06-08 Eynsham on the River Thames

Saturday 6th June: Although bright with sunshine the wind was quite strong today and it did try to rain before we set off.  However we decided to risk it and de-moored heading through Halfpenny Bridge to wind outside the Riverside Inn and then head back to St Johns Lock.  Not an easy lock landing as it is on an exposed bend and requires a sharp turn away from the weir but we made it!  Despite the wind we made good progress and we saw a few more boats on the move today being Saturday but never enough to hold us up at the locks.

We decided to moor just after Radcot bridge

and not too far from where we moored on the way up river.  After lunch we took the dogs for a long walk back up river along the Thames path and back stopping off at The Swan for refreshment where we sat by the river opposite a campsite slowly filling up with VW camper vans.

Too windy to sit out for long and so we didn't get the seats out today.

Sunday 7th June:  Set off this morning in sunshine and only a gentle breeze.  Through Radcot Lock and onwards down river with very little traffic on the move. Spotted an almost empty pub mooring at the Tadpole Inn just before midday and moored up next to nb Hermonie.  The chap on board reckoned they opened at midday and did very good lunches.  However when I went to check I was told they were fully booked so we decided to move on.  Disappointing as on our trip up river the mooring and been full of small boats.   We ended up mooring near Newbridge on same mooring we used heading up river.

After a spot of lunch we decided it was too hot(!) to go far and got the seats out by the boat.  Being a Sunday the Thames path was quite busy and we had a steady procession of walkers passing during the afternoon.  Once it had quietened down and cooled a little (after 7pm) I took the dogs for a walk down the meadow about a mile or so to the footbridge while Bridie prepared dinner.

Monday 8th June: Another dry sunny day with a breeze steadily turning into an annoyingly cold wind.   Had a pleasant enough cruise down river though and might have stopped on the 24 hour moorings just above Pinkhill lock but they were busy with strimmers cutting the grass so carried on and moored just below Eynsham Lock on the same 24hr lock mooring we used heading up river having filled up with water first above the lock.  Had lunch and then walked into Eynsham for a Co-op shop.  Managed to navigate our way round the village and found it has at least 3 more pubs than we spotted last time as well as an Indian Restaurant! Once back at PO with food stored we took the dogs and walked down river this time through woods featured in Inspector Morse series on TV and then back out on an open meadow again -part of the FAI farm - http://farminspirationtrust.org/fit/our-farm/