Staines, Chertsey and friends

23rd Sept Monday

Travelled on to Staines, where Pete managed to let me off the boat at my friend's prop making workshop so that I could visit them. They have a great set up on the waterside and the smell of glue and fibre glass hit me and took me right back to my working days. I spent an hour catching up with George and hearing about how their business was going, they are obviously not short of work but it sounds hard at times. None of my other ex work mates were in on a Monday unfortunately, but I managed to see Ali briefly and for once he wasn't covered in polystyrene and gunk as he had just returned from TV studios. Don't recognise him scrubbed up! George and I talked about our families too - something we all used to do at lunchtimes in the good old days I remember fondly. I don't particularly miss the work (although I felt a small pang when I saw what appeared to be a request for a hand painted sign) but I do miss the people. It was good to see them even for that brief time.

Got back on the boat and continued to Chertsey where the sun came out after a very cloudy day and we met Sally at the lock and trundled on to Dockett Eddie moorings and oddly caught up with Morning Mist once again! The 3 of us walked back to the Crown pub, had a pint, met Stuart who had just returned from work and went back to theirs for supper. Fantastic to see them and Pete had a drool over Stuart's garages of vintage cars (a dear little Austin 7 that he races) and motor bikes, a Norton particularly taking Pete's fancy. He was like a kid in a sweetshop. Their camper van is gorgeous too - homely and fully equipped with everything you could want and in a clever layout. A Wendy house, like the boat. And I love the turquoise work tops, Sally!

Food was wonderful, mostly their home grown salad, fruit and veg. Lots of laughs and I got carried away with the moment and drank too much, but hey that's what it's all about. I just hope we didn't keep them up too late. We walked back through the still evening to a quiet boat - it was a good idea of Sally's to move on from the noisy lock area.

Maidenhead and Bray photos

Royal Thames

Her maj was in Windsor for the weekend. And so were we. Well for Saturday night at least.
Windsor was very busy both in the town and on the river. I walked into Eton which is grand in a genteel English way. Shops selling pin striped morning suits and boaters' striped blazers - uniform for the Etonians I guess. Back to our mooring just by the railway bridge on a park. Pleasant enough here with the Saturday night party boats disco-ing past, one of which was the wedding party from Monkey Island. We made friends with our neighbours, a lady called Kate ( or Kent, as Pete heard her name!) from a boat that has been shadowing us, 'Morning Mist'. She is headed for a winter mooring at Wenlock Basin near Islington from where she will start a year's drama course! Sounds like an interesting episode in her life.

On a dank, warm Sunday morning we pressed on out of touristy Windsor, past the Crown Estate beneath the castle which seems to go on for miles along the river - no moorings allowed here of course. Very pretty as the trees are starting to turn red. We moored at Runnymede in a very ordinary stretch not near the historical part and who should join us but Morning Mist. It looked as if they would be mooring abreast as there were no spaces left, but as they came in the boat behind us left, so we are neighbours once again.





Maj having a bit of improvement works done on the castle?



Windsor's town planning dept needs a kick - if these ghastly buildings weren't there you would see through to the castle.

Maidenhead and Bray

20th Sept Friday

Moored in Maidenhead, just by Brunel's railway bridge and beside a private road of huge houses with their separate private river gardens. A glorious day today, warm and sunny and we sat on the grassy bank watching the world go by.

On Saturday we went on through Bray. We had thought of mooring here but the are no public moorings and when I asked the lock keeper if we were right in thinking this, he confirmed it, saying Bray doesn't like the river! He told us that Heston has bought up the last pub there and is planning on making it a chocolatier (if that's what they're called?) chocolate emporium anyway. So Bray has no ordinary eateries or bars left it would seem, what with the Waterside Inn and Heston's Fat Duck and his pub. We might have tried the pub had we been able to moor however. Lock keeper told us there is a perfectly decent Italian restaurant somewhere on the outskirts - he is obviously not impressed with the snobbery of the village. And we are not too pleased that there are no moorings for us riff raff either.

We passed Monkey Island where a large river boat was obviously preparing for a big wedding, railings being decorated with net and ribbons. I expect the guests must be staying in the hotel here - a lovely setting.

Sonning, Henley and Marlow

19th Sept Thursday

On Tuesday, we moored at Sonning just before the lock in pouring rain. We went to meet Christabel in the lovely Bull Inn, a 'proper' pub, dark and cosy with low beams and shining brass. We have very fond memories of mooring here on the barge years ago (18?) in the summer on the field end downstream of the lock and bridge as this is a pretty stretch and a charming village. Then it was free, now it is £10 a night or £20 if you moor by the pub/restaurant by the bridge, however the latter is redeemable in the restaurant, which would sweeten the pill. Our mooring by the lock was 24hours free, thereafter £10 a night.

Christabel returned to the boat with us for dinner - very generously contributing a starter and a pud and a bottle of wine. I have since discovered a bar of chocolate too! Such tasty gifts and great to see her and catch up. She has plenty of information about this area as it is local to her home in Wargrave and was a favourite walking/cycling area of her's and Mike's. Needless to say we blathered all evening (hopefully not too much girly talk to bore Pete - he didn't complain) then walked her back through the damp churchyard to her car to see her off.

On Wednesday we continued to Henley and moored by the museum for £9 a night. This time Pete actually asked the warden what we get for that fee and he was noticeably sheepish when he replied 'a mooring and water point'. Mustn't keep going on about these fees but we are a bit miffed. Henley is posh and beautiful of course, but perhaps a fiver would be kinder, especially as it is now Autumn and not holiday season as such. Pint of brakspears helps of course.

Thursday morning after finding a market where I bought bread, fruit and a bargain foot-wiping mat for the bow, we set off for Marlow - teeming rain again. Moored up, went to pay and this time it was £11, so to make our tiny protest, we moved further up on to the muddy bank where there is no charge (along with 2 others similarly miffed). I suppose we will find this all the way especially in these classy Thames towns: a way of making money for their councils.

Wet ropes, wet trousers, but stove going so it doesn't matter and with the new mat, we aren't walking quite so much mud through! Result!





Sonning bridge- how are you supposed to post a letter there?!



Moor rules and regulations



Show off cormorant: see how long I can balance on this branch. (It was along time!)



Henley sunset, the rain has stopped.........



And the rowers come out to play

Mooring fees whinge

We got caught for mooring fees in Wallingford this morning. Not that we would be so dishonest as to try to dodge them but we do find it a bit much that you have to pay £5 per night just for the privilege (of what?). As we see it you get very little, certainly no security. We already pay a hefty licence fee to be able to cruise the Thames and it's the space in the water we are taking up after all. Moorings are free at other (more attractive) stops like Goring, so what makes Wallingford's town clerk think it's fair to charge. It also amuses me to think they have to pay wages to the collector, so is it worthwhile revenue for the town anyway? I suppose the argument might be we are covering maintenance of the bank edge and the mooring rings, but one of those was broken!

Farmers will charge also, that's fair we think if its their own field but some (as in Lechlade) expect £4 even though the bank pathways along their fields are public footpaths. Would they charge the walkers and cyclists?

Anyway, on to Pangbourne where they are happy to let you moor for free on a public green space that is very pleasant and only a short walk from the shops and pubs. We wonder why they no longer charge, as they used to when we moored here on the barge some 15 years ago. All we can think is that Pangbourne's town council is happy to encourage boaters as they might spend money here.

The wind has got up again and Pete went for a wavey paddle in his canoe - wind nearly ripping the paddle out of his hand a couple of times. He missed the downpour though.

Logos

The old logo and the new one. Simple and evocative. I wonder if they are by the same designer?




(Prefer the BW typeface though!)