Onto the Thames at Last.

Friday 27th June 2025 at Kings Lock on the Thames.

The day started with breakfast at Annie's Café next to the lift bridge in Thrupp. It is a lovely tea room which serves an excellent breakfast and we were served by the owners' daughter, who was lovely. On display was a set of M's favourite china tea: "Old Country Roses".

These are the lovely cottages opposite our mooring. Very desirable properties in a picturesque setting.

After we set off it was really hot, even these sheep were lying down in the shade under the trees. WE, however, kept going!

This pub is the Jolly Boatman, where we met our friend Richie for lunch. It was great to catch up with him and talk about everything.

This was the last lock on the Oxford Canal before we turned on to Duke's Cut to join the River Thames. Unfortunately, Dukes Cut has been sadly neglected since we last came this way and is now a thoroughly unpleasant waterway, almost choked wiht noxious looking weed. You definitely would not want to fall in here!

We were lucky to find one of our best moorings on the Thames just above King's Lock, where we moored with Mel and Peter in 2021.

A family from California moored up opposite us and asked for some advice about whether to continue going on up the Thames or turning on to Duke's Cut. R advised them to stay on the Thames as the Duke's Cut is so nasty and, at  times, the thick weed made it difficult to keep moving. Also, the lock at the canal end is broken and very difficult to operate. R went over and spent some time talking to them, they were a delightful family.

 Today: 5 miles, 4 locks and 3.0 hours.

Trip: 129 miles, 62 locks and 64.1 hours.