Drunken meanderings to Radcot

We might as well have been! From Rushey Lock the next 1½ miles upstream winds and loops aimlessly across the valley floor. Looking back we often saw Rock’n’Roll appearing in the middle of a field and heading in an entirely different direction!

Looking back, WE'RE going from left to right….

Just occasionally there are channel markers, but to be frank they’re pretty redundant.

Now do we pass a red can to the left or the right when going upstream? Doh!

It was, unsurprisingly, raining again today. The cows and their youngsters were unimpressed….

“It’s not like this in Jersey…”

Even the swans were keeping their heads down.

The tortuous bends finish at Old Man’s Bridge, a footbridge carrying a path a few hundred yards above Radcot Lock

Old Man’s Bridge

Approaching Radcot Lock

We were attended to by a very jolly lock-keeper. He lives here at the lockside so he’s good reason to be. He’s also responsible for the gardens and takes the job seriously…

Lockside Topiary

The far one is due to be reshaped to resemble an Easter Island sculpture, but the job is on hold till the nesting chicks fledge.

We topped up with water above the lock, then headed on to Radcot Bridge where we intended to moor just below the bridge on the island opposite the Swan Inn. It was not to be; all those were private moorings, so I turned around (collecting a bit of a branch in the process), while George reversed past the footbridge over the original channel. I turned again so as to be facing upstream, and we both put pins in alongside the meadow.
It’s been christened Goose Poop Meadow, now.

Moored on Goose Poop Meadow





I’d not cleared away the results of my gardening trip at this point…

Both George and I are suffering from aching shoulders, it’s all these bends! And we’ve more of the same tomorrow around Buscot!



Locks 1, miles 2½