Newbury to Oxford advice

[Biffer]

Hi Folks-

 

Been living aboard for a couple of years but on an old un-powered Springer. So, we've only a few days holiday experience at proper boating, and only on canals. Finally we have bought a boat that goes chug chug and we are picking it up on Friday. To get her home will include doing Newbury to Oxford. I am apprehensive about this part of the cruise as I have no river experience and we've had a bit o' rain again last few days. So I guess I want to know;

 

Are levels reasonable on the Kennet/Thames at the moment?

Will I need springs for the 2-3 days on the Thames?

Can I get a licence for the Thames on the spot?

any other advice for river newbies for this stretch like tricky turns, locks, streams etc.

 

Thanks for looking

 

 

[by'eck]

Can answer a couple of your questions:

 

You can should be able to buy short term Thames licence to get you to Oxford at Blakes lock, Reading

 

Your journey doesn't include any tidal sections so springs have no relevance.

[JDR]

Trickiest lock on the whole stretch is also the smallest, County lock approaching Reading. Be prepared to stop under the bridge before the lock. Use stern line first downstream and bow lines when going upstream. EA website shows Thames river conditions.Thames is very placid above Reading unless there is a strong stream warning. I wouldn't navigate on Yellow ( flow increasing) or Red boards but otherwise no problem. You may need longer ropes for Thames locks, an anchor is always a good move on any river but no other special equipment needed. The river is wide and deep, speeding boats won't affect you like a canal.

 

Good free moorings at Pangbourne, Beale Park and five days free at Abingdon with a handy chandlers.Buy a licence at first manned lock, Blakes or Caversham.

Edited April 23, 2014 by JDR

[RichLech]

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/#subscribe

 

There yellow board restrictions on a couple of sections upstream of Blakes Lock at the moment. If no more significant rain they are likely to be removed in next day or so.

 

Also good free moorings at Goring.

[Proper Job]

Always arrive at the first EA lock (Blakes for you) at 09:00 to get your visitor licence.

 

That will get you two days cruising. You can do Reading to Oxford in two days (overnight stop around Wallingford area) if you want to push it to reduce the licence costs

 

As far as navigation and river conditions - take the advice of the lockies

 

edit: check the current restrictions at Whitchcurch bridge. The lockies will advise you accordingly

Edited April 24, 2014 by Proper Job

[b0atman]

Enjoy the trip and watch out for the dinosaurs in the Oracle, this stretch is controlled by traffic lights so you have to press the button.If no one at Blakes lock then no worries Thames locks are manned Ropes front and back and engine off .

[Proper Job]

.......... and if you're doing it this weekend:

 

River Closure

 

When: Saturday 26 April 2014 – 20 minutes between 13.00 and 14.00

Where: Mapledurham Lock, 300 metres upstream of Mapledurham Lock to 300 metres downstream of Mapledurham Lock

What’s happening: Emergency river and weir rescue exercise

The Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police, the Royal Air Force and the Environment Agency are carrying out an emergency exercise on Saturday 26 April 2014 between 13.00 and 14.00 at Mapledurham Weir. The exercise has been prompted by a recent incident and involves rescuing fully trained personnel from various positions above and below the weir.

Our patrol launches will be based 300 metres above and below the lock. If you are navigating during this time you may be asked to wait for a period of up to 20 minutes before you are allowed to proceed towards the lock. This is to ensure that boaters are not adversely affected by the downwash created by a helicopter which may be taking part in the exercise.

Public access by foot to and from the lock site will be controlled between 10.00 and 16.00.

We apologise for any inconvenience this restriction causes and thank you for your patience during this time

[OldGoat]

You can buy a licence at any Thames lock (just in case the first lock you arrive at is unmanned)

I thought Blakes Lock was unmanned nowadays.

 

A one day Thames licence expires at midnight on the day after you buy it - so if you started on the River at crack of dawn, you'd be well upriver before you arrive at a manned lock - they start at 09:00. Not a fiddle as technically your licence starts at 00.01hrs.

BUT do explain to the lockie that you've come off the K&A and will exit at Oxford. They're all reasonable people, but do resent folks doing a fiddle which you're not.

 

That way you should be able to do the trip in that time scale. Be aware that the River is still on Yellows and the flow will be strongish for (underpowered) narrowboats. I managed 5mph at the weekend, but I do have a big engine.

 

 

[KenK]

Kennet is reasonable at the moment but still has plenty of fresh in the river sections.

Newbury to The Cunning Man pub at Burfield is possible in one day and there are good mooring at the pub.

Couple of hours from there to Reading and Kennet mouth.

Blakes is not manned at present so Caversham is probably the first one you can buy a license.

You can normally do Oxford in two days so you only need a one day license for the Thames.

Care needs to be taken at Woolhampton, take note of the sign at the lock and open the electrically operated swing bridge before you leave the lock, worth having a look before you tackle it.

Traffic light for the Oracle is just on the lock exit.

 

Ken

[Neil2]

An anchor is not an option for river cruising, with the right length of chain/warp. Ropes can be too short but never too long.

 

There's nothing particularly daunting about this trip, you can do Newbury to Reading in two days as others have said, and Reading to Oxford is a pretty easy two days assuming the current isn't too strong. Wallingford is a good overnight stop but when we did this trip all the recognised moorings were taken and we went on to moor just above Days Lock on the left bank (that's left facing downstream of course) which was very pleasant.

 

BTW my memory is a bit hazy but don't you have to buy either a one day or three day licence for the Thames ie there's no two day option?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bottle]

The 'trick' is that a one day can last two.

 

buy it one day and it runs out midnight the next, but get it early.

[ditchcrawler]

Well its running nicely on the K&A with a good flow through Woolhampton this week.

[Biffer]

Some great tips there folks, ta. I feel less daunted now. As long as the yellows are lifted we should be through that section by midweek next week. So, I will chuck a quick post on here to let you know how we got on.

 

Thanks a lot.

[Nightwatch]

It's chucking it down here in Hampshire. The weather forecast is not the best for the weekend either. Give it a few days and perhaps the yellows will return.

 

Martyn

[ditchcrawler]

The Thames is moving to yellow boards and we have had an inch of rain since we came through Woolhampton and it was flowing well but not a no go then. If we have much more rain it may be a different story

[billS]

I am heading from Reading to Oxford this weekend. So far, only the Caversham lock to Mapledurham section is on yellow, but I expect that will change.

[Proper Job]

We have had severe rain in the Wallingford/Oxford area this morning

 

The fields are still very wet from the Winters rain so I don't think it will take long for it to hit the river.

 

I would expect levels to rise within the next 24 hours

[ditchcrawler]

We have had severe rain in the Wallingford/Oxford area this morning

 

The fields are still very wet from the Winters rain so I don't think it will take long for it to hit the river.

 

I would expect levels to rise within the next 24 hours

We have had 12mm in 12hr here on the K&A summit and about 40mm since Saturday night

Edited April 25, 2014 by ditchcrawler

[Biffer]

Well we had great fun getting through Woolhampton, or the gauntlet as I now call it. Strange to come out of the lock and go full throttle towards a brick wall but necessary! Now stuck outside Fobney lock due to the goings on at County Lock as per another thread, so glad it wasn't us!

 

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/60ft-narrowboat-becomes-wedged-across-7035650

[Proper Job]

Ah yes..................

 

I don't think you'd have got very far on the Thames either due to strong stream warnings