Cruising the Thames Ring

245 miles – 175 locks – 115 hours of cruising  (Three weeks)

“For sheer variety of cruising experience, this ambitious, three waterway circuit is difficult to beat”

Starting at TWYFORD WHARF head up to Banbury and through the delightful village of Cropredy to Braunston Junction.  Down the wide Grand Union Canal to Stoke Bruerne and its Waterways Museum.

The canal continues in rolling countryside with few locks to Milton Keynes new town, then through the Chiltern Hills to meet the River Thames at Brentford Lock in west London.

The Paddington Arm leaves shortly before, and forms part of the London Ring through central London, Little Venice and Camden Lock.

At Brentford a short tidal section of the River Thames leads to Teddington Lock and keeper controlled locks for the section to Oxford (licence fee payable). The Thames goes past Hampton Court, Windsor Castle, Henley on Thames, and Wallingford to reach Oxford, with its historic University, ‘dreaming spires’, and Inspector Morse locations.

Joining the South Oxford Canal, noted for its scenery, lift bridges, and narrow locks, the meandering route passes through Oxford and  picturesque villages such as Thrupp and Ahyno (The Great Western Pub – best on the ring to eat!) returning back to Twyford Wharf