Oxford canal and River Thames

[Rooffythehirer]

Will be turning back north on the South Oxford in central Oxford. Is there any point in entering the Thames at Isis lock and rejoining the canal via Dukes Cut? And in a hire boat, would there be a charge for one hour on the river?

[MIKE P]

Hi Rooffythehirer when you leave the Oxford canal at the Issis lock and head up river to come off at Dukes cut, you will have to go through Godstow Lock and Kings Lock. Now you could hit it very lucky pass through both locks and they are unmanned.

Therefore locking yourself through and no one would be the wiser. I believe the shortest visitor licence is for one day, price depending on size of boat.

[pipistrelle]

I suspect this may depend on where the hire boat is from, ie if it's licensed for the river and canal. Can you ask the hire company? It's a lovely trip going up the Thames to Dukes Cut so I'd recommend it, even if you did have to pay a bit extra.

[Peter X]

In theory I think you would be required to pay EA for a one day licence which costs a few tenners. In practice the two locks involved, like many others on the Thames, are only manned about 9 till 5:30 and outside those hours can be manually operated. Check the opening hours if you're going to do this, but if you went through earlier or later EA would not be there to collect the money. If you will be hiring in spring/summer there should be plenty of daylight available.

 

An alternative is to wind the boat at the junction where the lock to Duke's Cut branches off the Oxford Canal; there's a notice there to tell you that beyond a certain length of boat (which I suspect most hire boats will exceed) there is no further opportunity to wind until you've passed Isis Lock. But you could go through Isis Lock, wind on the Thames (lots of room) and come back the same way.

 

The stretch through Oxford is said to be crowded, I don't know how hard it would be to find an overnight mooring and you'll certainly need to slow down past all the moored boats. The one time I went through, we were moving a boat from the Oxford Canal down to Reading and went via Duke's Cut and the river to save time.

[oarfish]

_{If you are travelling out of manned lock hours, no. But it's probably best to pay up and see the river in daylight.}

[Bunny]

Might be worth checking with the hire company to see if the boat has a gold license . I know of one hire company , there not on the Oxford , that will as a matter of course put a gold licence on their boats

. Bunny

[dmr]

Its a lovely part of the River and well worth doing, especially going up through the meadow.

If you pay, and if you are a confident boater, then you could go downstream a little way first, under Folly bridge and down past the University boat houses, then turn and head back up to Dukes cut.

Osney lock can be a little tricky if there is any flow and the University section can sometimes be busy with little hire boats.

If you pay for a day you actually get two days...the day or part day when you pay plus the next day, so for an extra £5 you could moor at Kings lock for the night and have two days on the Thames.

 

.................Dave

[OldGoat]

dmr, on 07 Mar 2016 - 4:38 PM, said:

Its a lovely part of the River and well worth doing, especially going up through the meadow.

If you pay, and if you are a confident boater, then you could go downstream a little way first, under Folly bridge and down past the University boat houses, then turn and head back up to Dukes cut.

Osney lock can be a little tricky if there is any flow and the University section can sometimes be busy with little hire boats.

If you pay for a day you actually get two days...the day or part day when you pay plus the next day, so for an extra £5 you could moor at Kings lock for the night and have two days on the Thames.

 

.................Dave

 

The mooring at King's is very pleasant and well worth the charge. However, you can go a little further upstream and moor for nothing and just as pleasant.

The 'licence' fee is not cheap - so not economically viable if you're just using it to avoid Oxford.

If you want a nicer mooring in Oxford then you can moor above Osney Lock for a night free if you're buying a registration. A short walk into the City for all its delights

Depending on when you are cruising the locks are unmanned fro 16:00, 17:00 or 18:30.

[pipistrelle]

The stretch in Jericho is not crowded at present - plenty of visitor moorings free.

[Theo]

 

 

But you could go through Isis Lock, wind on the Thames (lots of room) and come back the same way.

 

 

 

You don't have to go right out on to the main river. There is space to wind immediately below Isis Lock

[ditchcrawler]

Will be turning back north on the South Oxford in central Oxford. Is there any point in entering the Thames at Isis lock and rejoining the canal via Dukes Cut? And in a hire boat, would there be a charge for one hour on the river?

If you have time to spend two days on the river then its worthwhile, lock onto the Thames first thing in the morning, buy a one day licence which will also cover you for the following day, then go upstream for a day, stop over night and drop back down to Dukes the next day, but I wouldn't buy a licence just for the bit from Oxford to Dukes.

Where are you hiring from?

[Rooffythehirer]

Thanks all for your helpful advice! Hiring from Braunston, Ditchcrawler.

[Shreck]

Hi.

 

If you do go out on the Thames take care on the bit below Godstow Lock. The sides are very shallow. stick right in the middle.

 

I have seen many a narrowboat grounded there as the water shallows gradually and before you know it you are high and dry and it is difficult to get off.

 

There are some shallows between Godstow and Kings locks on the bends so take note of the buoys.

 

Take care at Godstow Bridge as you can get "bombed" by the local brats. They are very difficult to untangle from the propeller rather like shopping trolleys.

 

Regards.

 

Shreck.

[ditchcrawler]

Thanks all for your helpful advice! Hiring from Braunston, Ditchcrawler.

If you are only out for a week then you wont have much time if any to do the Thames so I think you will have to give it a miss. It will cost you a lot just to go from Oxford to Dukes Cut. It will cost about £40 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478756/LIT_10253.pdf

[Peter X]

If you are only out for a week then you wont have much time if any to do the Thames so I think you will have to give it a miss. It will cost you a lot just to go from Oxford to Dukes Cut. It will cost about £40 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478756/LIT_10253.pdf

Yes, unless the hire company have a gold licence which I doubt.

The relevant section for a narrow boat is at the top of page 3; you come under "Visiting Launches", "1-day certificate", and a typical narrow boat 17m long by 2m wide, like the one I was on last year on the Thames, falls into the "31 to 35 sq metres" slot and costs £39.

Braunston to Oxford can be done in daylight in as little as two days in summer with a very determined and experienced crew (we were fairly determined and took two days plus about 4 hours), but at a sensible holiday pace three or more likely four days is more realistic.

So if you're hiring for a week I'd recommend turning in the canal at the junction with Duke's Cut, or if you really want to take the boat into Oxford come out at Isis lock and turn round there.

[dmr]

It depends on how much money the op has, and if he is likely to do the Thames again in the future. I know a few "lads" who think nothing of spending £100 on a night out drinking. £40 to take a boat up the River Thames from Isis lock up to Dukes cut looks like a bargain to me, its one of the most magical bits of the inland waterways. It would be rather sad to turn at Dukes cut having got so close to the Thames and not to venture onto it!

 

..................Dave

[MtB]

It depends on how much money the op has, and if he is likely to do the Thames again in the future. I know a few "lads" who think nothing of spending £100 on a night out drinking. £40 to take a boat up the River Thames from Isis lock up to Dukes cut looks like a bargain to me, its one of the most magical bits of the inland waterways. It would be rather sad to turn at Dukes cut having got so close to the Thames and not to venture onto it!

 

..................Dave

 

And equally, the Jericho stretch of the canal through the back of Oxford between the two cuts is ALSO one of the most magical bits of cruising available on the inland waterways for completely different reasons. Its one of the most sultry, neglected, atmospheric stretches packed with interesting stuff like the Trap Grounds, Bookbinders pub etc etc (Bones posted a long list of Interesting Stuff To See On The Cut Around Jericho a few years ago). In fact I think a fortnight's holiday could be spent doing the loop of Jericho, sheepwash, Thames, Duke's Cut and barely see 10% of what's there, with constant astounding shifts and changes in surroundings.

Here's the link to the thread I mentioned...

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=60220&page=2&hl=trap+grounds#entry1145115

[dmr]

That's why on our annual migration from the K&A to "up North" we go up River to Dukes cut and then return down the cut to Isis, though there are also navigational reasons for this as the turn into Isis is not nice in a 70 footer. (and once in a while we even go t'other way via Brentford).

Some of the Agenda21 boats are rather nice in a decaying hippy sort of way.

 

.................Dave

[billS]

 

Some of the Agenda21 boats are rather nice in a decaying hippy sort of way.

 

 

 

I agree. I love pootling slowly down that stretch of the canal looking at the weird and wonderful craft that are moored there. They really add to the colour and character of the place. I really can't understand why some people find them offensive

[john6767]

 

I agree. I love pootling slowly down that stretch of the canal looking at the weird and wonderful craft that are moored there. They really add to the colour and character of the place. I really can't understand why some people find them offensive

I don't find them offensive, but there are a lot of them therefore you spend a long time going past them slowly. The offside is also extremely overgrown, so it is difficult to pass when you meet another boat. Other than the fact that there are moorings on the canal to use either before you start or after the end of a river licence, I don't see a lot of merit in going that way and would preference to use Duke Cut and get straight onto the river.

[Theo]

 

And equally, the Jericho stretch of the canal through the back of Oxford between the two cuts is ALSO one of the most magical bits of cruising available on the inland waterways for completely different reasons. Its one of the most sultry, neglected, atmospheric stretches packed with interesting stuff like the Trap Grounds, Bookbinders pub etc etc (Bones posted a long list of Interesting Stuff To See On The Cut Around Jericho a few years ago). In fact I think a fortnight's holiday could be spent doing the loop of Jericho, sheepwash, Thames, Duke's Cut and barely see 10% of what's there, with constant astounding shifts and changes in surroundings.

Here's the link to the thread I mentioned...

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=60220&page=2&hl=trap+grounds#entry1145115

Thanks for that. I have saved it for the next time we are there.

 

N

[Theo]

 

And equally, the Jericho stretch of the canal through the back of Oxford between the two cuts is ALSO one of the most magical bits of cruising available on the inland waterways for completely different reasons. Its one of the most sultry, neglected, atmospheric stretches packed with interesting stuff like the Trap Grounds, Bookbinders pub etc etc (Bones posted a long list of Interesting Stuff To See On The Cut Around Jericho a few years ago). In fact I think a fortnight's holiday could be spent doing the loop of Jericho, sheepwash, Thames, Duke's Cut and barely see 10% of what's there, with constant astounding shifts and changes in surroundings.

Here's the link to the thread I mentioned...

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=60220&page=2&hl=trap+grounds#entry1145115

One day quite soon I suppose it will be cleared, mown and gentrified. I am pleased that I saw Gas Street Basin in the 70's. If you happen to be passing through Birmingham make sure that you do the Icknield Loop it could be developed soon but I hear that there are contamination problems on the "Island" so that will remain a demolition site for a long time to come.

 

N

[dogless]

Love Jericho and the cruise in. I really hope the development on the old boat yard site isn't going to spoil things.

Rog

[MtB]

One day quite soon I suppose it will be cleared, mown and gentrified. I am pleased that I saw Gas Street Basin in the 70's. If you happen to be passing through Birmingham make sure that you do the Icknield Loop it could be developed soon but I hear that there are contamination problems on the "Island" so that will remain a demolition site for a long time to come.

 

N

 

 

You're exactly right, the charm of the stretch lies in the fact that it IS a genuine dump. The day it gets smartened up and all the cranky scruffy boats and boaters kicked off in favour of 'respectable' boaters will be a sad, sad day. There is a bleak inevitabilty about this happening though. Most of the cranky places on the Thames have now been erased sadly (although not quite all!)

 

The bright outlook though is how Oxford city seems determined to ignore and deny the existence of the cut in favour of the Thames. If they ever decide the cut is an 'asset' rather than something to be embarrassed about, there will be no hope for the Agenda 21 moorings or the gloomy, atmospheric character steeped in eccentricity of the whole stretch...

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

You're exactly right, the charm of the stretch lies in the fact that it IS a genuine dump. The day it gets smartened up and all the cranky scruffy boats and boaters kicked off in favour of 'respectable' boaters will be a sad, sad day. There is a bleak inevitabilty about this happening though. Most of the cranky places on the Thames have now been erased sadly (although not quite all!)

 

Even so its not half the place it was 20 years ago with the old electric bridge and the factories still there and working