The Thames, Windsor to Reading, Part 3

Onwards to Maidenhead....

Monday 3rd June 2013

Towards Bray and Maidenhead there was some amazing houses and hotels, beautiful gardens back on to the river. 

 This was a stunning place, to posh to stop here for lunch I think!

 Our summer residence!

 Our spring residence

 ...and a spare if any visitors want to stay!

Under the beautiful bridge of Maidenhead, and through Boulters Lock and we were in the beautiful 300 year old forest of Cliveden

The wooded banks dominate the river here, islands spring up around several corners, covered in trees, not really sure which way to go!

It was 11.30am and had just got through Cookham lock. Its much quieter at the locks today, thank goodness, and the sun was amazing today. 

Cookham lunch stop

We pulled over on the 24 hr moorings and had lunch and another brilliant meadowed walk for Jack. The mooring was free between 10.00pm & 2.00pm, so by 1.30pm we were off on our way again. 

 We see some amazing sights, look at the pink house in the woods here!

 Placcy boats line up on an overnight mooring... no narrow boats!

Mr Softy..... on the river 

Three hours later we'd gone through Marlow lock, Temple lock and Hurley lock and we wanted to stop before Henley as the moorings in Henley were £8 a night and not very nice!

There was a lovely meadow, £6 a night, so we found a great spot and set up camp. Sheep grazed the meadow, all public right of way, Jack was great ignoring the sheep, only having sneaky little glances now and again! We ate pizza on the meadow in the sunshine and walked for ages in the evening.

Tuesday we were keen to get going again, mainly cos its a beautiful day, but also to get away before the farmer comes to collect his £6! We give Jack another great walk and by 8.30 were off, bit windy again today. 

 Beautiful houses on the approach to Henley wides

 Huge wavey river on our way into Henley

Through one lock with no lock keeper ( first so far) and on our way up the wide open straight section that takes you to Henley. Lots of huge houses, big placcy white and blue boats, the channel I have to take is coned off, power boats to the right, rowers on the left. under the biggest arch of Henley Bridge and out to the next two locks close together. the rivers still huge, wind making small waves on the surface. 

 Going under Henley Bridge, with Tesco truck for a taste of reality!

Leaving Henley Bridge, its a rare empty river. 

Probably because its a week day, and its early! 

We decide to stop in Sonning even tho we went past the first moorings, it was £20 a night!
We go under the bridge and into Sonning Lock, again with huge placcy boats!

Approaching Sonning Bridge

We get to the 24 hr moorings there above the lock and were free! And there was space!

My lovely friend Amanda came to see us with Wilson, her faithful friend. We had a great catch up and went for a lovely walk over the Thames Valley meadows with the dogs. 

 Stopping for a rest

After a crap decision to move the boat and find what looked like a better mooring, unfortunately it turned out to be too shallow so we headed back to our original spot in Sonning for the night.
The next day was Wednesday, and we headed for Tescos in Reading to stock up with goodies. This was another of my old moorings, the Thames & Kennet Marina and outside Tescos. We pulled up at the tree lined towpath, and within an hour we were back on the boat, looking at the view out the side hatch!

View from the side hatch outside Tescos in Reading

After shopping we headed off to the entrance of the Kennet & Avon canal which is right by Tescos. 

So we turned in, off the flowing wide river and back onto the canal, or so we thought ........

Leaving the Thames, onward up the Kennet & Avon Canal!!

The Thames, Waltham on Thames to Windsor, Part 2

Leaving Waltham on Thames 

Friday 31st May 2013

So we set off at lunch time and did 4 locks and 8 miles. We went past the River Wey turn off (we had decided not to do the river wey for several reasons, one being the cost, another being the weather), into Chertsey lock, and through Staines and Egham. 

... beautiful countryside as we cruise off

... waiting at Chertsey Lock landing stage, Chertsey bridge in the distance

... Jack jumps at the opportunity to stretch his legs... he cant get out at the Thames Locks!

... going under the M3

... white placcy boats bomb about .... entering Staines, and the low flying aeroplane zone

.... strange houses line the river

... and we go under the M4 bridge and wave to the people stuck in stationery traffic above

We finally found a lovely spot to stop for the night right on the edge of Runnymede meadows! 

 and the placcy white boats look down on us ... but we're happy!

 ... and watched the sun setting over the horizon... we walked the meadows of Runnymede

Amazing place. Another one of those free for the first night and a fiver for up to two nights after that, £50 a day after that!
Huge white boats out for the weekend, knobs look down on us as they sip their gin. Were so happy!
We walked round the parkland with Jack, stopping for ice cream, Jack has another swim in the Thames, the suns shining now, its hot for him.
On Saturday we discover the meadows and woods and open fields and meadows, its a walkers paradise, and Jacks! Hes having the most amazing time!

 ... we found the beautiful streams

... and woodlands

after a couple of hours, we've got one knackered Jack!

The mooring spot's great, quiet, except for the low flying aeroplanes every minute! very loud. very low. You can even read the writing on the sides of them!

As its a lovely place to stop, we stay another day. The weather is forecast for strong winds, cold cloudy day. Don't really want to be in the big wide Thames on a day like that!

 ... so we made it to the top of the hill.. looking down on Heathrow

 ... phew... time for a rest

After another amazing walk when we climbed a huge hill and looked down on London, we could see for miles! There's a PEACE camp at the top, just a load of hippies living off the land! At home we get Jack in the shower. He needs another hair cut, so for the rest of the day we pamper our pooch! He looks very handsome now, little bit better than the first time I did it! more lovely walks, and we sit out in the sunshine now, enjoying the sunset till its dark.

On Sunday we set off in the beautiful sunshine, not a drop of wind, the river's as calm as a mill pond

 ... the river's so calm its like a lake

... Crown Estates, Windsor Castle in the distance

... a flotilla of dragon boats, placcy boats, huge trip boats all over the place!

Our days cruising takes us past the Crown Estates of Windsor, past Windsor castle, weaving through the chaos of the dragon boats, the day hire boats, huge trip boats and the plastic gin palaces that tower over all their subjects. 

... waiting for our turn at the Lock, plastic and dragons every where, trip boats too!

We get into Bovney lock, full of plastic and dragons and us, 17 tons of steel!

At the top of the lock we decided to pull over for lunch. Eaton Wick is the nearest town. As we slowed down to moor up, I noticed the boat behind had a very familiar name. 

Amazingly it was an old mate of mine, Peter, on his narrow boat Corrie D'or, who i used to moor up near at Uxbridge! I was actually mates with his wife who apparently ran off with a 'dirty stinking scrounging boater who took her for every penny, and she deserved it!'

After a good old chat and catchup we went looking for walks and found them! Again we'd got lucky and we had moored next to the olympic rowing lake! The fields were all public footpaths, lovely old meadows divided by streams and an electric fence that Jack found! He yelped! Poor boy!

Moored up at Eaton Wick, near Windsor

Back at the boat we set up the fishing umbrella for shade for Jack and we sat in the glorious sun. Lots and lots of large and very large boats bomb past, day hire boats, trip and party boats they just keep on coming, so busy here.

No aeroplane noise now, peaceful and quiet here. Lots of mayflies bopping up and down and then dying.

On Monday Peter was ready to go to Windsor shopping and we headed in the opposite direction, up stream in the beautiful sunshine, calm waters.

We leave for Maidenhead.... 

The Thames, Brentford to Waltham on Thames - Part 1

The Thames, Brentford to Waltham on Thames

Tuesday 28th May, 2013

Leaving the canal at Brentford

It was Tuesday 28th May, we set out on the tidal Thames 4.20pm, high tide was 6.00pm so it was a sprint to get to Teddington before the tide turned. With the rain threatening and wind, cloudy and cold it seemed such a big, big river, Happy Daze feels very small on this huge river.

There's a couple more narrow boats going along for the ride too, all heading upstream to Teddington Lock where it becomes semi tidal in spring tides, only moves up and down slightly at high tide.

The convoy of Narrow Boats go up towards Teddington

Going under Richmond Bridge

Looking back at Richmond on the Hill

Under Richmond bridge we spotted a boat coming speedily towards us. At second glance I noticed it was my old buddy Mark, he's the guy who replated Norfolk Lass ten years ago! I stayed in his boatyard for several weeks, his family became my friends! A few shouted words across the choppy river and he's off, and so are we towards Twickenham bridge, and past Eel Pie island (Marks place is here). 

Going under Twickenham Bridge

A boat crane at work at Eel Pie Island

About an hour after leaving Brentford we arrived at a very long but not deep Teddington Lock.

Licences checked, up in minutes and the sky's opened again. We pull over to the Teddington lock visitor moorings and decide to stay here the night. £8.50p later we'd paid for our space on the Thames for one night. 

After a quiet night (except for the huge weir opposite the boat,) we found a lovely walk for Jack.

Jack enjoying the commonlands at Teddington

Looking upstream at our journey to come on a beautiful (at the moment) morning

Looking back at our £8.50 mooring spot at Teddington Lock

We set off up the river, windy, drizzle and so cold now.

The river is huge, beautiful houses line the river, huge boats come towards us and overtake us. 

The shiney and glossy Hampton Court

 We go past the stunning Hampton Court and through a couple of manned locks, all happy lock keepers. well kept gardens.

Moseley Lock, quite large hey!

Houseboats line the banks of the islands ....

Massive house boats line the banks of all the islands, beautiful gardens all with professional gardeners I bet! And a few scruffy mini-towns pop up here and there! 

....And others just get in where they can!

The weather is rubbish, so in the rain we pull over to the 24 hour moorings in Waltham on Thames.

We pull over at the 24 hour moorings at Waltham on Thames

and Jack peeps out to see if its stopped raining!

Free for one night, £5 after that. As the weather is so cold and windy the next day we stay and decide to pay the £5 mooring fee if we get asked. (But no one came!)

We explore the town, the big posh Shepperton Marina opposite that had very little for narrow boats, only placcy gin palaces, and the walks and meadows around. we lit our fire and made the boat cosy, getting telly as well!

Going to bed that night with a headache, I woke up with the worst migraine I've ever had! I was going through hell in my head, Was really sick, felt horrid.

I slept most of the morning and by lunchtime was feeling muggy but the pain had subsided to a bearable dull ache. Its time to go.

Leaving Waltham on Thames........