Addlestone

Here I am Rune

Distance 3.2 miles

Total 1988 Locks  90 Tunnels

Running total mileage 2811.8miles

On a hot sunny day any trip along a river is pleasant, and none more pleasant than that along the Wey to the Basingstoke Canal. With trees lining the canal it helps keep the temperature comfortable and the scenery is picturesque.

The first challenge of the day was getting through Thames Lock, the lock-keepers are very keen but they’re not boaters. There was a boat coming down the lock and we were going up. There is a stop lock below Thames lock in which we had to wait whilst they emptied the lock into it to raise us up enough to get over the cill. When I saw the situation it seemed to me that the logical way to do it was for the boat that was in the lock to remain there until we had come into it thereby giving it somewhere to moor in the lower stop lock. The Lock-keeper however had other ideas and stated that we were to move off as the boat came out of the lock and to pass within the stop lock. The stop lock is on a right angled curve so trying to do this meant that the other boat ended up in the bushes on the other side of the canal. Had I tried remaining where I was and waited for him to draw alongside before moving off would have meant that I would have been unable to turn and it would have been me in the trees on the opposite side of the canal so at least we were better off this way but it wasn’t particularly graceful! When we go back I might try to impose my opinion a bit more forcefully.

 

The day ended for us on the lock moorings at Woodham Locks where we will meet up with the Basingstoke lock-keeper tomorrow morning at 9.30am (an early start on a Sunday, not to be encouraged!).