Canal Boat Holiday Base Information - Base 33

Starting From Oxford
The base shares the facilities of a well-established boat builder and fitter, so there is always a bustling atmosphere at this yard. Easily reachable from London, it's the ideal place to take a short break.The Upper Thames between Eynsham and Lechlade is a quite rural stretch of river dotted with picturesque villages
All craft are licenced for the Thames, you would need to buy a visitor's licence if you wish to cruise the South Oxford or Kennet & Avon canals.

Available Routes
One week:
River Thames downstream: Take a gentle voyage down this great river. All the locks are picturesque and worked for you by lock-keepers. Spend time visiting some of the towns that front the river - Oxford, Abingdon, Henley-on-Thames (about 17 hours, so 34 hours in total there and back), Windsor. The number of cruising hours to Windsor will be about 23 hours and you need to remember that it takes longer to return upriver as you will be running against the river flow so allow a extra time for the return journey.

The quieter reaches: For a thoroughly relaxing time, cruise upriver to the head of navigation at Lechlade. (Cruising time, there and back about 14 hours).
A very different stretch from the lower river, you will wind through water meadows and will only pass hamlets until you reach journey's end. Then return past the base and head off through Oxford, Abingdon and down to Goring (from the hire base to Goring is about 14 hours), before returning.

Two weeks:
A gentle cruise: Take a very leisurely cruise of the whole river, all 124 navigable miles. Spend time enjoying the towns, sights and attractions of the Thames Valley.

Cruise to London's Waterways: Head down to Teddington, then onto the Tideway to Brentford where you join the Grand Union Canal to cruise right into Central London. Moor in Little Venice and you are 5 minutes' walk away from Warwick Road tube station and access to all of London's sights. It's a tight schedule for two weeks, so three might be better.

Thames and Wey: Head downriver to Shepperton Lock, then turn right into the secretive River Wey and Godalming Navigations. These National Trust waters need an extra licence which we'll refund for 2 week bookings. Cruise this small, attractive Surrey river to Guildford and on to Godalming before returning. If you have three weeks, you can also branch off the Wey onto the recently restored Basingstoke Canal, but do let us know as passage may have to be booked due to water shortages.

Kennet and Avon: Downriver to Reading, then turn into the River Kennet and into the world of the wonderful broad canal that links the Thames to Bath and Bristol. Set your own pace and don't plan to reach Bath or Bristol; there are too many interesting places to divert you. (Again, take three weeks if you want to do the whole canal to Bristol).

South Oxford Canal: One hour's cruise from base is the small and narrow waterway that links the Thames to the Midlands. Cruise through Cotswold scenery, past stone built villages and through a steady succession of easily-worked narrow locks. A truly wonderful cruise that we can't recommend highly enough. In two weeks you will have enough time to cruise onto other Midlands waterways.

Thames Ring: A really exciting mix of river, narrow canal and broad canal. Head down the Thames to Teddington, then cruise a short stretch of the Tideway and into the barge canals of London. There's time to make a detour along the Paddington Arm into Central London to allow a days sight-seeing. (stop at Little Venice visitor moorings and get to London's attractions via Warwick Road tube.) Cruise past London Zoo to Camden Lock before retracing your steps to the main line and a steady climb through the Chiltern Hills to Northamptonshire. Through Stoke Bruerne, with time to visit the Waterways Museum, before plunging into Blisworth Tunnel. Through the canal centre of Braunston before turning left onto the South Oxford Canal for a gentle run back through Cotswold countryside to the dreaming spires of Oxford.

Short breaks:
Lechlade: A gentle run through lovely water meadows to the head of the navigation. A real 'get away from it all' country break and so different from the bustle of the lower reaches of the river.

Oxford: Cruise through Oxford and on to Abingdon. Then head further downriver to Wallingford or maybe Goring before returning. Spend a night in Oxford if you want pubs and clubs.

Thrupp and Gibraltar: One hour's cruise from base is one of two entrances onto the South Oxford Canal. Join this picturesque waterway and cruise to the attractive village of Thrupp, where cottages and a pub face the water. Through the lift bridge and on to the River Cherwell for a short stretch before stopping for refreshment at The Rock. Turn the other side of the railway bridge before retracing your steps. Ignore the entrance you used from the Thames if time allows and cruise right through the back of the City, through Jericho (Inspector Morse..) and rejoin the Thames via Isis Lock before heading upriver back to base.

Additional Information
Boats from this base are licenced for the River Thames. There is an additional charge for cruising on the Canals when you set off from base 33.  Please contact our booking office to be advised of costs.

Parking is free of charge.