allworkedout

19th April 2007

We woke to yet another sunny morning and I walked to Sainsburys to get bread, milk, and as a treat some cream cakes. We had a leisurely breakfast before setting off at about 1030hrs. We had a fair way to go to get back to Guildford but after yesterdays events I was not worried about being late. I decided we would cruise as far as Send and the New Inn where I knew we could get good beer and food. We swung left at Shepperton passing the weir en route to the River Wey.

I was a little confused as the route to Thames lock is a bit obscured until you are almost on top of it but arrived ok and hopped ashore to see the locky, who came straight out to open the gates.

Entered the lock and waited on a privately owned boat before proceeding through. Welcome to the River Wey.

The first lock is Town Lock the moorings are on the right just before a tight right turn under a bridge and into the lock. Me I forgot this and went strait into the turn and was confronted by the closed lock gates, s**t I needed to move astern out of the bridge hole round the turn to get on the mooring. No problem! Where the hell has that cross wind come from. Made the turn ok but finished with the stern on the mooring side and the bow on the opposite bank broadside across the river. After a lot of cussing, hollering, Hazel managed to pole the bow round and we moored while I set off across the road to prepare the lock. Must say Hazel is an angel through all my little tantrum she never turned a hair, just shrugged it off and got on with the job. Other boat now joined us and we worked together as far as Papercourt Lock where shortly after they moored for the night. During this passage we passed through Walsham Gates the last turf sided lock on the Wey, only used for flood control.

It was a lovely cruise not a breath of wind, (I'd cussed it away at town Lock) and some lovely countryside. We passed some houses with gardens on the bank and one had a swan nesting.

Parted company with the other boat and cruised leisurely on to Send. So still when we got there I decide it was a good idea to have some bubbles.

Then took a couple of pics of reflections in the water, the house is obvious but the vapour trail definately isn't.

We went on to have a nice evening and once again a really good meal. We had had an enjoyable day and the morning would be a 3-4 hour run to the boathouse and then the dreaded motorway, but thats the next part.

18th April 2007

Took a walk into John Lewis about 0900hrs as Hazel wanted to get another bubble machine as a present for daniels stepdaughter. Again it was a lovely sunny morning and we had plenty of time. I had allowed 2 full days to get back to Guildford. An easy trot to Shepperton and the down the Wey.
We slipped our moorings at about 1000hrs and cruised down to Teddington Lock as neither of us had been there. Turning before the lock we retraced our tracks through Kingston heading upstream.

We noticed a ferry crossing ahead of us at Hampton carryiing a cyclist. There are many of these ferries on the Thames I think they are mostly ancient rights of way. Another quaint tradition and long may they last.

As we passed Thames Ditton Marina the engine started to race and splutter, classic symptoms of running out of fuel, couldn't be though. I nursed it to Hampton Court as the moorings there are good and have vehicular access. I phoned the boatyard and as luck would have it an Engineer wsa only half an hour away by road. Gave them my mobile number and walked up to the pub, I could also watch out for the Engineers van. After 2 pints and no sign of our man, not wanting to get pissed walked back to the boat, we both laid on the bed dozing and reading. We had mooored here at 1200ish now past 1400 and no sign. Just phoning the boatyard when the van turned up. He cleaned all the filters after determing we still had half a tank of diesel. About 1500 he gave it a test run, all fine he hopped off at the moorings to return to his van, 50 metres on and the engine cut out completely, without panic, well not much, a bit like Corporal Jones maybe, we drifted on the stream where the engineer seeing our predicament came down to take a line. We then moored in the same place. Our engineer now needed spares so a wait for assistance from Guildford was next. The low pressure lift pump was the culprit and at 1730 we were clear to go with the engineer staying on board to Molesey Lock, all was well. The downside of course was the 2 day leisure cruise to Guildford had been condensed to 1. The boathouse told us not to break our necks to meet the 0900hrs deadline. Kind you might think, but the major delay on the engineers first arrival was due to the fact they had sent him to Kingston Bridge and he had walkes about 2 mile of towpath looking for us.
By the time we reached Sunbury Lock it was gone 1800 so the locky was off duty I envisaged the dreaded wheel, but no, they leave the power until 2200 so although you do it yourself it is with lectricity not handraulics.

I had had enough by now and spotted a mooring at Walton on Thames and decided to call it a day.

We looked in the 2 riverside pubs and were not impressed, walking into town we espied another more promising one, "The Old Manor Inn" alas they wre not doing food but the landlord recommended a Thai restaurant the "The Khao Sarn". The food was superb and very good value, we had a set meal for 2 and left nothing.

After the meal we returned to the pub and had a good evening with mine host and his customers.

Then back to Hascombe at the end of an eventful day, and so to bed.

17th April 2007

We decided to take a walk into Chertsey for supplies from Sainsburys, the weather was dull and overcast with the threat of rain but what the hell skins waterproof. It was about a mile and a half each way so we treated ourselves to an unhealthy full English breakfast while in town. By the time we got back to the boat the cloud was breaking and the risk of rain receeding.
After clearing Shepperton Lock and the town the river was broad and straight so Hazel took the tiller and handled it like a natural.

By now the sun was shining again and all was right with the world, the loo still seemed to have plenty of capacity, increasing my suspicion that it hadn't been pumped out before take over. Quite close to Walton on Thames we saw an old wooden cruiser looking a bit tired but the hull was a lovely painting, I show it here but the photo does not do it justice.

We cruised on with it getting warmer all the time, I decided a halt at Hampton Court for a pint and a sandwich was justified. The visitor moorings were empty and only a short walk to the local pubs. We strolled around trying to choose which one to grace with our custom when disaster, I hadn't brought any money with me, s**t I thought. We scraped enough between us to buy an ice cream on the way back to the boat, and that was lunch at Hampton Court.

We set off as I fancied Kingston for the night, a mile upstream from Kingston is Harts Boats, there were new widebeams and narrowboats being fitted out, so we may pay them a visit sometime. Approaching Kingston I espied a Youngs pub. " Bishop out of Residence".

An essential call as it would have "Waggledance" on tap for me and an excellent New Zealand red wine for Hazel. We enjoyed our respective tipples then strolled around town. I even got myself some half price skiddies and a bubble machine in John Lewis.

Silly bugger aint I? We found a Mexican Restaurant in town and booked table for the evening, wish we hadn't bothered as although Hazels was ok mine was so spicy hot as to be uneatable, and I like hot. But that aside we liked Kingston and enjoyed our stay.

16th April 2007
A fine morning in Cookham, I had a stroll in the sun and Hazel sorted some breakfast. Then things began the downhill run, on completing my ablutions it became obvious we needed a pump out, you know what I mean. I thought this a bit odd as I have hired many times before and never needed a pump out, but needs must. looking at the chart there was a boatyard at Bourne End a couple of miles upstream. An hour and £12 later it was all sorted. I decided to keep an I on use as we had another 4 full days on board.
Opposite the boatyard is a pub "The Bounty" and all the deliverys are done by rowing boat, fairly unique I imagine.

We left and continued upstream as far as Marlow in order to show Hazel the posh houses. We turned just before the lock and headed back towards Cookham, proceeding much quicker now as we were with the stream. Not as quick as the rowers though, a ladies eight passed us easily.

Fit young girls in more ways than one. We passed our previous nights mooring and swung into the lock cut, one of the most scenic lock approaches on the river.

Back through Cliveden Reach with only an old chap in his mini tupperware for company, he said he only went out weekdays as weekends were full of gin palaces and there drivers. As you enter Boulters Lock cut downstream on the left is a wooden bungalow, this was Richard Dimblebys home during his lifetime.

The old chap was stopping so we were to continue alone for a while I was in my element sunshine, boat, scenery, and the missus even I couldn't be the miserable old git for a while.

We got to Bray Lock while the keeper was at lunch so took a break ourselves, while there one of the barges involved with consructing new lock moorings came up through the lock and I thought those guys got a good life but it may not be so, I didn't ask to find out.

We carried on as I wanted to be in Chertsey for the night a quiet mooring and not far to the pub. We passed a very formidable building which had been converted into an Hotel, Oakley Court I think, looked very posh and expensive.

Back through Windsor alas no time for pint at the Boatmans, after Chertsey Lock we did a circuit of the Island where all the wooden bungalows are, on the main southern bank stood an awful building must appeal to those who had it built but did nothing for us I guess the occupants can never throw stones.

We then moored up and walked to Chertsey Bridge and had a meal in th riverside pub, ok but nothing to write home about.

15th April 2007
We left the next morning about 0900hrs making for Windsor where we needed to visit Jessops for memory card. Only 2 locks and being the Thames no manual labour, I decided we should take on water so called at Kris Cruisers at Datchet, had to lay across the end of the finger pontoons and in doing so worried a few tupperware owners, but moored smoothly without mishap allaying thier fears. Had a nice view of Windsor Castle across the Great Park.

Proceeded on our way passing through Romney Lock where I had spent so many happy childhood hours assisting the lock keeper. We moored on the bank on the Eton side, and walked into town.

A bit of luck as Jessops were doing the cards at half price so got a 1 gig for £19.99 which aint at all bad. Walking back I espied a promising looking hostelry which needed checking out, more luck some excellent ales of which I sampled 2 and was well satisfied.

We left the mooring at 1330hrs heading for Cookham, I wanted Hazel to see Cliveden Reach a particularly pretty stretch of river I think. En route we passed through Boulters Lock where we had had an excellent Sunday lunch last year.

Leaving the lock cut takes you straight into Cliveden Reach and with sun shining, no wind it was seen at its best.

Of course Cliveden House is infamous for the goings on of Christine Keeler, Profumo and co, bit tame now though as it is now a National Trust property and Hotel. Then through Cookham Lock to our chosen mooring.

Cookham is a very pretty village but has gone very upmarket, all the pubs were chrome and veneer, serving expensive food, had excellent Haddock and Chips but then they should be at £14.99 a go. Also tried every pub for good beer and came up zero, Cookham now of the list.
More photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/thegrinch/

!4th April 2007
We left the New Inn about 0830hrs intending to reach the Thames. The River Wey is actually not used much it is mostly the Wey navigation a very tranquil and rural waterway, much of it very scenic. Newark lock gives a view to the ruins of Newark Abbey.

We were lucky to have another Guildford boat with us easing the labour at the locks, they were Germans on a short break and never been on a boat before, but they made a reasonable job of it and were friendly and sociable which made for a pleasant cruise.

I think it was about 9 locks to Thames Lock and as most were set for us we made good time arriving at about 1300hrs. We thought it a very pretty lock and the lock keeper had a female with him who did most of the work.

We entered the Thames and straight into Shepperton Lock with a couple of plastic palaces, the keeper took the head rope from hazel so all was well. Moored before Chertsey for a cuppa and a sarnie. Set off about 1400hrs I wanted to clear Bell Wier Lock as I had a nice pub in mind for the evening. Plenty of elbow room on the river so it was time for Hazel to earn her steering ticket. very well she did too.

We cleared Bell Wier about 1600hrs and moored for a flying visit to Sainsburys in Staines, about a mile and a half walk which was pleasant and stretched the legs. Then on through Runnymede to the Bells of Ousely, a pleasant pub from my past. Alas no more it is now a Harvester and the food was awful. i had fish and chips and they swam in grease. Now removed from the list of favourite hostelries. We were still enjoying it all though and the weather remained superb, tomorrow to Windsor and beyond