We had yet another lovely mooring at Shillingford bridge amongst trees and Pete found more wood for the fire (he doesn't miss a trick) - a fallen willow.
We were able to bring the car right up to the mooring for a change, so we drove to Wallingford and had a beer at the very sad Boathouse pub by the bridge, not nice. All it's original features overtaken by nasty colours and wallpaper and games machines. In fact, we were disappointed in Wallingford generally, thinking it was going to be full of olde worlde charm where in fact it was run down and a bit sad. Sign of our recession times with closed shops etc., lots of thriving hairdressers though!!
One lock keeper said it had been a quiet summer this year, he believed because people can't afford to come away as much and also the awful weather of course.
Carried on to Goring on Thursday and it must have been Kite day! Lots of these beautiful birds wheeling around above the river and fields, whistling gently. This is a beautiful stretch of Thames, far prettier than the Hawkesbury river; sorry, Sydney! Goring was everything Wallingford wasn't and they have 24hour public moorings right by the town, perfect. A stylish pub and a great curry restaurant for the evening - we had a lovely time!
Today we are moored on Pangbourne Meadow. Woke up this morning to the first rain we have had this trip, which is a record! It didn't last and as usual we had our peaceful cruise.
I have to say that all this is slightly over shadowed by my father's deteriorating health. Next week we will leave the boat in a marina and travel to see how things are and meet my sister from the airport. The river is the perfect balm - shame my parents can't share a little of it with us.
Brunel bridge at Moulsford
Goring
We were able to bring the car right up to the mooring for a change, so we drove to Wallingford and had a beer at the very sad Boathouse pub by the bridge, not nice. All it's original features overtaken by nasty colours and wallpaper and games machines. In fact, we were disappointed in Wallingford generally, thinking it was going to be full of olde worlde charm where in fact it was run down and a bit sad. Sign of our recession times with closed shops etc., lots of thriving hairdressers though!!
One lock keeper said it had been a quiet summer this year, he believed because people can't afford to come away as much and also the awful weather of course.
Carried on to Goring on Thursday and it must have been Kite day! Lots of these beautiful birds wheeling around above the river and fields, whistling gently. This is a beautiful stretch of Thames, far prettier than the Hawkesbury river; sorry, Sydney! Goring was everything Wallingford wasn't and they have 24hour public moorings right by the town, perfect. A stylish pub and a great curry restaurant for the evening - we had a lovely time!
Today we are moored on Pangbourne Meadow. Woke up this morning to the first rain we have had this trip, which is a record! It didn't last and as usual we had our peaceful cruise.
I have to say that all this is slightly over shadowed by my father's deteriorating health. Next week we will leave the boat in a marina and travel to see how things are and meet my sister from the airport. The river is the perfect balm - shame my parents can't share a little of it with us.
Brunel bridge at Moulsford
Goring
No comments:
Post a Comment