Braving Tidal Waters

Phew!  We've been out on the tidal Thames this morning from Teddington downstream to Brentford.  Actually it all went pretty well with only the final turn onto the Grand Union at Brentford a bit hairy. By this point we were doing about 7 mph, mostly because of the ebbing tide and you have to time your turn to hit the fairly narrow creek that leads to Thames Lock.

On Thursday we left our nice mooring behind Desborough Island on the old course of the river and carried on downstream through Walton.

This is the new bridge at Walton which we had not seen before.  (In case you're wondering any stripyness in the sky is because I reduce the file size of the photos on this blog to ease the process of uploading them.)

Apart from the name of this narrowboat, 'Tardis Two' we also found it intriguing that it had 'L' plates - you can see one just to the right of the rear fender.  There was one on the bow too.  Not sure what the story behind this was.







After a stop at Molesey and a morning drink (non-alcoholic as the sun was still below the yard arm) with Helen's cousin, Nina, we carried on downstream to Kingston for an early stop as the temperature was once more in the thirties.

After Molesey Lock and Hampton Court Bridge we passed the famous palace itself.

Approaching Thames Ditton we passed this crane.  They were either trying to drive it onto two barges side by side or possibly to drive it off them back onto dry land.  We watched as we carried on downriver but it didn't fall in the water.

At Thames Ditton there are some strange craft including this unusual blue and yellow vessel called "Ark Nouveau".

And here we are moored just below Kingston Bridge. 













In the afternoon we cycled to the first house we had when we got married, which is on the edge of Kingston.  It looked rather sad and clearly needed some attention but at least it is still standing.  We found this strange art installation in the town made of phone boxes:

Today we set off to reach Teddington Lock around 11.30 to fit in with the high tide.  The idea is to lock down onto the tidal river just before high tide.  The five miles down to Brentford start off in slack water but by the time we made the turn off the river at Brentford our speed was 7 mph due to the tide.  (How do I know this?  I have an app on my phone which can tell me our speed by reference to satellites.)  Here are some pictures of our tidal excursion:

Here we are just leaving Teddington Lock onto the tidal river.  The boat in front is called 'Flying Kipper' which is a splendid name and beyond that is 'Kingfisher'.

This is a bit further downriver and please notice that we have overtaken the other boats - Leo was going splendidly.  She seems to like rivers.

 And we overtook this one too, having given the correct horn signal first - two long blasts followed by one short - which means "I wish to pass on your starboard side".  It seemed to work as they did move over.

Here is Richmond Bridge.

And here we are going through Twickenham Bridge.  You can see the Richmond Half Tide Lock and Weir beyond Twickenham Bridge.  The weir there is open fully for 2 hours either side of high water.  Otherwise you have to go through the lock beside the weir.  We cruised straight through.

And we met the lifeboat!  At first we thought they had spotted something dreadfully wrong with Leo, but then we saw that they were each carrying an ice cream. We think they'd just popped down to the lock to buy them.

Here we are about to go under the bridge which has the weirs lifted up into the structure to allow free passage.  The buildings to the right are around the lock.

Approaching Brentford it becomes apparent that the tide is going out - the levels here were a foot or more down on the high tide level.









Finally we spotted the entry into the Grand Union Canal at Brentford Creek.  You then have to turn across the fast flowing tide in good time to make sure that you drive the boat into the narrow entrance rather than getting swept on down under Kew Bridge.  Well it all worked fine and this is the welcome view that then greeted us:

Thames Lock at Brentford

Above this lock you are technically still on tidal water but only at high Spring Tides.  Through the winding creek and another lock - the Gauging Locks - and Leo was finally on non-tidal waters again.

Here we are coming up the first part of the Grand Union Canal which is really part of the River Brent.  Note the wearing of life jacket, a recommendation we follow on tidal waters.

This is Gallows Bridge (perhaps there was a gallows nearby).  It was forged in 1820 near Birmingham and was probably brought here by canal.











Tomorrow we plan to go up the Hanwell Locks (9 locks up to the top from where we are) and then turn right at Bulls Bridge on the Paddington Arm which leads to, you've guessed it - Paddington.  Little Venice, close to Paddington, provides the link to the Regents Canal and from there we are aiming to join the Lee Navigation going North from London.

A Diversion on the Wey Navigation

It has been sometime since our last posting on this blog largely due to the fact that we have had the pleasure of meeting lots of friends over the last few days and so have not been keeping up to date on blogging duties.

We are now back on the Thames after three days going part way up the Wey Navigation to meet friends round Woking where we used to live.

At the last posting we had come onto the Thames at Reading and had reached Sonning. To start this posting here is a picture of the lovely sweet peas that Jeremy and Maggie brought us:

From Sonning on Friday we came downstream to Henley where life on the river was very different to when we came through last year.  This time it was only a few days after the famous Regatta and a few amateur races were still taking place on the same course upstream of Henley Bridge.  The river was divided down the middle with a line of posts so that the racing took place on the right and normal traffic was confined to the left half of the river:

Here is Henley Church and the bridge over the river.

Above the bridge normal traffic had to keep left with cruisers and other boats moored all the way down the middle of the river.

Note the new solar panel on Leo's roof, which we installed during the winter.

This photo shows the divide down the middle of the river with rowers racing on the far side.












Below Henley we came to Hambleden Lock and Weir.  This is very pretty.

Hambleden Weir with the old mill behind

We had lunch below Hurley Lock in a wide stretch of river with thousands of tiny fish in the shallows as this picture of Helen's foot shows:

We did some shopping in Marlow and then passed under the lovely suspension bridge which is identical to one over the Danube in Budapest.

Marlow Church and Bridge

Friday night we spent just below Marlow in a gap in the trees which proved to be exactly the same length as Leo.  On Saturday we carried on down to Runnymede with a long gap in the middle of the day when it was very hot spent lazing and visiting Boveney Church:

At the boatyard at Bray we passed the royal barge which took part in last year's Jubilee Pageant.

 Boveney Church is tiny and dates back to the twelfth century.  It was used by boatmen frequenting the wharf nearby.  The key was held by the lock keeper at nearby Boveney Lock.  The main benefit of visiting the church on a day when the temperature was well above 30 degrees was the cool interior. 

The only way to cool off on Saturday was to go in the river and here is Helen enjoying a swim off the boat. Yes, Ian did go in too.

When the temperature finally started to fall, we carried on through Windsor, dodging the little yellow motor boats.  We carried on quite late to find a mooring at Runnymede which looked nice but proved to be quite noisy with car and plane traffic.






Sunday, like Saturday, was very busy on the river:

Packing in the boats at Penton Hook Lock, below Staines

Rather than shoot past the end of the River Wey and miss seeing quite a few friends living round Woking, we decided to buy a 3 day licence for the Wey Navigation which, being owned by the National Trust, is not covered by our Gold Licence.

The Wey Navigation is one of the oldest canals in the country dating from 1653.  When it was built the Thames had no locks and was about 2 feet higher at Shepperton where the Wey joins it.  When the locks were built on the Thames it was necessary to put in a lower pound to the first lock on the Wey to lift boats sufficiently to pass over the cill on the first Wey lock - called Thames Lock.  Here is the lower pound with its huge gate.

This photo is looking from the lower pound towards the main lock under the footbridge.  Fortunately this confusing lock is made much easier by the presence of a lock keeper.








On Sunday night we moored just above Thames Lock and enjoyed the company of Norman, Barbara and George who cycled to us.  On Monday we carried on to Pyrford to meet Rosemary (who, like Helen, was a school admin officer) and her husband Roger for lunch at the Anchor.

Here is the bridge over the Wey at, where else but Weybridge.  The navigation does not go under the bridge but turns sharp right into the lock.

The navigation goes past these posts and turns under the much lower bridge into Town Lock.

 Coxes Lock is to the left of this photo and part of the magnificent mill (now turned into flats) is to the right.  You can just see the stream that comes out of the mill pond in the middle which makes steering into the lock quite a challenge!

You can tell its hot when the ducklings are hiding in the shade, though mum does not appear to mind the sun.











After an enjoyable lunch, joined by cycling friend, Chris, we carried on a few miles upstream and found a shady spot under trees above Walsham Gates.  In the morning on Tuesday we set off to a further lunch appointment at the New Inn at Send with Joan (who Helen used to work with) and her friend Brian.  After lunch we managed a cruise up to just below Bowers Lock and back to the New Inn.

Joan and Brian at the helm together

In the evening we met yet more friends at the New Inn - Graham (who Ian used to work with) and Carole, Annette and Sandra from the Woking Cyclists.  After all this socialising we came back down the Wey today and back onto the Thames:

Idyllic scenery at Papercourt Lock

This boat called  MSC Frodsham is a replica of one which was used to carry coal out of the mines on the Bridgewater Canal near Wigan.  We're not sure how it came to be on the Wey Navigation.

Approaching Weybridge Town Lock with the Church in the background.

And finally here we are emerging onto the Thames at Shepperton.













We've really enjoyed our few days on the River Wey, not only for the pleasure of the company of so many friends but also it is a lovely scenic river and well worth the effort of including in a water journey.  The wildlife was also interesting, particularly the grass snake and the toad we saw swimming in the river and the tern, red kite, and bronze dragonflies flying over us.

Tonight we are moored on the old course of the Thames to the North of Desborough Island close to Shepperton.  Fortunately there were trees for shade and we had another swim in the river this afternoon to cool off.  Tomorrow we aim to reach Kingston and on Friday we'll have a short section on the tidal Thames from Teddington to Brentford to take us onto the Grand Union Canal.  And so into London.

Cruising the Thames Again

After four weeks on the Kennet and Avon we are now back on the Thames and tonight we're moored just downstream of Sonning.

It is worth reflecting on our experience of the K&A.  The Canal is all pleasantly rural with some fine views from the summit level and around Bath and Bradford on Avon.  At the Bath end the locks down to the Avon and the wonderful aqueducts of Dundas and Avoncliffe were well worth seeing and the Caen Hill Locks are truly spectacular.  On the downside, the canalside moorings are inadequate for the number of boats travelling and mooring other than on special visitor moorings is often impossible.  The sides of the canal are usually heavily overgrown with reeds and would be much better trimmed on the towpath side.  This really would help all users of the canal, not just boaters.  Dredging the canal closer to the edges would also help boats.

Enough for general comments, back to our trip.  We enjoyed our second stay in Newbury and left there on Tuesday morning.

This picture shows a narrowboat trip boat coming into Newbury Lock.  Below the lock is a Fullers Pub, 'Lock Stock' which has tables by the waterside.  We ate there on Monday evening.

Here we are on our way down the K&A following Alf who was a single hander.  Normally we find locking with a single hander means more work for us, but Alf was great, putting in just as much effort as us  in working the locks.






We stayed overnight at Woolhampton just above the lock below which the Kennet flows fiercely in from the right.  Amazingly moored right in front of us was the boat, Whistler, which we looked to buy at the same time we considered buying Leo.  Our two boats were moored side by side in Pyrford Marina.  We have met Jan and Graham from Whistler before and it was good to see them again.

Here is Whistler - moored in front of us

 On Wednesday we welcomed our friends Jeremy and Maggie onboard after enjoying lunch together at the Butt Inn close by Aldermaston Wharf.

Jeremy and Maggie onboard Leo

We took Jeremy and Maggie through the Aldermaston Lift Bridge and then a few more locks to Tyle Mill where we stopped for tea before they walked back to their car.  Then it was onward for us to Theale where we spent Wednesday evening.  We had a short bike ride here around some of the lakes in the Kennet Valley.  These old gravel pits now form wonderful sites for wildlife or fishing or sailing.  We had read that Theale Church was built in imitation of Salisbury Cathedral so we went to take a look.  While we couldn't see the resemblance it is certainly an imposing church, quite unlike a typical parish church.

Theale Parish Church

Today we've come down the remaining locks and through the centre of Reading.  En route we came through the second of the turf locks on the K&A.  These have an iron grid that keeps the boat in place in the centre but the water spills over onto the sloping sides:

Here you can see the iron structure next to Leo and the water spilling over into the surrounding vegetation.

This view is looking back into the empty lock.  We were sharing with another couple, Dave and Alison on Free Spirit.









In Reading we met Sally who Ian used to work with and gave her a ride through Reading and out onto the Thames.  Sally ordered an egg sandwich at the pub we visited at the bottom end of the Kennet and was surprised to find a fried egg sandwich on her plate.

After allowing Sally to go back to work we carried on down the Thames and after mooring downstream from Sonning we walked back to look round the village.  Sonning is a lovely village but unfortunately is strangled by loads of traffic on a tiny road trying to get to the bridge to cross the Thames.

Approaching Sonning Bridge - through the central arch with priority over those coming upstream.

This is the view from the downstream side of the bridge.  We've tried to find out the story about the postbox on the bridge pillar but without success.  We'd just love to see the postman collect the letters!!

Here is a view of one of the side streets in Sonning, with as few cars as I could manage.  It did strike us that the village would be so much prettier and comfortable without all the cars.








In the next few days we'll be carrying on downstream via Henley and Windsor eventually to Brentford to connect with the Grand Union Canal.