you we are usually there on a Saturday night on a weekend trip from Calcutt, perhaps we may just do it this coming weekend.

Just back from there......

 

Very good.

 

Plenty of moorings near to it, (although some bugger is currently running a generator at 22:30 ).

 

(No doubt it is running his dying mother's life support system, or some other similar excuse! )

[bottle]

We'll be heading up to Fenny Compton this weekend, last time we were there we were on a mission so couldn't stop. Where's the best pub/mooring spot there please, is it past the 'tunnel' as we head north?

 

Moor as soon as you can after the marina, there are permanent moorings (legal) then the visitor moorings, water point (outside pub), bridge 136 with winding point just before, a few visitor moorings after the bridge then some more permanent (legal).

[Proper Job]

Sounds like you'll be at Thrupp tonight

 

I'll be in The Boat from about 9'ish, but we'll all be thrown out by 11 (new landlord - I'll say no more)

[Stephen Sugg]

Sounds like you'll be at Thrupp tonight

 

I'll be in The Boat from about 9'ish, but we'll all be thrown out by 11 (new landlord - I'll say no more)

What's the food like? I'm taking my daughter to Thrupp next Wednesday for the day and we (I) thought we could have lunch there. We need to stock up on our supply of "Muddy Waters" books.

[Proper Job]

What's the food like? I'm taking my daughter to Thrupp next Wednesday for the day and we (I) thought we could have lunch there. We need to stock up on our supply of "Muddy Waters" books.

I've no eaten there since it has changed hands, but I think it is still good.

 

'Muddy Waters' books are still available at either the pub or Annies tea rooms (also changed hands this year, but still as good as ever)

 

edit to add: link to Annies web site

Edited April 13, 2011 by Proper Job

[Chalky]

bridge 136 with winding point just before, a few visitor moorings after the bridge then some more permanent (legal).

Careful winding at the Wharf - that's my permenant mooring! The Wharf is not square and the longest space is next to the bridge. You can just about turn a 70' boat if you're careful and there's no one at the water point.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Chalky

[john6767]

Ah so you are the one with the boat moored conveniently in the way

 

 

You are right the widest point is next to the bridge, but not easy to get into that when you are coming south! Sods law says there is always someone on the water point when I get there.

[Chalky]

Ah so you are the one with the boat moored conveniently in the way

 

 

You are right the widest point is next to the bridge, but not easy to get into that when you are coming south! Sods law says there is always someone on the water point when I get there.

 

The previous owner had 3 working boats moored there! We try to keep as far to the end as we can to give everyone space. BW have it marked as a 70' winding hole however if the waterpoint is in use you'd be hard pressed to turn anything larger that 60'. Once saw a 72' boat stuck there for 2 hours and it's not unusual to have to help hirers to turn round. The yards tell them how to go in straightish lines and work the locks, but never seem to tell them how to turn round.

[Weyland Yutani]

The previous owner had 3 working boats moored there! We try to keep as far to the end as we can to give everyone space. BW have it marked as a 70' winding hole however if the waterpoint is in use you'd be hard pressed to turn anything larger that 60'. Once saw a 72' boat stuck there for 2 hours and it's not unusual to have to help hirers to turn round. The yards tell them how to go in straightish lines and work the locks, but never seem to tell them how to turn round.

 

Ah. This should be fun then, I've only winded about 5 times since I got the boat (50 ft).

 

Apologies in advance if you see me doing a 130 point turn that takes all afternoon.

[alan_fincher]

Well we did manage to spot "Lost Northerner" on Rose Narrowboat's "Sunset". (We were tied up for a supermarket stop and dog walk south of Banbury).

 

Other than that, I think we have largely managed to miss everybody.

 

Cath was at the tiller when we apparently passed Harnser going North, but she didn't realise that it was Brian's "Harnser" .

 

Obviously we passed Nightwatch and Alnwick (nice and slowly, of course!), but both looked locked up.

 

Other than possibly seeing some of our Thrupp residents, (possible overnight stop tomorrow, Thursday ??), I think that is everybody accounted for ?

 

We are currently moored just North of King's Sutton lock, having tried to find a spot an acceptable distance from the noisy M40, (and to some degree the railway).

 

For whoever it was that asked, and seems to have missed the answer, our oil leak turned out to be coming from the sensor for the oil pressure gauge - we have simply removed it, at the moment......

[Heffalump]

we have simply removed it, at the moment......

 

No reason to replace in a rush, providing the level is checked regularly and often.

[john6767]

The previous owner had 3 working boats moored there! We try to keep as far to the end as we can to give everyone space. BW have it marked as a 70' winding hole however if the waterpoint is in use you'd be hard pressed to turn anything larger that 60'. Once saw a 72' boat stuck there for 2 hours and it's not unusual to have to help hirers to turn round. The yards tell them how to go in straightish lines and work the locks, but never seem to tell them how to turn round.

 

 

Ah. This should be fun then, I've only winded about 5 times since I got the boat (50 ft).

 

Apologies in advance if you see me doing a 130 point turn that takes all afternoon.

 

The first time I winded there was in a 63ft hire boat, it was not pretty; and on in front of a full pub all giving "encouragement".

Our boat at 50ft is a bit easier, and as long as the water point is clear it is not too bad, but all in all not the easiest place to wind.

 

 

[Guest]

No reason to replace in a rush, providing the level is checked regularly and often.

 

I now normally check engine oil levels (and water) daily when out cruising.

 

If I was going to start a 4-6-8 hour journey in my car I would do the same. Miles travelled less, but hours run the same means the same attention to levels to me.

 

(I think it was Carl on here who pointed out this out on here some time ago and I've adhered to it since)

 

I did however spot the water leaking from calorifier supply from the engine collected in the bilge today before I checked the level in the engine - we weren't out cruising today, that's my excuse.

[Weyland Yutani]

I now normally check engine oil levels (and water) daily when out cruising.

 

If I was going to start a 4-6-8 hour journey in my car I would do the same. Miles travelled less, but hours run the same means the same attention to levels to me.

 

(I think it was Carl on here who pointed out this out on here some time ago and I've adhered to it since)

 

I did however spot the water leaking from calorifier supply from the engine collected in the bilge today before I checked the level in the engine - we weren't out cruising today, that's my excuse.

 

Are there any 14 day visitor moorings at Fenny?

[cotswoldsman]

Are there any 14 day visitor moorings at Fenny?

 

Yes

[Weyland Yutani]

Yes

 

Thanks

[bottle]

Lostnorthener went past us today at Napton.

 

Good to meet you both.

[lostnortherner]

Thanks for the help! Was good to meet another face. We're at braunston now. Had to relocate after getting invaded by a canalbreaks.com thing full of idiots in Viking horn helmets playing loud music. That's about the fourth boat load of idiots from that company!

[Nightwatch]

Had to relocate after getting invaded by a canalbreaks.com thing full of idiots in Viking horn helmets playing loud music. That's about the fourth boat load of idiots from that company!

That's quite handy to know. Are they having trouble getting their quotas of hirers and are allowing all sorts?........

 

Martyn

[alan_fincher]

We came off the Southern Oxford around lunch time today, and are now at Newbridge on the Upper Thames, heading towards Lechlade.

 

We can't update our blog due to poor signal, but an interesting feature of our trip from King's Sutton to Thrupp yesterday was that the couple on the boat ahead that we caught up at Somerton proved to be actors and canal campaigners Timothy West and Prunella Scales.

 

Cath was surprised when we looked up their biographies to find they are the same ages as her own parents, namely 76 ("Timmy") and 78 ("Pru"), but this didn't seem to stop them making fairly efficient progress. I can't have imagined Cath's parents working the boat through the same locks.

 

We opted for the discrete "not recognising them" way of handling it, whilst enjoying quite a bit of conversation with them. (I hope that's what they prefer - rather than feeling miffed because someone has failed to recognise thewm!!).

 

Cath seemed genuinely surprised when "Pru" decided to re-tell her a slightly risqué story once told to her by a "salty" lock-keeper!

 

They seemed a really nice couple, with not a particularly shiny, and certainly not particularly new, boat.......

 

Although the wine they were enjoying looked to be more than basic supermarket "plonk"!

 

A discrete picture as they pulled over......

 

[lostnortherner]

They were in Banbury same night as we were, and we followed them to Twyford Wharf. I didn't recognise them at first. Told her off for putting the lift bridge down in Banbury right in our face. Had a good chat with Tim about my job while they were in the lock!

[Nightwatch]

I wonder if they have been invited to 'the' wedding on the 29th. And they are on their way. Cheaper accommodation on a boat.

 

 

Martyn

[ditchcrawler]

Are there any 14 day visitor moorings at Fenny?

I have never seen them as empty as they were on Thursday when we came through.

 

Yes, moored at the 'aerial' only saw Harnser go past and that was only because the other half was outside, I was down the engine hole doing an oil change all afternoon.

And who was working the pump to get the oil out?

 

If you manage to pass us in the middle of the Claydon lock flight, look out for the boat with the square stern and a strange looking scooter rack on the back - it's got a gro-bag with tomato plants in at the moment so feel free to give your prop a blast as you pass to water em

Spotted the boat but not you

 

We last ate at the Wharf at Fenny Compton about a month ago. You do always get a good welcome there, the beer is good, and it is nice to see a pub that really does try everything to make a success of it. However it was a Friday night and there was a band in then too, so looks like Friday night is bad band night at the Wharf.

 

Had a beer and a bite to eat at the Folly at Napton on Saturday lunch time. The food was good value and a good pint of Hooky. They are certainly trying hard (and it showed), but you can not help feeling that they will do need to do more to make a sustainable business out of it in that location. It is all very well on a weekend when the sun is shining, but with no passing trade they need to be able to draw people in on a "wet Wednesday" and I don't see then doing that at the moment. But well worth stopping off as you pass through.

They were busy on Thursday night with lots of cars there as well

 

Just back from there......

 

Very good.

 

Plenty of moorings near to it, (although some bugger is currently running a generator at 22:30 ).

 

(No doubt it is running his dying mother's life support system, or some other similar excuse! )

Was that just north of the bridge?

[alan_fincher]

<SNIP>

 

I have never seen them as empty as they were on Thursday when we came through.

 

<SNIP>

 

Was that just north of the bridge?

 

We moored up only a few boat's lengths north of the pub at Fenny.

 

As you say very un-crowded, and quite different from last time we came.

 

 

We had a similar experience at Thrupp, (despite someone telling Cath "Thrupp is heaving full at the moment"). 50% of the lovely bit outside the cottages was completely empty.

 

 

We did experience the odd minor traffic jam, but on the whole found the Oxford much quieter than we expected.

 

 

The upper Thames, on the other hand is positively deserted. (And fabulous!.....)

[cotswoldsman]

We moored up only a few boat's lengths north of the pub at Fenny.

 

As you say very un-crowded, and quite different from last time we came.

 

 

We had a similar experience at Thrupp, (despite someone telling Cath "Thrupp is heaving full at the moment"). 50% of the lovely bit outside the cottages was completely empty.

 

 

We did experience the odd minor traffic jam, but on the whole found the Oxford much quieter than we expected.

 

 

The upper Thames, on the other hand is positively deserted. (And fabulous!.....)

 

Guess everyone knew you were on the way and quickly cleared off.......