Our last two days cruising the canal were
splendid. There was no more grating sounds of ice breaking and the sun
continued to shine on us. I was so grateful to have the tranquility of the
canal return as my last memory of this incredible adventure.
Because the ice conditions no longer
existed, we saw several boats cruising. We were used to being the only ones in
motion for over a week so seeing an approaching boat gave us a start. Kayakers
were everywhere on Sunday. It seemed that the canal was suddenly brought back
to life with the great thaw.
The locks on this section of the Oxford
Canal are in a bad state. They were tough ones, and you could easily see the
need for repair and replacement of gates and paddles. Near one of the locks
there was a gentleman with 3 children magnet fishing. I asked several times
what they had pulled up from the canal but never got an answer.
They were quite curious about the workings of the lock and watched as we operated it. The little girl kept getting way too close to the edge and would scurry across the gates. Made me a bit nervous. I asked her to help me with opening the gates so I could keep her close, and she was beaming. She didn’t want us to leave.
We easily made it through the notorious Nell Lock where we barely squeezed under the bridge when starting our trip. The flood waters on the meadows had receded and all was right with the world.
Diane and Mike provided Mimosas for a Last Day on the Canal Toast
We wanted Mike and Diane to experience a
proper Pub Sunday Roast before leaving the UK. When I called the Brassnose in Aynho,
I was told there were no reservations available. We were so disappointed. After
we arrived we decided to walk up to the pub and at least have a drink. The sweet
barkeep tried to get us a table but the kitchen was closing.
She did wrangle some duck chips (fries with
shredded duck and gravy) and a couple of other “starters” for us and topped it
off with what else? Sticky Toffee Pudding! Absolutely delicious!
David managed to wrestle up some chicken and pasta Alfredo for our last supper aboard The Duke. Mike was able to get the 49er game on, and we watched the first half. The second half was disastrous for our team having gone through all four of their quarterbacks, but they at least were in the playoffs. We played some cribbage. Mike, who was nursing a duck “bite” on his finger which he suffered while feeding said duck, toughed it out, and we ended up two games ahead. I am sure a rematch is in our future.
While the men drove and worked the locks the
next day on the last stretch back to the home marina, Diane and I scrubbed and
packed. I was determined to make it outside for the last mile or so because it
was such a glorious day. The floor cleaning suffered, but we all have
priorities.
All tucked in at the Marina
We passed muster at the marina. David Dare spent a good deal of time talking with Diane on their boat. She and Mike are avid RVers so they know what makes motorized traveling comfortable and convenient. She shared her list of suggestions with him. We pointed out concerns we had, as well, but overall, The Duke served us well.
David Dare kindly gave us a lift to our
hotel in Oxford which was about a 20-minute drive. Our hotel’s lift was out of
service so lugging all our bags upstairs was a chore. Although the rooms were small, the location
was ideal for catching the bus and the breakfast was great. We even brought
wine, cheese and cribbage down to the breakfast room one evening with their
blessing. The manager was a student at one of the Oxford colleges.
The first day in Oxford was a bus ride to the stunning Blenheim Palace which is a country house in Woodstock. It is the home of the Dukes of Marlborough and is the only non-royal residence to hold the title of palace. It is famously known as the birthplace of Winston Churchill.
As the story goes, Mr. Churchill’s parents who were just married 7 months prior were attending a dinner party there when his mom went into labor. Winston was only 3 pounds at birth. The tour guide intimated that maybe there was some hanky panky before Winston’s parents were married and that she was actually 9 months pregnant, but a 3 pound baby at 7 months sounds about right.
We took a renovation and restoration tour
by a very knowledgeable woman whose facts and explanations were extensive.
Diane asked about the family lineage and the connection to the Churchills, and our
brains went into overload. I believe I understood that the Duke of Marlborough
at the time of Winston’s birth was his uncle and at one time Winston was in
line to inherit the palace but then a male cousin was born. There was a photo
displayed of the wedding of Winston and Clementine which was held at the palace
in 1908.
Tiny mice in period costumes were posed in all the rooms
I fell in love with the town of Woodstock.
It had such charm and vibrancy. David noted that there were at least five pubs
in town and of course, a butcher shop, a bakery, and a church. It seemed just
the right size for one to get a real feeling for village life in the UK. I imagined
David and I living in a small cottage on one of the side streets near the center
of town. Wouldn’t it be Lovely.
Woodstock
On the second day, we toured downtown Oxford. What a magnificent display of architecture and academic prowess. We love the energy in university cities and Oxford is the ultimate college town. We were surprised to find the Bodleian Library closed to visitors except for tours (our timing for a tour was bad). We only saw the exterior. The Botanical Gardens behind Trinity College were fun to stroll but wished we were there during the splendor of spring.
We spent a couple of hours viewing the
endless exhibits at the Ashmolean Museum of art and archaeology. There were
school children as well as college students on special tours throughout. I felt
overwhelmed by all the separate rooms packed with artifacts, China, silver,
silks, coins and art pieces.
While on our walkabout we came across a sign
pointing down an alley that said, “Turf Tavern…An Education in Intoxication”.
Two ladies walked out of the alley and encouraged us to explore.
The tavern was a delightful discovery. It
began in 1381 and today it is a popular hangout for students. Prime Ministers,
U.S. Presidents-to-be, actors and literary figures have all been patrons. We
spotted a sign which said, “This is the spot where student, Bill Clinton,
smoked weed but did not inhale.” Stephen Hawking, Richard Burton and C.S. Lewis
also enjoyed the local beers at the Tavern.
The biggest draw is the tavern’s connection with Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morris novels and the pub has been featured in some of the TV episodes. It is not an easy place to find nestled at the end of a narrow passageway. The best surprises are always hidden gems.
David had researched restaurants and chose a special one for our last night together in the UK. It was called No.1. We had a memorable dining experience that celebrated our time on the canals together perfectly. Good food, good wine, good fun, good friends making memories.
A good friend asked me what I missed the most while traveling and what surprised me the most. I answered by saying that I definitely missed my shower, flushing toilet, and spacious bed. I missed family, of course, especially at Christmas time. What surprised me was how physically challenging canal boating would be at times. I was also surprised that three months away from home was not as difficult as I anticipated. There was something new every day. Mike and Diane's arrival for our third month definitely energized us, and the fun they brought lifted our spirits. Dave and I always have traveled well together, but it was surprising that at this age, that still holds true. A little slower, a little grumpier. a bit more forgetful, but always ready for adventure.
And what was served to us on our almost
empty British Airways flight home?
Sticky Toffee Pudding, of course!
Final Stats:
Diesel 706 liters 1.43 liters burned per hour
miles 407
locks 305
bridges 1,166
engine hours 494
coal 19 sacks
We thank you for joining us on this once in
a lifetime canal adventure.
More from Oxford
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