Inspector Morse Country - temporary/visitor parking spots at the end of the Oxford Canal?

[Dharl]

When we last moored at Thrupp and caught the bus to Oxford I think it was about an hour. Wonderful things these bus passes!

 

Dave

 

 

can recommend that too (Throop + Boat Inn + Bus to Oxford, not on the bus pass just yet though!)

 

We walked up and caught the bus from Kiddlngton rather than at Throop itself. The bus stops in Kiddlington are ina rather odd spread out way so not sure if we caught the quickest as seemed to go around the houses for long time before heading to Oxford centre!

[Proper Job]

The bus stop at Thrupp is only effectively served by the Banbury bus.

 

Walk in to Kidlington and you'll get a bus every 10 mins or less

 

http://city.oxfordbus.co.uk/timetables-fares/city2#map

Edited December 2, 2014 by Proper Job

[Emerald Fox]

"Why overland from the Oxford Canal to Leamington? There's towpath all the way" - we were cycling! I thought this August, whilst working on the boat, that I'd cycle from Cropredy to Banbury along the towpath. Crumbs you can hardly walk along it, bits missing and overgrown hedgery! Prince Charles would describe it as 'Appalling'.

 

Same with the K&A, Bath to Devizes was good, but then we took to small roads and kept criss-crossing the canal. Of course, towpaths were not designed for bikes.

 

I do wonder why the non-towpath side of canals is usually in an awful straggly condition.

 

Perhaps Prince Charles could set an example and pull some shopping trolleys out of the canals?

Edited December 2, 2014 by Emerald Fox

[Jon Ody]

Hi there, been lurking a wjile (waiting to see if anyone would comment on Osney Dry Dock coming up for lease cough cough cough, don't want to go off topic...)

 

There are lots of myths and bias against the city of oxford, some of it arguably justified but most information is very out of date. there have been some very good replies here already but i'd just like to clarify some things.

 

Planning for our Christmas venture to Oxford, from Banbury and back to Banbury. We'd like to be 3 nights moored in or very close to Oxford, but I have the impression that the whole of the canal for many miles down there is bumper-to-fender boats-in-a-line.

 

Could anyone suggest spots where we could stop? Say, first, we'd run down into town, turn around and start heading back north... on the way south we'd start checking suitable-looking spaces, what happens when we start sauntering north again? First possibilities would be...?

Bus services?

 

Your impression of Oxford is false, possibly this is how things were in the 90's but that's well before my time, certainly not the case nowadays.

 

(As of circa 2008 Oxford City Council have gone out of their way to make boaters lives a misery, reducing facilities and removing/reducing mooring rights regardless of status/mooring/age/history/whether visitor or bridge-hopper/whether shiny or scruffy, This (aka UMBEG, unlawfully moored boats enforcement group) was initiated by Jericho Councillors Suzanna Pressel and Colin Cook to deal with squatters on unclaimed land at castle mill stream. As of circa 2012 canal contiuous cruisers (BWHM) in the oxford area have been told they won't be prosecuted so long as they stay north of Yarnton Bridge. Most have complied, others have set up river-bank land-grabs to squat on land that nobody owns where they are apparently untouchable, eg castle mill stream in Jericho. cough cough cough)

 

There are loooooooads of buses in Oxford, see http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/ and http://www.stagecoachbus.com/localdefault.aspx?Tag=Oxfordshire for more detail on routes etc.

 

You'll have no problem finding a mooring in Oxford. Aim for the visitor moorings at Jericho to be in the heart of the city. At the bottom of hythe bridge arm there are 48 hour visitor moorings, walk down to check first and be prepared to reverse in or out if you can't turn at the bottom.

 

There are more moorings (from centre of oxford northwards) at jericho (isis lock, 48hr) all the way up to walton well bridge (br.242), aristotle lane (br.240, either 7d or 14d, don't quote me), frenchay road (br.239, 7d with water, elsan, bins), st edward's (48hr?), wolvercote green (above and below br.236, 48hr), wolvercote lock (br.235, 48hr?), dukes cut lock (48hr?), above dukes cut lock (14d plus water point). after that you're not really in oxford any more, despite what the thrupp elites will tell you.

 

For more detail see: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/mooring/finding-a-home-mooring?document_type=Listings\Listing&location=oxford&range=5&submit=Search&ps_search_handler=Mooring&listing_mooring_termtypes[1]=short-term&itemcount=25#anch:results

 

No etiquette rules or hazards other than you'd find anywhere else on the canal network, use your boat sensibly and be nice to people.

 

P.S. Leave the car in Banbury. Oxford council is aggressively anti-car and parking virtually impossible.

 

You wouldn't expect to park free of charge in any UK city nowadays would you? Aggressively anti-car is a bit strongly worded (clarkeson-esque). There is a massive problem with multiple occupancy (ie student) homes having multiple cars so there's a lot of resident parking schemes to control this. There are visitor parking spaces and long term parking options throughout the city, although not always within easy reach of the waterways. Students will be away at Christmas so unlikely to be problems in residential areas, beware the city centre rush for last minute pressies tho.

 

There's free of charge unlimited parking in wolvercote near the canal at either on godstow road (wolvercote lock) (with bus stops) or around the plough inn (br236). There's a long term car park for the train station within a short walk of the end of the canal. there's very expensive short term parking at worcester street car park which used to be a canal basin (cough cough cough don't believe the hype).

 

The city centre is often full of chavs at night, with a lot of anti social behaviour, drunkenness, fights, etc.

 

Those "chavs" are the future leaders of our country and us plebs should learn to show some respect, ennit.

 

There has been a big purge on CM'ers at Oxford and you should have no problems in finding good mooring above Isis lock as dogless says.

 

As far as the other comments about it being rife with drunken chavs etc - what a load of tosh! Oxford is way better than most citys. I frequent the city often and have never had trouble. Sometimes the students can get over excited, but hey, they're students (and they won't be there over Christmas)

 

Enjoy - it's a lovely city

 

edit:

.......... and the best museum is Pitt Rivers

 

Bravo PJ!

 

I thought most of the boats were permanent residences for dons and students and didn't want to incur their wrath and have to high-tail it down the cut followed by a barrage of curses in Latin and Ancient Greek!

 

Although there are dons and students living on boats in Oxford it would be would be quite wrong to assume most were such (you're more likely to find computer programmers actually). If you do offend anyone and incur wrath please rest assured that the barrage of curses will most likely be in plain (and very well spoken) English.

 

I would like to add: Beware (although do not fear) the river cherwell above shipton, it's quite likely it'll be in spate at that time of year and conditions might be challenging. If the canal is frozen it'll be the new dusty's first ice so don't expect it to be broken like it used to by old dusty (although fingers crossed they''ll cope with it well). the river thames is also likely to be streamier than normal, check with the EA website if you intend to join us on a proper waterway.

 

Hope this all helps.

[Athy]

Welcome Jon, and top marks for a highly informative first post on CWF.

 

Do go to the chemist's and get something for that cough, though.

[Mrs Trackman]

As the op is wanting to go to Oxford at Christmas I would suggest you check very carefully before planning to use buses. We wanted to go to a party in rural Warwickshire on 28th December one year but there were no buses until 29th.

Hi there, been lurking a wjile (waiting to see if anyone would comment on Osney Dry Dock coming up for lease cough cough cough, don't want to go off topic...)

 

There are lots of myths and bias against the city of oxford, some of it arguably justified but most information is very out of date. there have been some very good replies here already but i'd just like to clarify some things.

 

 

 

Your impression of Oxford is false, possibly this is how things were in the 90's but that's well before my time, certainly not the case nowadays.

 

(As of circa 2008 Oxford City Council have gone out of their way to make boaters lives a misery, reducing facilities and removing/reducing mooring rights regardless of status/mooring/age/history/whether visitor or bridge-hopper/whether shiny or scruffy, This (aka UMBEG, unlawfully moored boats enforcement group) was initiated by Jericho Councillors Suzanna Pressel and Colin Cook to deal with squatters on unclaimed land at castle mill stream. As of circa 2012 canal contiuous cruisers (BWHM) in the oxford area have been told they won't be prosecuted so long as they stay north of Yarnton Bridge. Most have complied, others have set up river-bank land-grabs to squat on land that nobody owns where they are apparently untouchable, eg castle mill stream in Jericho. cough cough cough)

 

There are loooooooads of buses in Oxford, see http://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/ and http://www.stagecoachbus.com/localdefault.aspx?Tag=Oxfordshire for more detail on routes etc.

 

You'll have no problem finding a mooring in Oxford. Aim for the visitor moorings at Jericho to be in the heart of the city. At the bottom of hythe bridge arm there are 48 hour visitor moorings, walk down to check first and be prepared to reverse in or out if you can't turn at the bottom.

 

There are more moorings (from centre of oxford northwards) at jericho (isis lock, 48hr) all the way up to walton well bridge (br.242), aristotle lane (br.240, either 7d or 14d, don't quote me), frenchay road (br.239, 7d with water, elsan, bins), st edward's (48hr?), wolvercote green (above and below br.236, 48hr), wolvercote lock (br.235, 48hr?), dukes cut lock (48hr?), above dukes cut lock (14d plus water point). after that you're not really in oxford any more, despite what the thrupp elites will tell you.

 

For more detail see: =short-term&itemcount=25#anch:results]https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/mooring/finding-a-home-mooring?document_type=Listings\Listing&location=oxford&range=5&submit=Search&ps_search_handler=Mooring&listing_mooring_termtypes[1]=short-term&itemcount=25#anch:results

 

No etiquette rules or hazards other than you'd find anywhere else on the canal network, use your boat sensibly and be nice to people.

 

 

 

You wouldn't expect to park free of charge in any UK city nowadays would you? Aggressively anti-car is a bit strongly worded (clarkeson-esque). There is a massive problem with multiple occupancy (ie student) homes having multiple cars so there's a lot of resident parking schemes to control this. There are visitor parking spaces and long term parking options throughout the city, although not always within easy reach of the waterways. Students will be away at Christmas so unlikely to be problems in residential areas, beware the city centre rush for last minute pressies tho.

 

There's free of charge unlimited parking in wolvercote near the canal at either on godstow road (wolvercote lock) (with bus stops) or around the plough inn (br236). There's a long term car park for the train station within a short walk of the end of the canal. there's very expensive short term parking at worcester street car park which used to be a canal basin (cough cough cough don't believe the hype).

 

 

 

Those "chavs" are the future leaders of our country and us plebs should learn to show some respect, ennit.

 

 

 

Bravo PJ!

 

 

 

Although there are dons and students living on boats in Oxford it would be would be quite wrong to assume most were such (you're more likely to find computer programmers actually). If you do offend anyone and incur wrath please rest assured that the barrage of curses will most likely be in plain (and very well spoken) English.

 

I would like to add: Beware (although do not fear) the river cherwell above shipton, it's quite likely it'll be in spate at that time of year and conditions might be challenging. If the canal is frozen it'll be the new dusty's first ice so don't expect it to be broken like it used to by old dusty (although fingers crossed they''ll cope with it well). the river thames is also likely to be streamier than normal, check with the EA website if you intend to join us on a proper waterway.

 

Hope this all helps.

 

 

 

 

Thanks. You make some very interesting points. I seem to remember having a 7 or even 14 day mooring on the river back in 2007 when we visited but I guess they are more restricted now.?

Lower Heyford. Train to Oxford. Just a suggestion

 

As I recall the stations between Banbury and Oxford had an extremely limited service.

[MtB]

No-one seems to have mentioned The Old Bookbinders.

 

Not what it used to be but still worth a visit.

 

http://oldbookbinders.co.uk/

 

And ISTR Bunters delicatessen is a pleasing plaice to by lunch.

 

Seems to of gorn disappointingly upmarket now tho...

 

http://www.buntersdeli.co.uk/

 

MtB

[Bettie Boo]

My recomhttp://www.thepunteroxford.co.ukendations for Oxford pubs would be the following two...

 

1) the Bear, reputed to be the oldest pub in Oxford and although I don't drink beer, Dave said it had a decent selection. It did have a very unique interior, which would take a month of Sundays to properly inspect.

 

 

2) The Punter, although we didn't partake, the food look good and nice sized portions as well. This pub was literally on our door step at the mooring we had just above Osney Lock & again a very easy 10 walk to the town centre. http://www.thepunteroxford.co.uk

[john6767]

We ate at The Punter when we were moored there in the summer, it was very good.

[benfordboy]

When we picked up Dads boat yrs ago from the Oxford for our Tidal Thames trip, he had arrived well in advance of the takeover time & gave us a call as the fridge was failing - Of course this was a easy call to go & fix as he was unsure of the Thames as the 'Wicked Stepmother' didnt like big rivers - I assured him that the Thames was small around Oxford & to take my card details to pay for a Thames licence that we could take over & move downstream.

That was not a option apparently ! & he told us he was moored near Oxford - We came over by car & found it difficult to find anywhere to park in 'Bicycle friendly' Oxford, eventually finding somewhere 5 mins from Isis Lock.

 

A fairly long but not too bad walk found them above the lock above Isis (Wolvercote?) they had come down to Isis & not found a likable mooring (It was full on Cm's then) so had wound & moved back towards Banbury - Wolvercote seemed quiet with a shop not to far away & not too far to walk into Oxford so may be an option ??? We found it ideal for the change over as it was a shortish walk from the road bridge.

 

Unsure of Visitor moorings on the Thames in Oxford as we motored off on our first day after pickup to Beale Park for a lovely nights moorings on the Wasps nest area !!!

[Peter X]

Everything I know about Oxford is very out of date, mostly from 1973-76, but I can offer the following:

 

The Bear is very quaint, but the low beams are awkward for even an average height adult. It was acceptable in the Middle Ages when most people were shorties. In my day (probably under new ownership by now!) it had a reputation for terrible weak beer, and a friend of mine who fancied himself as a beer expert and man of the people routinely walked a mile away to drink in The Cricketers on Iffley Road, a pretty ordinary looking pub. I wasn't fussy, I just went in whatever pub the people I was with preferred and drank the bitter they had. Sometimes too much of it, like a lot of students, but there was never significant trouble and anyway you won't see students around at Christmas.

 

I think it unlikely that any dons would be living on boats on the canal unless they really wanted to, because they're well paid and they get allocated the nicest rooms in college. Fair play to them, that's their reward for being complete brainboxes and studying hard.

 

In my three years at Oxford I never set foot in a museum, but I hear they're quite good if you like that sort of thing.

 

Like Mtb says, the thing to see in Oxford is the grand architecture of the colleges, mostly in the central area either side of the High Street. They generally used to let the public wander inside around the quads during the day, with information about the hours at the entrance, but you might find that security is a bit tighter nowadays, I don't know.

[Proper Job]

My recomhttp://www.thepunteroxford.co.ukendations for Oxford pubs would be the following two...

 

 

2) The Punter, although we didn't partake, the food look good and nice sized portions as well. This pub was literally on our door step at the mooring we had just above Osney Lock & again a very easy 10 walk to the town centre. http://www.thepunteroxford.co.uk

 

A word of caution if you go to the Punters.

 

Although you don't have to go through an EA lock to get to the moorings on Osney Island, they are monitored and patroled by the EA (Osney lockie). If you don't have the relevent EA licence, they will catch you. That would make it a very expensive pint for a one day visitor pass

[Emerald Fox]

Once again, thanks for all this - will take me a while to rummage through all the comments, a good project for the next 2 weeks to get to know Oxford a bit before we actually end up there. Ah - if the canal isn't frozen. I think not, as Finland has had the warmest October & November for 100 years, and if it's so warm this far north it must be scorching 'down South' (Helsinki same latitude as Scotland's northern coast - and we are 530 north of Hki).

 

Just got a thinner transparent plastic pipe from local hardware store for our new oil hand pump to stick down the dipstick hole thi'smorning, gonna have a go at changing the engine oil that way (as sump plug thread torn).

 

Now... to continue the search for 2 new deckboards... (much much harder than I would have believed!)...

[Emerald Fox]

Oh, and the Tackley trains, eg. to Oxford for, say Thurs 11th December are:

 

departing Tackley:

 

0003

0626

0644

0653

0746

0954

1154

1301

1527

1632

1740

1856

1927

2020

2157

2244

 

from www.nationrail.co.uk

 

That's a bit more than the buses per day that go along the route I drive = 2 !

[Proper Job]

Once again, thanks for all this - will take me a while to rummage through all the comments, a good project for the next 2 weeks to get to know Oxford a bit before we actually end up there. Ah - if the canal isn't frozen. I think not, as Finland has had the warmest October & November for 100 years, and if it's so warm this far north it must be scorching 'down South' (Helsinki same latitude as Scotland's northern coast - and we are 530 north of Hki).

 

Just got a thinner transparent plastic pipe from local hardware store for our new oil hand pump to stick down the dipstick hole thi'smorning, gonna have a go at changing the engine oil that way (as sump plug thread torn).

 

Now... to continue the search for 2 new deckboards... (much much harder than I would have believed!)...

 

It had better not be. I'm planning to bring Carinya from Crick back home to Thrupp over the Christmas New Year period. She's just been blacked

 

........ although I do like a bit of ice breaking: http://youtu.be/qjqh4D-V9AM