Day 154 and a miserable start, heavy rain so decided to wait for it to ease. Set off about 1200 and stopped at Goring to get a paper less than an hour later but then decided to stay as weather still quite cold and windy even if the sun was trying to come out. Even the herons and grebes looked fed up. Went for a short walk later in the afternoon. Forecast is better for tomorrow so hope to catch up a bit then. Lot of bits of tree in the river, presumably after the windy weather over the last few days.

Day 155 and what a difference a day makes, bright sunshine and a touch if mist near the mooring. Started off just before nine so had to start the lock on our own but the lockkeeper went on duty whilst we were going through the lock so didn’t have to close up after leaving. Still a bit on the chilly side but lovely. River fairly quiet but more traffic than the last two days. Chased a kingfisher up the river for some time and saw a Red Kite acting like a fish eagle, dipping into the water and coming up with something in its talons. Hoped to moor just above Day’s lock near Dorchester (the Oxfordshire one, we haven’t managed to move the Thames to Dorset) but couldn’t see the moorings marked on our guide, well not anything that looked better than any other riverside mooring. Finally ended up just upstream of Clifton Hampden bridge; a nice view of the bridge and church beyond and a small herd of young cattle as neighbours – J frightened them when she did the brave leap onto the tow path. Lovely mooring we have bees visiting the Michaelmas daisies just outside the mid saloon window, small fish investigating the debris floating past and Red Kites flying overhead.