Down the river to Dorchester on Thames

 After a day's rest we were ready to move on to the next interesting town/village, Dorchester on Thames (not to be confused with the one in Dorset). 

In Culham Cut

We left Abingdon at 9:45 and two miles later we reached Culham Lock which is approached through Culham Cut,  a narrow channel off the main river, the latter drops over a weir. When we arived at the lock the gates had already been  opened by the lock-keeper ready for us to enter.  There we were joined by a small launch. 

Waiting to enter Clifton Lock

After we left Culham Lock Denise saw a kingfisher, her third one of this holiday.  I missed on all of them.  3 miles further on came Clifton Lock, also manned.  We had to wait while a large cruiser exited the lock. We then entered joined by a small cruiser along side and  larger one behind us both. When the lock had emptied and the gates opened the small cruiser left first and we followed. The lock keepers take great care to ensure that heavy narrow boats don't bang into the more fragile glass fibre boats.

Moored near Dorchester

Another 3 miles further on at 12:45 we found a mooring in a small gap in the tree-lined riverside not too far from Dorchester, about half a mile inland from the river.  It looked at first that there would be insufficient room but it turned out that some of the rough shrubbery and long grass was actually hiding a solid bank which could securely hold our mooring spikes.  The land-owner charges moorers, but given the lack of moorings on the Thames we were happy to pay the £15 for two nights.

Daily travel details

Distance: 7.92 miles
Locks: 2
Duration: 3 hours