Of seasonal bumping and 17th century hospitality

Well the mighty bus had its first run out of the year and what a grand occasion it turned out to be, Destination was Oxford, so quintessentially English and a damn fine place to boot.

Parking up at a delightful little site cossetted behind a 'Go Outdoors' (very useful for sourcing materials if teething problems encountered - they weren't I am happy to say). We donned formal attire and the ladies posh frocks and in good cheer we sallied forth to dine in the hallowed halls of Wadham College.
1610 the College has stood from and  I am sure it will be there for another 500 years. Goats cheese starter followed by Rib eyed steak and lemon syllabub - damn good honest fare. Wine flowed and conversation crackled and hummed among the mighty buttresses holding aloft the fabulously ornate ceiling.

No one would have been surprised for the lighting to be floating candles and Dumbledore to be holding court at the top table.... 10 points for Gryffindor!

.. fine hospitality, fine company and 17 century grandeur

Walking around the college and its grounds, it was a privilige to think that we were treading the same paths as the likes of Sir Christopher Wren and other great acedemics, philosophers, politicians, judges, engineers, chemists and so on ..


A fabulous and inspiring place, steeped in history and tradition but refreshingly pompous free.



It was then off to sample cocktails at local hostelries - ably identified and recommended by C Bishop Esq. who had kindly extended the gracious invitation to attend dinner at his place of study.

A particularly fine establishment was found - a former grand church curiously named FREUD and there we stayed into the early hours .... sore heads and a slow start in the morning!

...very nice Libations - I heartily recommend the 'Noah Constrictor'

So what of the seasonal bumping I hear you say ... well dear reader, it relates to the final day of the Oxford Rowing  Summer Eights. I doubt you have heard of it so here are the basics;

Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity Term. Men's and women's coxed eights compete in separate divisions for their colleges, with some colleges entering as many as five crews for each sex. 

The racing takes place on the Isis, a length of the River Thames, which is generally too narrow for side by side racing. For each division, thirteen boats line up at the downstream end of the stretch, each cox holding onto a rope attached to the bank, leaving around 1.5 boat lengths between each boat. The start of racing is signalled by the firing of a cannon, each crew attempting to progress up their division by bumping the boat in front, while avoiding being bumped by the boat behind. Once a bump has taken place, both of the crews involved stop racing and move to the side to allow the rest of the division to pass. It is possible to 'over bump' if the 2 crews in front of your boat bump (and so drop out) and your boat can catch the boat that was in front of them. They then swap places for the next day's racing, whether that be the calendar day or the first day of racing in the next year's competition.

The ultimate aim of a crew is to become "Head of the River" (top of the first division) and stay there. This entitles the winning crew to commission trophy oars in their college colours with the names and weights of the successful crew on them — commonly called 'winning blades'. As this is only possible for crews already near the top of division one, another way to win blades is to bump on each day of the competition.

Suffice to say we enjoyed a languid and sumptious afternoon picnic whilst lazing on the balmy banks of the Thames admist the great and the good of the Oxford populace; royally entertained by the very serious business of large rowing boats filled with strong humans playing dodgems on the Thames (sorry...the Isis!).

The icing on the cake being Wadham ladies Division 1 boat laying waste to one and all and being crowned 'Head of the River'. A feat last achieved in 1975 when the first ladies only division was established.

The evening saw us adjourn to a quaint lebanese eating house boasting spicy fare and a much appreciated warm welcome. The mighty Bish sampled a traditional Lebanese brew which was slightly better when imbibed with the food but he only ordered the one and then we tackled a decent Malbec with whiskey chasers upon returning to the bus where we swapped ebullient stories and thoughts into the wee hours!!!

So the bus is back and next stop our spritual home and annual pilgrimage ....

All is good in the Fun Bus House.