A change of plans

A change of plans

Thrupp May 2017

Having made it to the southern end on the Oxford Canal we sat down and had a look at the maps to plan out our route for the next month till we get to the Ware festival on 1st and 2nd July.

The dreamy South Oxford Canal

Our plan had been to travel the Kennet and Avon, maybe taking in the Wey on the way (no pun intended) but whilst the itinerary was achievable, it was demanding and left little time to dawdle, visit Birmingham or indeed make preserves. We have therefore decided that the K&A can wait another year and instead we will take a month ticket for the Thames and spend more time on what is our favourite river. This way we will have plenty of time to explore the River Wey and maybe even the Basingstoke Canal.

Somerton Deep

For the time being we have decided to take advantage of a 7 day mooring in Thrupp and get in some towpath trading over the bank holiday weekend. Thrupp is, of course, a lovely little village and is endowed with good boaters facilities and a couple of decent pubs. However, it does lack a boatyard for diesel, but as luck would have it Dusty came past on his fuel boat and allowed us to refill the tank which will cover us till we are on the Grand Union in July. 

Dusty refuelling Muleless

But perhaps the best thing about the place is the boaters community and the slower pace lets us spend some quality time with Bones, Maffi plus Della and Gary from Muleless who are moored just in front of if. In fact, the weekend is almost a replay of our last visit to Thrupp three years ago when the sun shone and towpath BBQ's took place, but this time minus Doug and James who are up in Manchester.

The Thrupp gang on the towpath (photo from Della)

The plan is to be in the Thrupp / Oxford / Abingdon area for the next couple of weeks and move down the Thames when Helen has attended a hospital appointment back in Brum, just before the election.