To sup at Thrupp

To sup at Thrupp

July 2014

We have been monitoring the Chance blog for several days and they made their way up the Thames and we came south on the Oxford. Its over three years since we last met up and a passing was inevitable, it was just a matter of where. 

Above Lower Heyford

We both had timetables to keep and quickly decided that an evening together was out of the question so decided on Thurpp and a lunchtime venue taking in a meal at The Boat Inn with Maffi. Maffi did the honors and booked a table for 1.00pm and both crews altered their starting times to ensure a timely arrival.

Lunch at The Jolly Boatman

We had spent the previous day moving from Cropredy to Lower Heyford on a roasting day which included a first cilling of the butty. Entirely my fault and luckily no damage done beyond jumping the ellum out of its seating which proved easy to fix.

Powering down the Cherwell river section

So Tuesday involved an 8.00am start in the cool of the morning, making good progress south and enjoying our first taste of river motoring on the Cherwell. We opened her up to see what happened on the bends and to my surprise the butty followed tight in her straps and no sign of the dreaded oversteer.

 Friends reunited

Thrupp was reached at 12.30 and we soon met up with out lunch companions, tucking into some rather excellent fish and chips washed down with a couple of pints of thirst slaking IPA (nearly as good as my homebrew).  Then the plan was for us to move on the Jericho in Oxford but one thing led to another and one bottle led to the next. Word spread of the party at Chance and we were joined by Gary and Della from Muleless who we has passed earlier in the morning plus Andy and Richard from Carpe Diem.

We retire to Chance

The party spread onto the towpath and a bring and share meal was assembled in an expert fashion by Doug. Boats were shown off, the Jam Butty visited and all in all we had a great nine hour lunch!

...and then the bank

As for Oxford - it will still be there tomorrow.