Windsor or Bust

A walk along the Desborough Cut with Anushka and Lola in the morning sunshine was a nice start to the day. There was constant traffic in the form of other dog walkers, runners and homicidal cyclists, and the river was filled with canoes and rowing crews. Once back at the boat, we set about scraping the grime off the boat and giving her a bit of a polish - we want her to look at her best on the Thames! While we were hard at work, an Environment Agency launch pulled alongside us. We assumed that we had been busted - we didn't have a Thames licence, intending to get one when we pulled into the nearby lock. So, I went up on deck and said I assumed that hey had come to discuss licences. No they said, they just wanted to use us to get ashore because they had come to fix anti seagull/fox/squirell defences to the nearby bins! Me and my big mouth! However, they ignored what I had said and we had a chat about their launch, and their narrowboat - they were a couple - what a nice job, cruising around with your wife/husband on a lovely shiny motor boat. We set off a bit after noon and headed into Shepperton lock where we purchased our Thames licence and took advantage of the provided facilities to empty the loo and dump our rubbish.



A dutch barge follows us into the lock

 

Lola wondering what swan tastes like



Having managed to obtain a propane tank yesterday, we needed a new quest! Today we were searching for a new 10m rope for the back of the boat, to avoid having to change the rope from side to side as we reach each lock. We tried at the chandlery and the boat sales place by Shepperton lock but no joy, but they recommended Penton Hook marina. So, we continued our journey towards Windsor. We had been assured yesterday by someone we met, that the trip from Shepperton to Windsor in a narrowboat would take about 2.5 hours, so we knew we had planty of time to wander along, stop at the marina and still be in good time to secure a mooring in Windsor.

Angela captured this fine shot of a low flying swan

We turned off the Thames just before Staines lock, and followed a backwater round to Penton Hook marina. Before we could get there, we ran aground and realised that the green buoy in the middle of the channel must have been marking the edge of shallow water! Thankfully we managed to scrape our way across the mud and eventually freed ourselves. We moored up at the visitor's pontoon behind a really cute small boat called a 'something' Sundowner - can't remember the first bit of the name! I then went off to the chandlery to get the rope. I returned empty handed. I could have got a suitable rope, but I would have had to pay about £50! So, we decided to re-configure our existing ropes and all is fine - quest over! We filled up with water on the pontoon, using a feeble hose with very little pressure which took ages. While we waited we chatted with a couple who arrived on another boat, and enjoyed the company of lots of wildfowl.

A procession of geese passed by

Parrots everywhere

A cute grebe

We gave up waiting for the tank to fill completely and set off again. It was shortly after this that we decided to check our position and estimate the time remaining to Windsor. Gasp! We had been given a bum steer and after travelling for a couple of hours, we still had about 3 hours to go! We went a bit faster until the engine temperature started to rise and so eased back again. It was a lovely late afternoon and so it wasn't all bad but we did start to wonder whether we would find any moorings left since it would be around 7pm when we reached Windsor.

Extraordinary wildlife on the banks of the Thames

By the time we reached Old Windsor lock, the keeper had gone for tea leaving us to operate the lock ourselves. Angela competently pressed an array of buttons on the two consoles and we were through without any bother.

Old Windsor lock

This lock keeper looks familiar

Eenie meenie miney mo

We did finally make it into Windsor and found a mooring in a backwater we knew of from a previous visit. It is very busy here with what appears to be a boat club gathering on the opposite bank with BBQs and gazebos etc. There is also some kind of asian celebration happening along the bank from us with clapping, chanting and drumming looking set to continue into the night. We didn't get a shot of tonight's mooring, but looking out of the window you can see:-

A hurricane (I think?)

Tomorrow we meet up with Jennie and Colin who are over from Spain, which should be fun.

On our Way, Leaving the Wey Way Behind

Another slow start today - it was just too beautiful where we were to rush off. We took the dogs out for a long walk along the towpath, stopping to chat to fishermen and other boaters before rerurning to Banjo for a very late breakfast. Everything put away, we weighed anchor (it was pretty heavy!), and set off downstream. 

Heading downstream

We passed Pyrford and a packed riverside pub in glorious sunshine. We did consider visiting the marina here again to see if they had any gas, but decided to press on and hope they would have some at Shepperton marina once we we were back on the Thames. After another couple of locks, we came to a boatyard called TLC at Parvis Wharf. Hopefully, we called out "do you have any 6kg propane tanks?" - the reply "yes"!! So, we backed up and swapped our empty tank for a nice full one. The people who run this yard and chandlery are Stuart and Julia and their enourmous greyhound Mr Jolly - all three are delightful, although Mr Jolly didn't even bother to get up off the cool floor in the chandlery.


Angela outside TLC - fine suppliers of gas 'n' stuff

We found a surprising number of locks set against us today. Although there were still a few boats heading for Guildford, there were clearly a number heading away too.

Fabulous converted mill

We reached Weybridge, and passed through the last lock we would have to operate for a week! The remaining lock on the Wey is operated by the keeper and then we are planning a week on the Thames where all locks are keeper operated. The stretch of river between Weybridge Town lock and Thames lock has many beautiful houses. Angela left Banjo with the dogs here, and walked to the final lock whilst I coasted along gawping at the houses.

A des res

Geese getting ready to launch their boat

I was re-united with Angela at the entrance to Thames Lock, and once everyone was back onboard, I set off to find the lock keeper amd return our borrowed windlasses.

Heading into the lock-keepers cottage with windlasses

As I may have mentioned on the way through here last time, the lock here is in two parts - the conventional lock, and the area (pound) immediately below which is used to equalise the levels between the Thames and The Wey. I found the lock keeper assisting a boat into the lower lock, after which, he opened up the main lock for us to enter.

Last look back at the River Wey

We then dropped down and swapped places with the other boat that was on the way up. The lower lock then emptied and we left the Wey behind. It has been a lovely trip down to Godalming and back on a really beautiful river - we hope to come again before too long.

We planned to head through Shepperton lock and moor on the Thames somewhere towards picturesque (not) Staines (attractive name too!). But, as we left the mouth of the Wey, we spotted a nice empty mooring spot on the Weybridge bank of a wide expanse of water. There are a couple of large islands here and the resulting waterways are a bit like Spaghetti Junction!

Tonight's mooring

Fine boat moored behind us and cheap flats beyond

On the opposite bank there is a large weir, with most of the water channeled through a small gap creating a torrent of water. Canoeists were practising on a slalom course that has been setup just below the weir in the white water.

Slalom canoeists

We took the dogs on a long walk along the river bank and around onto the Thames on what has turned out to be a lovely hot evening.

Angela and dogs about to pass through an arch with what appears to be a prison cell in the left side? 

It looks as though it is going to be hot for quite a while now, and as we head for bed tonight, the barometer is as high as we have seen it - how lucky are we?

Hot hot hot

Boats Everywhere

We decided that last night's mooring was the best yet. It was quiet, the view was beautiful and we had a great place to walk the dogs. We had a lazy start to the day, finally climbing out of bed at about 9:30. Once up though, we went on a long walk with the dogs, across the water meadows, initially in the company of a family with 2 greyhounds and a lurcher - dogs just like ours!


View back to Banjo across the water meadow



The dogs loved the long grass

We returned to the boat and set about doing the washing. Before we walked the dogs we turned on the central heating boiler to heat up the water, and it was piping hot as we filled up our little twin-tub. We hung the washing to dry under the cover on the front deck, and after breakfast, we cast off and headed into the middle of Guildford once more.

Preparations were underway for the water festival which takes place this weekend, and bunting and gazeebos were in evidence, as were increasing numbers of visiting boats. We stopped off again at Dapdune Wharf to lose the rubbish and refill the water tank. This was made a bit tricky since the wharf was full and a dredger was at work in the river, right in front of the wharf. We managed to turn around, just missing the dredger and then moored alongside a widebeam boat. Once the tank was full, we turnned around again, very narrowly missing the rudder of a historic barge and the dredger again.

Now that's a weed!!

As we cruised north, we passed increasing numbers of boats heading south to the festival. The good thing about this is that virtually all of the locks were set in our favour, meaning that we could go straight in without stopping to open gates.


Cute calves learning how water works

We decided to stop in Send, near where we moored for the night a few days ago, to let the dogs have a walk. The river here is very shallow, and as we neared the bank we ran aground. Getting 15 tons of boat off the bottom can be difficult and it took a while and the use of our long pole to drag ourselves free. We abandoned the walk - sorry dogs - deciding to stop instead at the next lock. As we set off again, we met another boat head-on as we approached a narrow bridge. We reversed back and almost became stuck on the bottom again, this time on the opposite bank. Off we went again, to the next lock where we met a guy on a bicycle who was holding a windlass. The lock was set against us this time, and he told us that two boats were approaching and could we wait for them. He was going ahead of the boats he was travelling with, to set the locks for them - Angela commented to him that she had never seen boats with outriders before! Angela and the dogs jumped ship at this point, setting off on foot for the next lock, with me trailing them from the river.

Angela, dogs and another water meadow

We stopped soon after this and tied up for the night beneath a large tree on the edge of the above meadow. We don't have a picture of the mooring tonight, but we do have this.....

Tonight's mooring from the inside!

.

The End of the Wey

We slept soundly in spite of being right in the middle of Guildford. It had rained overnight but the rain was long gone when we surfaced. We planned to meet up with Sam and my sister Sue at 12:30 on the river near Sam's office, which was only a short distance down the river. So, we set off for Guildford high street for breakfast and a bit of shopping. We enjoyed a coffee and danish in a cafe in Tunsgate and then headed for Sainsburys. Before we got there, Angela spotted a Joules store (a favourite brand), with a sale on, and so I followed her inside. We emerged a bit later, Angela with 1 item and me with 3 - ooops!

After gathering provisions in Sainsburys we returned to the boat and made ready to leave. The river upstream from Guildford skirts large water meadows and passes yet more beautiful houses. We arrived at St Catherine's lock near Sam's office and decided to go through the lock to moor the other side, because two cruisers were waiting to descend the lock. As we entered, the crew of the first cruiser came over to help. Whilst I climbed onto the front of Banjo to get the rope to secure us before the sluices were opened, the sluices were opened! The cruiser crew had not asked if we were ready and just went ahead, leaving us swinging about banging the far wall before I could get the rope across to Angela on the bank. Too many hands .....

We passed this cute brown calf near Shalford

Sam and Sue with Sam's friend Alison made it over to meet us, but the walk had taken longer than planned and Sam and Alison could only stop briefly before returning to work. It was good to see them and we enjoyed their sandwiches after they left!! Sue stayed with us as we set off upstream again for Godalming.


A horse drawn trip boat

As we approached a low bridge in Shalford, we suddenly realised that we were not going to get under it! We eased up to it and sure enough, the aerial mast at the front of the boat and the tubs of flowers would be casualties if we continued. So, we backed up and Angela held the boat in to the bank while I dismantled the mast and retrieved the flowers.

Not much room to spare under this bridge

Once clear we set off again and after another mile we reached the last lock on the river Wey, at Cattershall. Immediately after this lock we stopped and visited a friend of Sue's on his boat Baggins. A lovely boat and a Ray was a delightful man. We then travelled the remaining half mile to the end of the navigable river at Godalming Wharf. Here we were joined by Sue's son Joe and his daughter Juno.

Joe, Juno and Sue

Joe then took Sue back to collect her car from outside Sam's office, we we turned and headed back towards Guildford. Descending the locks is far less demanding than ascending, with no turbulent water to contend with. Also, we were moving faster, having the fast running river's current pushing us along rather than slowing us down.

Angela jumped ship at one lock, taking Anushka and Lola on a route march to the next lock whilst I chugged lazily along beside her. At the next lock we were re-united and covered the remaining short distance to the water meadows on the edge of Guildford where we are moored for the night.

Tonight's mooring

View from Banjo across meadows

Tomorrow we start the journey back up the Wey towards the Thames again.

Guildford, Guildford, Guildford

After a quiet night and walking the dogs up and down the towpath, we left Send and headed towards Guildford. We passed through some beautiful countryside with fields of poppies and water meadows, along with some desirable residences!

Cows enjoying their morning constitutional

The dogs seem to be getting more used to the boat now and spend most of their time snoozing on the back deck. However, today Lola started taking an interest in where we were going and stood staring out at the passing scenery

Can I steer now?

.More fierce locks, weirs all over the place and many sharp bends make this an interesting river to explore

Exiting a lock past yet another fabulous house

For a while a heron kept a short distance ahead of us, repeatedly taking off and then landing another 50 yards up the river. Eventually he soared away and disapeared over the A3

The cute heron expertly captured by Angela

We arranged to meet Sam, Jamie and Josh on the river outside B&Q in Guildford. We made it there a little before the appointed time, and so I went into the store in search of a new propane tank, but again, no joy. I returned to the boat to find SJ&J had arrived.

Sam, Jamie and Josh on Banjo

After showing them their cabin, going through the abandon ship routine and introducing them to the purser, we were ready to set off. (I may have exagerated this a bit). The river banks for some distance are scattered with lots of wooden sculptures, some weird, some beautiful and some very cleverly carved from complete trees

Amazing hand sculptures

We went through the centre of Guildford to Millmead lock where Sam dug out the bag of bread she had brought with her, and gleefully threw a handful onto the bank by the lock, recreating a scene from Hitchcock's The Birds

Birds appearing from all directions

We turned shortly after the lock and headed back in the direction of B&Q where S&J's car was. The trip back was very much like the earlier one, but backwards!

Josh finally flaked out

We said goodbye to SJ&J after a lovely afternoon, and headed back into Guildford again

A shag surveying the scene from high up on the top of a pylon

We went back through Millmead lock for the third time and moored almost immediately in a tree lined stretch of river, opposite a boat yard (who incidentally also do not have any propane gas!)

Tonight's mooring in Guildford



On the Wey to Guildford

After a quiet night in New Haw (albeit with the background sound of the M25 which was about half a mile away), we set off upstream, towards Guildford. The locks on the Wey have their sluice gates within the lock gates themselves, rather than the more usual arrangement where the sluices are built into the sides of the locks. When filling an empty lock, the result is that the water gushes into the lock well above water level, creating masses of turbulence, and leaving you with the task of trying to stop your boat drifting into the torrent of water! All of this means that you have to secure your boat with ropes at both ends and then hang on tightly!

A pretty stretch of river

We stopped at Pyrford marina to get a new propane tank and refuel. We had to wait a while because everyone was at lunch, and then descovered that they didn't have the appropriate sized gas canister. They did however have fuel, and we filled the tank to the brim again. This boat is surprisingly economical, and we have spent approximately £8 per day for 6 or 7 hours cruising and all the power and hot water we need for the day.

A family of cute ducks

There are a couple of flood locks on the Wey - normally left open at both ends and closed when the river goes into flood to help control water levels.

Leaving Walsham flood lock



The river opens out after a while into wide water meadows stretching into the distance. On a couple of occasions, we came to a fork in the river with no clue about which fork to take. We were right 50% of the time! After taking the wrong turn, we had to reverse back onto the river before taking the right fork - a sign would be really useful! We passed some beautiful houses with fabulous gardens stretching down to the river.

Nice river frontage

Cute horses with cuter foals

We moored up fairly early this afternoon, deciding to take advantage of a lovely stretch of grassy bank and some sunshine.

Dogs waiting to explore grassy bank

 We sat on the bank and enjoyed watching a large hairly black dog leaping into the river, finding big sticks and then swimming back across the river. He kept this up for a quite a while bringing back several log size sticks!

Log gathering!