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)

Home Counties Cruise: Day 13

We slept a bit later again today, and it was almost 9 before we set off.  We stopped after about 10 minutes at Cartbridge Wharf, to fill the water tank and start a wash load.  A while before we left, a little National Trust tug had passed, pushing a wide flat piled with stones.  When we got to Papercourt Lock, it was moored up, and the guys with it were just heading off over a field.

The majority of the locks were in our favour today.  At Pyrford Lock there's an elsan in a little shed, with a hand pump on the outside.  This apparently brings up river water for rinsing -- but I couldn't get anything out of it at all.

As we passed a field of steers, one of them seemed to be in a very bad mood.  It chased a swan, which of course just took to the river.  A dog walker seemed a bit concerned it might take against her black labrador.  In one pound I was surprised that a heron stayed exactly where he was as we approached; they normally take off and land just in front of the boat.  Then as I passed, it caught a fish.

Just before Parvis Bridge is a little boat yard which is rather attractive.  The other side of the bridge is the Byfleet Boat Club; a man there said he'd been told by Kathryn from Stoke Bruerne to ask me something -- but couldn't remember what it was!

Just before New Haw Lock, three swans took off and headed towards us, before landing again.

We stopped for lunch just below Town Lock in Weybridge, partly because we knew the lock keeper at Thames Lock would be on his lunch break.  As we were getting ready to set off again, a towpath walker stopped to talk; he complemented us on the boat, saying it was very subtle.  He said it didn't scream 'look at me I'm retired', or 'look at me, I haven't got a job'!

Just before Thames Lock is a block of rather attractive flats.  We particularly liked the long balcony on the top floor.

At Thames Lock we could go straight in.  It's a two stage process, as outside the lock is another pound of varying water levels, to ensure boats can get over the cill of the lock.  Once in that pound, more paddles have to be raised, and another big gate opened.  One of the lock keepers commented that the Thames seems very low at the moment.

As we've got a few days in hand, we've decided to spend the weekend on the Thames.  So we turned left straight into Shepperton Lock, which was open and ready.  I said to the lock keeper that we needed to buy a licence, so he said to tie up the boat and go to his office to do the paperwork while the lock filled.  We bought a week, which isn't much more than a daily licence.  Next to the lock is a cafe, and as the sun was now out, there were plenty of people enjoying tea and cake.

We moored for the day a little further along on Sheperton.  It's been really hot this afternoon, and various people have talked to us as they sat on the bench alongside the boat.  We've been busy, washing the roof and the towpath side of the boat, both of which were very dusty after such dry weather.

10 miles, 8 locks.  (155 miles, 108 locks)