Total of 331 locks and 451½ miles and 16 Tunnels and 8 lift bridges since 5th Nov 2006
This morning started fine but cool and we got away to an early start. First job, fill up with water at Eynsham lock before going down through the lock. From here it was easy cruising to Dukes cut as there were not that many boats about considering it is a bank holiday week-end.
The crew then got a taste of narrow canals and locks as we went through Dukes Cut, Wolvercote and Isis locks on the
Once safely moored we high tailed it into town while the weather was still fine. On the way into town we wandered around the castle which had been the town goal since the 1300’s and the last execution was about 1858. It recently won an award for being the best tourist attraction and it was only opened to the public in May 2006. It was also the scene for several TV programmes, Bad Girls, Inspector Morse and The Bill. If you looked in one window you could see the landings and stair cases used to film Bad Girls and walking round the outside we saw the little windows on the external shots of the goal.
After this little history lesson we pressed on to Sainsbury’s for a top up of essentials and the crew then went sight seeing while I returned to the boat and finished another little chore that had been overlooked for a wee while.
This week-end there is an air show being held at Abingdon which is not far from here and we have had our own free show. We have seen jet fighters screaming over head, an AWAC aircraft, a mid-air refueling tanker and the Red Arrow acrobatic team flying in formation.
The crew has now returned reporting a protest at the University over animal rights as the university apparently uses animals in scientific research. The police were present and were video taping the whole event.
A beautiful piece of brasswork seen on a narrowboat moored at Osney Lock in Oxford
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