Manual Lock

Left our overnight mooring outside The Punter, once under Osney Bridge we leave all the Gin Palace cruisers behind because they can't fit beneath its air draught at 7' 6".

After a little while the urban Oxford yield's to open meadow land, with cattle and horses grazing at the waters edge at Port Meadow.

Along the west bank a fishing match was taking place with the fisherman abandoning the river bank to sit on chairs on stilts in the river 8 foot from the bank with a 30 foot pole stretching over half way across the river. Sit on the other bank with a shorter pole guys!, we cruised down the middle as the east bank is notoriously shallow , the poles lifted like a guard of honour as we passed by.

Up through Godstow Lock 

and past Duke's Cut (which we will take on our way back from Lechlade to the Oxford canal as we start to  head north) we enter Kings Lock which is the first manual lock on the Thames although there is still a lock keeper to operate it.

Above the lock the scenery is flat and agricultural to the north, Wytham Hill shrouded with Wytham Great Wood to the south. 

We are now on the 24hour moorings at Eynsham lock, once tied up we were on our way walking into Eynsham for supplies but didn't get passed the Talbot Inn where we had our Sunday Lunch and a glass of Arkells 3B .... excellent.

Tonights mooring