Abingdon to Wallingford
June 2017
We paid the Abingdon Craft Fair a visit before we set off, perusing the offerings available. I was invited to try a sample of Abingdon Bridge IPA by the Loose Cannon Brewing Company and I was so impressed I asked for four cans / bottles. Irritatingly I was told it was only available as part of two beers and a glass in a presentation pack, unless I went to the brewery itself. This is so frustrating - offering a sample of something they cant sell on the spot!
Abingdon craft market
Then it was off down the river and coping with wind gusting over 35mph. If we are moving the wind isn't too much of a problem but it does make slow moves a tad tricky.
Abingdon
Puff the Dragon - a minature Clyde Puffer
And that wasn't the only issue with the wind. Mrs T decided to get out her quilt stuff and rather unwisely left some sewn sections on the table in the cratch. I wondered what I saw floating past, but by the time she had realised they had gone and I had turned they had sunk without trace. I resumed my course only so see yet another square flutter into the water... talk about a slow learner! Once again I turned round and this time managed to rescue it, but then found myself blown onto a lee shore and only escaped after wrenching half of Oxfordshire into the butty.
We plodded on, crabbing along the reaches with the worst cross winds and generally being the slowest boat on the river. Then the time cane to stop and we hoped to moor up in Benson. Sadly there were no bankside moorings at all so we passed through Benson Lock where a kindly lock keeper suggested we stop and harvest her gooseberries. 15 minutes and 2.4 kg of fruit later we set off for Wallingford and a reasonable field mooring on the downstream side of the bridge.
Thames gun emplacement
Wallingford is a nice and ancient little town with a pretty market place, a Waitrose and a whole host of Indian restaurants. However, we were hungry and settled on fish and chips which were just a 5 minute walk from our mooring.
Wallingford
2 comments:
We have often used the mooring at the weir side at the top of Benson lock, costs £6 per night (last time we used it 2 years ago) but you get electric & water. Have to book to be sure of a space, talk to the lock keeper.
Hi Alf. The lock keeper did offer us a spot in the place you indicated but by then we were already half way down and fish and chips in Wallingford were calling!
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