Friday June 25th. Packing it all back up.

Our last day. Sherri and I packed our bags while waiting for David and Trish to arrive. No small undertaking. I was tempted to through out some clothes but knew I would need them when I got home. David and Trish arrived a little before 1:00. On Thursday they had taken the train home to retrieve their car. We piled into David's trusty Saab and headed for a pub. After lunch, David gave us a tour of their boat Travelers Joy. It was built in the traditional style with the boatman's cabin, engine room then living quarters in the forward half of the boat. 

The boat is powered by a Russell Newbery. It's sound and rhythm remind me of grandpa Fleming's old John Deer tractor.

We said our goodbyes and headed for our hotel in Banbury. We are staying at Whatley Hall. This is a 400 year old hotel. I am hoping they have updated their beds since the grand opening. 

Thursday June 24th. End of the line.

Our trip back to Twyford Wharf went very smooth. Not much sun but thankfully no rain. We had 5 locks to pass through before we reached our destination. 

We passed the pig farm where we spent our first night. Here are the pictures I promised you Barbara. 

We arrived at Twyford around 5:30. A bit later then planned. We had a couple boats in front of us at the last lock which slowed our progress. 

After arriving at Twyford, we called a taxi to take us into Banbury for dinner. 

After dinner we walked down to the canal to find David and Trish. They are the couple that we met on our first trip 4 years ago. They gave us some very much needed help getting through our first series of locks. We have kept in touch on Facebood.

Sherri and I easily located their boat and popped in for a quick hello. Our quick hello turned into a very enjoyable visit that went into the late night. 

David and Trish will bring their boat down to Twyford on Friday. We will have lunch with them and Colin before departing.

Sadly our last night on the boat. Ready to come home but sad the trip is near its completion. 

It's been a great trip. 

Wednesday June 23. Broughton Castle

We are only 5 hours from our return point. Leaving the boat in Heyford, we road the train to Banbury. From there, a short taxi ride took us to Broughton Castle. 

It was originally a manor house built in 1300. Embattlements were added later which changed it from a medieval manor house to a castle.

Picture below. Note the worn steps from 700 years of traffic.

The grounds and garden were very well kept. 

While in Banbury we made reservations for Friday night at Whatley Hall. This is a 400 year old hotel very close to the Banbury Cross. 

Now back on the boat. We will reach our ending point tomorrow evening. We are meeting up with a couple that we met on our very first boating trip to England. We are looking forward to our visit. 

 

Tuesday June 22. Heading back to Twyford

Today was spent cruising back toward our starting point. The first stop we made was at Thrupp's water point. We hadn't  filled our water tank for a few days so it took 1.5 hours to top off. I fixed a quick breakfast and took a shower as the tank filled.

We made a quick stop in Shipton to take a few pictures then moved on toward our first lock of the day at River Cherwell.

 

Sherri and I grilled hamburgers on the towpath for lunch. They were very tasty. 

The rest of the day was spent steaming toward Lower Heyford for the night. 

We reach Heyford by 4:30. We caught the train into Banbury for a few supplies and dinner. 

I visited with a gentleman from Philly who recommended Broughton Castle just ourtside of Banbury. Fortunately Wednesday is an open day for tours. We will be heading back to Banbury tomorrow to tour the castle. 

Lamar, I didn't know the Butterfields were in England.

Monday June 21st Heading up the Thames River

The day started out rainy. At times it poured. I slipped on my rain gear and headed out. We were moored close to the lock so I walked down and set the lock before casting off. I moved the boat through the lock and out onto the Thames River. The current was between 3 and 4 miles per hour. That doesn't sound like much but when it's pushing against a 63' barge it feels strong. 

Soon we were passing Port Meadow. It is a large open meadow that is between the Thames and Oxford Canal. 

A nice feature of the Thames is the locks are operated by a lock keep. You pay a 69 pound environmental fee which helps pay for services on the river. As we approached our first lock I saw a sign that read self service. After a few minutes of studying the control board, I started throwing levers and pushing buttons. Fortunately I got it right.

Next to the lock was a ruin that dated back to 1115. Sherri and I took a few minutes to walk through. 

We were only on the river for a couple hours before we came to the final lock and our right hand turn into Duke's Cut. 

We made our way back onto the Oxford Canal then to Thrupp. 

 

Sunday June 20th A day in London

Sherri and I boarded the 9:05 am train to London. In just over an hour we were at Paddington station. 

We were close to Leicester Square so we  walked around the area and ended up at Trafalgar Square. The local theaters were putting on 10 minute sneak peeks of their shows. A big crowd of people were waiting to get in.   

We caught the tube to Victoria station. Two reasons for going to Victoria, one, they have diet Dew and two, it's close to Westminster. Sheeri I and I walked toward Big Ben. We stepped into one of the department stores to look around. I didn't realize my brother had his own brand.

 

We continued on down to the Thames. 

Using the maps app in my iPhone, I put in directions to British Museum via transit. It directed to the bus stop and what bus to take to the Museum. It will also give you bus, train and walking instructions. It came in very handy in the UK cities. 

After the museum, we were tired and decided to head back to Oxford. 

Bus, Tube, Train and shoe leather made today's trip possible. No car needed. 

The above picture was taken in Oxford on Saturday. I forgot to include it in Saturday's blog. Possible one owner by the looks of the driver.

Tomorrow we are turning around and heading back to Twyford Wharf. Instead of just winding at the end of the Oxford canal, we are going to head up the Thames to Dukes Cut that will bring us back to the Oxford Canal. 100% chance of rain for tomorrow. 

   

Saturday June 18th

Today we visited the covered market and the Oxford Castle. The origins of the castle location date back 1000 years. It was mainly built for defensive purposes then later became a prison. It was a prison until it's closing in 1996. 

Our tour guide was very colorful and was a form prisoner. Well, former prisoner in spirit only.

 

Note the worn circles in the solid oak floor beams. These were worn by prisoners feet in Victorian times operating a water pump to fill water tanks higher up in the tower. 

Up to 60 prisoners were kept in this room with not facilities. When a prisoner died, they were not removed. Obviously not in recent history. 

Pictures from the top of the tower. 

More pictures. 

After the tour I called it a day. I went back to the boat for a nap while Sherri checked out a few more shops. 

Tomorrow we are planning a trip by train to London.