Rediscovery Cruise: Day 15

We woke to another sunny day, and set off at 8.30 with the sun behind Windsor Castle.

Romney Lock was on self service, and by the time Adrian had filled it two cruisers had turned up.  It’s a big lock, and we all fitted with room to spare.  Windsor Home Park is bookended by Victoria Bridge and Albert Bridge.  The two cruisers had sped past us, but we they were still waiting for Old Windsor Lock to fill when we got there.  This guy was directing traffic below the lock.

We went past Runnymede, where we’ve enjoyed the moorings on previous visits (while the last time we did the upper and middle Thames was way back in 2011, we did this lower section in 2014).  After Bell Weir Lock we went under the M25, which always feels more significant than it is.  The lock keeper there didn’t want to sell us an extra couple of days on our licence.

The riverside at Staines is quite attractive.  There are also decent moorings if you need them.

At Penton Hook Lock, the lockie was on his phone the whole time, so we couldn’t ask him about the licence either.  Chertsey Lock was on self service, so Adrian went to push the buttons, and ended up bringing up five boats.

We wanted water, and the water point is below the lock.  A widebeam who was already there said he’d be ten minutes or so, so we drifted about in the weir stream while he finished up.  It has to be said that once his tank was full, he didn’t make much of an effort to get his boat out of the way quickly.  We eventually got onto the water point, which is a bit on the short side for a narrowboat, so half the boat was hanging off the end.  Chertsey Bridge is immediately below the lock.

We started the washing machine while the tank filled, and then carried on to Shepperton.  There are a few places to moor here, and all had space, so we’re immediately above the lock, by the Thames Court pub (where we have a table booked for later).  We arrived about 2, and one of Adrian’s former colleagues, Tessa, came to see us as she lives nearby.  She brought three month old Thea with her, and we sat outside in the sunshine chatting and watching a steady stream of boats to and from the lock.  Later in the afternoon I re-set the loo as there’s a handy sanitary station at the lock.

14 miles, 5 locks.  (217 miles, 107 locks)