Carrying on

It was a lovely hot day when we set off from Abingdon. We said goodbye to Jeremy (who had given us advice about the traffic lights) and also to the couple on the plastic boat (who talked so much that they had the lock keeper in such a muddle that he didn't know wether he'd opened or shut the sluices on the lock!) and headed of downriver towards Goring.

This swan was not very happy that the ewe and her lambs were trying to have a drink in his spot!

The rowers were out early..

These cows were hiding in the bushes keeping their hooves cool

A lovely campsite on the side of the river. You can moor here for £10 a night.

I got really excited at this point-I thought I'd  seen a herd of deer!

This is the house where the x-factor contestants went to a couple of years ago-It belongs to a big firm of solicitors.

And the boat house is up for sale with Savills.

 

Scully thought she'd look for planes....

and Greg decided to go for a swim across the Thames to have a look at an old derelict house on the other side. It's called the Grotto and the first part of the house was built in the 1700's...It was then added to over the years until being used as offices in 1959 for the leisure and parks industry. It has now been empty for years and has been ransacked inside-all the fireplaces and doors have been taken and the coloured glass roof in the shell room has all been smashed. 

Next morning and time to make a move. We need to do some shopping at Reading and then start up the Kennet and Avon.

Happy days.

 

 

 

 

 

Abingdon

We headed towards Lechlade and the countryside was beautiful.

Some of the lock houses are lovely.

 

 
 

There was a pub either side of this bridge.

 

 

 

I finally got a picture of a young woodpecker taking its first flight-the poor thing clung to the side of the tree .....

 

 

We spent a lovely day in Lechlade  (although I didn't get to the Christmas shop!) and turned around and headed back down the river on Sunday morning towards Abingdon.

 

 

We moored up at Abingdon and went shopping for supplies. We got chatting to the man from the widebeam boat in front of us  that  told me that there were traffic lights on the Kennet and Avon...Can you believe it??? I have enough trouble with locks let alone traffic lights.

Happy days.

P.S

Greg was not very happy at 5.30 in the morning when we had visitors...

Yes a herd of cows who decided to lick the boat windows(which he had spent all the previous morning cleaning) banging the broom on the roof and getting their long raspy tongues around the fender ropes and giving them a good tug!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look up........

 

Scully was not a happy dog having to leave her favourite spot this morning she really didn't want to get back on the boat.

It was lovely and warm but the black clouds were just ahead.

This is the Swinford Toll Bridge near Eynsham which was bought for a cool £1,080,000 when it was sold at auction in 2009.

Just as we went past here the rain started, as we put the canopy up an American B2 stealth bomber went over our heads...Greg was devastated that I didn't get a picture-----It was raining!!!!!

They do wedding receptions here.....there's  a big marque for the party and then the guests get to sleep in yurts.

They've all got fairy lights hung up outside.

 

This bridge at Newbridge was built over 600 years ago by monks. It's said it's the oldest bridge over the Thames.

A floating hot tub....

Chimney Meadows Nature Reserve.

Tadpole Bridge.

Found another lovely spot to moor again, Scully's outside lying in the long grass-happy again and Greg is gazing up in the sky waiting to see what else he can see!!

Happy days.