Windsor

Here I am Rune

Distance 8.1 miles

Total 2081 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2918.2 miles

Whilst I’m not in any rush to get anywhere, today’s efforts did seem a bit pedestrian.  It started well enough at Bell Weir Lock (despite the Lockie initially closing the gates as we approached, then re-opening them as he saw us!). The next lock (Old Windsor) was a bit more problematic since, due to cutbacks, it is on Self Service so crews have to operate them. It is all automated so all that you have to do is push buttons but it appeared that those who were operating it today weren’t entirely sure what they were doing. Speaking to another boater he claimed that they had opened the bottom paddles without shutting the top gate paddles. From my point of view this seems unlikely since I didn’t see any water coming out of the bottom gate paddles whilst we were initially waiting. What I suspect happened was that they probably tried to open the bottom gate paddles with the top gate paddles still open, and the system prevented them from doing so. Whatever the cause there was a lot of waiting around before they got themselves sorted out.

The trip around Windsor Great Park was pleasant, despite the warning notices telling you that landing or mooring is a criminal offence under the Serious Crime and Policing Act. Not sure what you’re supposed to do if you break down on that section!

Moored for the night here in Windsor at our second choice of mooring. The first one was on the Eton meadows (The Brocas) which looked ideal but was a lot shallower than it looked and our stern was sticking out into the river. After speaking with the Warden (who came to collect money for this less than ideal mooring) he directed us to better moorings above the Windsor Railway Bridge which is where we now are. 

Windsor Castle from our first mooring

Staines

Here I am Rune

Distance 10.8 miles

Total 2078 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2910.1 miles

With a new water pump installed we are now back on the move and out onto the River Thames, which is why I was quite keen that the engine should be working OK as it isn’t really the place to break down.

Our final 5 miles of the River Wey was a pleasurable experience, given how good the weather has been today and then along the Thames as far as Staines for the night’s mooring. A chance to meet up with a relative and catch up on a bit of chat over a meal was just a bonus.

Having now paid for a 3 week stint on the Thames we are in no real rush to get to Lechlade, just a gentle motor along will do nicely.  

 

The old mill alongside Coxes Lock, River Wey

Pyrford Marina

Here I am Rune

Distance 3.3 miles

Total 2070 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2899.3 miles

Good news is that we got back to Pyrford Marina, bad news is that the odd noise is coming from the water pump and it looks as though it is going to need to be replaced. There was a lot of help forthcoming from Pyrford Marina on that front. Although they are a bit tied up themselves in terms of being able to repair the problem, they are quite amenable to me repairing the boat in their marina which is good, often marinas make a stipulation that no repairs should be carried out except by their staff. They also supplied me with the details of a Lister dealer who could supply the necessary part and also to courier it to the marina, hopefully tomorrow. For the time being we are moored up in the marina whilst we resolve the problem. 

Newark Priory alongside the River

Send

Here I am Rune

Distance 7.4 miles

Total 2066 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2899.3 miles

Plan B took centre stage today, rather than taking a further look around Guildford we have headed back up the canal to Send with the intention of getting back to Pyreford Marina tomorrow. The change of plan was as a result of an odd sound being made by the engine from the region of the water pump. With a bank Holiday weekend approaching I don’t want anything like the boat breaking down in the middle of nowhere with no marine engineers available until Tuesday! The amended plan is now to call into Pyreford Marina with the hope of one of their engineers having a look at the water pump, and if it looks as though it is likely to imminently fail, to moor up there until we can get a replacement. We’ll see what the engineer says tomorrow (hopefully!)

Guildford

Here I am Rune

Distance 7.4 miles

Total 2061 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2891.9miles

Today’s trip took us to the end of the canal at Godalming and then back here to Guildford since there isn’t really anywhere to moor at Godalming! This seems to me a bit of a failure for the town since a few visitor moorings would bring in a bit of extra income, but they don’t seem to want it so we visited and left. Took advantage of the sanitary station there and got some shopping at the adjacent Sainsburys but that pretty much sums out our visit.

The one area of the river that the town does take a bit of advantage of is that they run a summer, horse drawn barge service that seemed to be well supported today. The trip doesn’t take them far, just through a single lock and then turning before the next but, all credit to them for taking a boat full of customers through a lock since there is always the potential for incident in a lock and with a boat full of about 30 customers you really wouldn’t want any sort of incident to happen.

The Horse-drawn barge

A small point of interest is that Godalming is the point furthest South that we are ever likely to travel to in our boat, the location we reached was here.Most southerly point on connected canal system

 

 Haven’t decided the plan for tomorrow yet since at the moment an area of rain has moved in although it is currently very hot and humid.  It might be good to take a better look around Guildford since we’ve only had a glance at it so far.

The end of the Canal

A close encounter with a bridge!