Haddons Lift Bridge, Oxford Canal

River on the right and weir on the left. Safe moorings before the bridge.



Well, they were Australian!

The plan was to stop when we got to NB Acres and the pig farm. But when we got there there were no moorings left. So we backed up and moored on the pilings.

The canal is really busy. Lots of boats and a long wait to get through Nell Bridge Lock - three boats in front and 4 coming down.

Another photograph of boats. I love being able to chose the colours of the card from the boat liveries.

This one began with a green base card. I matted the photo with silver, blue and more silver card and stuck some blue twill tape across the bottom quarter of the card, stick the photo over with sticky fixers. The three blue gems were then added to the top right hand corner. They don't look wonky in real life!

Lower Heyford, Oxford Canal

Found yet another loose boat. It was an old one with a big high bow and the bank was horrid, so sorry, but we left it hanging by a thread from the stern rope. I'm not falling in the cut because someone can't secure their boat properly before they leave it.

Thrupp, as usual was very busy. We have not tried to moor up here overnight for several years. The good news is that the bridge is now electrified and it was working. Having been reading Maffy's blog recently it seems to be very hit and miss.

We came across the usual problems today, low pound, tree stuck through lock gate needing to be sawn off, idiot boaters. It was with relief that we moored up in Lower Heyford for the rest of the day.

Boats on the Oxford canal. The picture was matted onto silver, yellow and blue card.

I Cuttlebugged the red card and matted that onto blue card then wrapped some blue and white stripy ribbon around the bottom before sticking it onto a white base card. The photograph was then added with sticky fixers.

Kidlington Green Lock, Oxford Canal

Great fun leaving the mooring this morning. We were quite aground!

Instead of going into Oxford via Isis Lock as we usually do, we took the longer route via Dukes Cut. The difference in the river above Iffley Lock is quite marked. It gets really rural and the huge flood meadows are full of cows, horses and proper geese.

Then it was back onto the canal and winding locks and lifting bridges.

One of my "Big Wishes" cards. I love these. I put a piece of yellow handmade paper onto the white base card then added the decoupaged lady and the sentiment.

Abingdon, River Thames

One of the vintage beauties cruising down the river. This one is Sabrina.

We began locking at 0700 when the electricity comes on at the locks and, again, almost got through Days Lock before the Lockie took over. They don't like you using the locks by yourselves do they?

The weather was a bit better and eventually the sun came out, but it was a slightly tedious trip up to Abingdon. The moorings were packed and we just managed to squeeze in on to the end of the bank with one ring at the front and one in the middle and the back tied on a spike.

Then at 5 o'clock the Swan Uppers caught us up again and the skiffs went and touched the bridge and the men all stood and drank a toast to The Queen. Then it was all over for another year.

This is Her Majesty's Swan Marker. Quite a uniform.

The toast to The Queen.

For some reason I had to make this card again
for publication in a magazine and I had already sent the original away. So this is the other one made like the last one, but with a different colourway.

Goring, River Thames

A dull, grey start to the day and it was through Blakes Lock and onto the Thames by 0630. We managed Caversham, Mapledurham and almost Whitchurch locks without lockie help, so we had to stop and buy a 3-day licence from him.

By this time it was raining, but we were moored up below Goring lock by 1015.

Later, in the afternoon, we were visited by Anne and Bob from Amber Moon and while we were still on the boat the Swan Uppers came past.

This is a tradition that has been going on since the 12th Century. The Swan Uppers consist of the Queen's Swan Keeper (in a red jacket and white had in the far boat) and representatives of the Vintners' Company and Dyer's Company (why?) (in navy) plus assorted rowers and followers-on with liquid refreshments.

They row up river from Sunbury to Abingdon and catch the swans to ring them. Though the swans must have known they were coming because they all scarpered before their arrival.

After all that excitement we went to The Miller of Mansfield for a meal. After a shaky start when we were ignored for a bit; then the barmaid couldn't get the order for drinks right (Bob had to remind her 4 times!); and then there were no tables for 4 so we had to move the furniture around; the food was surprisingly good.


A card that I actually stamped, embossed and painted. I stamped the figure 3 times and coloured it with watercolour paints and then cut it out decoupaged it in three layers. I added crystal glaze to the raindrops and puddle to make them sparkle.

I used scalloped scissors to cut out the base and matted it onto blue and pink card, adding 2 brads to the top corners. The panel was stuck down with double-sided tape. Some pink ribbon was then stuck across the card and bottom of the panel and tied in a knot.

I printed out the sentiment on the computer and matted it onto pink and then blue card and tied some more pink ribbon around one end before sticking that onto the card with double-sided tape.

Reading, River Kennet

We have something living in and eating our plank!!!

An early start today as we wanted to try and get to Reading in one go. There were lots more boats about, all going towards Newbury, maybe going to the water festival there next weekend.

We reached Theale and David asked if I wanted to stop. I wasn't tired, so said to go on. 1 swing bridge and 1 lock later I wished we had.

After the dredded Fobney Lock (which was almost a pussycat today) we were confronted with Duke and Dutchess breached up coming in the opposite direction (on a blind bend of course).

Still we were on the Reading moorings at 1pm and then it was back to bed to get over the 12 locks, 6 swing bridges and 1 lift bridge. Do the bridges count if they are electrified?

A card with a picture taken on our way up last month. Mr David is just about to enter the lock and the two boats coming from the lock are travelling towards the lift bridge at Aldermaston.

I matted the picture onto gold, yellow and lime green card.

The card blank was white and I added a yellow strip of card which I Cuttlebugged and wrapped some lime green ribbon around it, tying it in a knot.

To finish off I added 3 cardboard circles which I covered with Diamond Glaze to make them shiny and slightly raised.

Woolhampton, Kennet and Avon Canal

Left Newbury quite late so that we could say goodbye to Geoff and Bev and thank them for their hospitality.

There was work going on in the pound between Widmead and Monkey Marsh locks - you can see where the water went when we came past on our way to Bath.

Thankfully there was lots of water there today.

It was quite an uneventful trip to Woolhampton and we were moored up by noon.

A picture of a pretty watering an full of flowers on top of a boat. The photo is matted with silver and pink card, the pink card decorated with scalloped edged scissors.

A narrow card strip which I Cuttlebugged with dots is placed on the left hand side and the photograph added with sticky fixers.

A large pink "gem" is then added to the bottom, right hand corner.