Narrowboat Quaintrelle: Rude Intruders and Calling in on Rattie, Mole, Badger and Toad

Lovely mooring at Shiplake looking across the river at the big, posh houses.

We left our mooring at Osney Bridge in Oxford around 9.30am and on arriving at the lock shorty after saw NB Somerton was waiting to go down and were just sorting out their licence for the Thames. We splashed out on a Gold Licence this year which allows us to cruise on waterways managed by the Environment Agency as well as the Canal & River Trust. Mike worked out we needed to spend 33 days on the Thames to make it pay for itself until I reminded him that we’d already used it on the Nene and Great Ouse for a month, so it’s probably already paid for itself. Needless to say this put a smile on his face, getting on the Thames for free, or thereabouts. Somerton pulled out of the lock ahead of us but shortly after going under the railway bridge we noticed them being flagged down by a cyclist on the path, after which Mrs Somerton started faffing about with a mop. As we got closer, we could see the pigeon in the water, “It’s okay,” I shouted, “We’ll get it, we have experience…..” and so we fished our third pigeon of the season out. It was another young one, still with a few baby tufts of feather poking out from its adult plumage on its head, so I’m not sure if it was just learning to fly and had come off its roost on the bridge and into the water. Anyway, as it was a warm day I sat it on a towel on the front of the boat with some seed and it started to perk up.

Leaving Oxford, not so much a City of Dreaming Spires as Dreaming Cranes.....

As we were approaching the next lock, without Somerton in sight, I went to the front of the boat to do the front rope. The pigeon didn’t like me being there and shuffled over to the side. I turned away from it and went as far to my side as possible but we were no sooner in the lock and the daft thing tried to fly away but was still too wet and ended up in the water. I stepped off the boat onto the lockside, chastising the silly thing, fished it out again and was heading back to the boat with it in my net when the lockie offered to take it and dry it off in his wee office. I figured this would be better as they have a nice garden where it could learn to fly, instead of off a boat into the river again! As we left the lock Mike was giving instructions on giving it water – it needs to be a small but deep tub as they dip their whole beak in and suck up water the same way as we drink with our mouths. We continued on, still no sight of Somerton and we decided they must have decided to stop somewhere, or something had happened to them. We continued on to Abingdon mooring up in the same place we did two years ago, but this time it was sunny, not chucking it down with rain. We went for a wander and about an hour and a half later, we saw Somerton go past, continuing on.

Some of the most expensive boat services are on the Thames, pump outs usually around £15!!

Pretty waterfront at Abingdon

The start of the Amazing Homes along the Thames.

Wallingford was our next stop on Friday and as per usual it was packed with gin palaces – probably one of the boats that have wakened me at 7am this week (the earliest was 6.47am!!!) heading off early to get a mooring. We went through the bridge and saw a nice bit of meadow and pulled in – perfect. Except for the cows which seemed as keen on ropes as the ones at Eynsham……..

Yes, you can have the blue rope that belongs to the hire boat, but the black ones are poisonous!!!!

As we were drawing up our shopping list for Waitrose, I spotted Somerton heading back up the river, looking for a mooring spot. They attempted to get onto the meadow further up but it was too shallow, so Mike nipped up and said to come alongside us if they wanted. They were only stopping for some shopping as they were on a bit of a mission having gone as far as they could and turning back to get back to Barby Moorings, near Rugby, by the weekend. They asked after the pigeon, though they were a bit sore about it as they had ended up with a rope round their prop after they stopped, which took some time to remove and was why we lost them the previous day. We all headed to Waitrose together then after they’d left heading back upstream on our return, I went for a run and then we went in for a swim when I got back. We did a slightly longer day on Saturday, planning to get through Sonning, where we were popping in for a cuppa at Norman and Jen’s (the couple who own the boatyard at Weedon, where Quaintrelle was fitted out). The hot weather seemed to be on the way out and each day had been getting a little cooler, but it was still shorts weather, just accompanied by a long sleeve top rather than t-shirt!

Tasha!!! Whitchurch Bridge, for you! This year without the scaffolding coat it was wearing in 2014!!

There are some mighty big weirs on the Thames - wouldn't like to see them in flood :(

Yes, you're right, it's a post box!!! We were quite bemused by this as were Malcolm and Jill from The Earl. When we told Norman and Jen about it, turns out it's a joke (I really was wondering who posted there!!!) and was on Sonning Bridge for a while, until the council removed it - BORING!!! They were pleased it has been resurrected in another odd place as it brings a smile :)

Nice new footbridge at Reading

As we headed towards Sonning Lock, NB The Earl, that we had been leap-frogging with a bit since taking the Duke’s Cut onto the Upper Thames, pulled out and headed the same way, downstream. Sonning Lock was on self-service so Mike put us through. As we were ready to leave the lock the chap said, “You go first, we’re pulling in a mile downstream to see friends.” “So are we…..” Yes, we were all stopping off at Norman and Jen’s for a cuppa. The chap, Malcolm, is a long-time friend of Norman’s and was a boat-builder in his time. We spent a lovely hour or two on Norman and Jen’s lawn with tea and scones, getting to know Malcolm and Jill a bit better and enjoying their stories of many years’ boating. We then headed off boating for just another half hour or so before getting a lovely mooring at Shiplake, where we’d moored two years ago…….

The next morning was a short hop through Marsh Lock to Henley which we’d enjoyed previously and decided we’d spend a couple of nights there, despite the £10 charge to moor at the park. It was a sunny day and Henley was heaving, but we got a space no problem and set off for a walk round town as soon as we were moored up. An ice-cream and some shopping later we came back and relaxed on the boat. I went through to the bedroom to get my reading glasses and was most surprised to see a man standing on our front deck, lifting his child on!!! By the time I opened the doors to ask what the hell he thought he was doing he was settled on the seat getting ready for a picture!! “Sorry, sorry…. My son…..” “NO. NO. NO. This is my home, you have just walked onto my home, this is private property. This is like me walking into your garden and sitting on your patio!!! Get off!” I was so shocked! When we first got the boat I’d heard stories of this happening when you’re moored in a popular place for visitors, but I hadn’t seen it happen. What a bloody cheek!! Honestly….. Anyway, he got Mike’s wrath as well on his way back down the path, but bizarrely, I felt a bit shaken because basically someone had intruded uninvited into my home – totally harmless but not nice.

Then a bit later, just when we were about to have our tea, a woman stopped and asked about living on the boat. A lot of people are curious and I don’t mind chatting away to them, but after a few minutes she went into her life story of how she was just out of a relationship and how he was really quite inadequate but very good looking but told really rude inappropriate jokes…….. I couldn’t get away and was very relieved when Mike called tea time – nowt stranger than folks, definitely. Or maybe I just have a trusting face…….

Today, Monday, the weather broke and it’s cold and wet and Henley’s not as attractive without the sun. However, it was the first of the month, which means monthly checks, so Mike did the engine and I did the shower and water pumps. We then headed out to the River and Rowing Museum which was great, really interesting and full of good stuff. They have a wee Wind in the Willows exhibition which is just magical…. I was taken into the world of Rattie, Mole, Badger and Toad and I didn’t want to come out – it is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, so well done and it made me feel quite teary, taking me back to my dad giving me the book for my Christmas as a child. I will be looking more closely at the banks as we go along the Thames to see who I can spot! And we’ve been holed up keeping warm on the boat this evening, Mike giving me a strange look, “It’s not blog day!”, but I have been meaning to try and do it a bit more regularly so here you are!