7th to 13th September 2010

Hampton Wick to Bell Weir Lock, River Thames via Wey and Godalming Navigations.

Having left the mooring at Hampton Wick, we moved upstream and spent some time looking around the grounds at Hampton Court (too mean to pay the entry fee!!).

We then headed further upstream and turned off below Shepperton Lock to join the Wey and Godalming Navigations that belong to the National Trust. At Thames Lock we duly paid the Lock-keeper the admission fee/licence fee for 3 days. This was later extended to 5 days to allow us to enjoy the waterway at a more leisurely pace.

Thames Lock at the entrance to the waterway has very little clearance over the lower cill and so to allow deeper boats to enter there is a stop gate about 200ft downstream. This is closed and the level of the pound is raised by about 2 feet to allow boats to enter the actual lock.

As part of your fee you are loaned the special windlass which gives much more leverage than usual as some of the paddle gear is quite stiff. The first couple of miles seems quite built up and not particularly interesting but soon after the junction with the Basingstoke Canal the scenery improves and the rural naure of the canal takes over.

Our first night stop was at Pyrford near the Anchor Pub (excellent beer and food ). We had a slow journey the next day with some queuing at locks and very slow hire boats, but we reached our target of Dapdune Wharf in Guildford for the next overnight stop. The wharf is the National Trust HQ for the waterway and has some very good exhibits detailing the history of the waterway.

The next morning we set off for Godalming and the head of navigation. This is the most southerly point on the connected waterways in the UK and is conveniently located alongside a Sainsbury supermarket. A horse-drawn trip boat operates from the wharf and we were fortunate to see them set off.

Our return trip down the waterway was governed by lunch dates with rellies on Saturday (in Guildford) and Sunday (back at the Anchor at Pyrford).

On Monday morning we continued downstream to re-join the Thames and to continue our trip towards the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Monday 6th September 2010

Tidal Thames, Limehouse to Teddington

The Big Day has come and we make ready for our adventure on the Thames.

We had been warned a while ago by another narrowboat crew that the biggest problem they encountered was the wash from the giant rubbish barges that plough up and down the river. The lock keeper had told us that we would not encounter them.

We shared Limehouse Lock with another narrowboat called Lanser, the lock-keepers decided that the wide-beam boat would not fit in with us. As the crew of Lanser had been on the tidal river before we let him go first. As he joined the tideway at 9.15am he looked back at us, gave us a thumbs-up sign and held his arms out wide as if to say all was clear.

You can imagine our horror as we pulled out onto the river to see a rubbish barge at full speed 50yds behind us. As he passed the wash literally rolled along the gunnels.

From the Tower Bridge website we had noticed that the bridge was due to be opened at 9.30 for an old thames sailing barge called Will and we hoped to be there in time to see the bridge being raised. As we approached Tower Bridge (the first en-route) we could see Will lining up on the upstream side and the bridge was cleared of traffic and pedestrians in preparation for lifting. We thought we had timed it perfectly. However the captain of Will came on the VHF and told the bridge to delay the lift as he could see two rubbish barges ploughing up the centre of the river and he wanted them to pass first. We had to pass under the side span of the bridge and this meant we had to pass on the wrong side of one of the high speed river buses who came the wrong side of the river from Tower Pier. Meanwhile the two barges shot upstream leaving a very choppy river behind them.

We were about 100yds upstream before the bridge finally opened for the sailing barge. After about 45 mins on the river and all this excitement we felt like old hands. Although it took a lot of concentration to keep the boat on course we soon felt more confident and by the houses of Parliament we could actually enjoy the sights.

As we progressed further upstream it almost beacame a bit dull as the number of other boats dropped off dramatically. As we passed Richmond we noticed the narrowboat ahead had started to slow down and we thought at first that he may have a problem. Also at this point we noticed that the widebeam boat that must have left Limehouse about 20 mins behind us, was catching up. We reached the Richmond half-tide weir and realised that the weirs were closed and a sign was illuminated saying use the lock for £5!! We loitered behind the other narrowboat for a while and then realised that we had arrived too soon, after about 5 minutes the weir gates were all raised and we carried on through the barrier and did not have to resort to the lock.

We arrived at Teddington Lock shortly afterwards, and once through moored the boat and took ourselves off for a well deserved lunch at the Anglers Pub.

The whole crew enjoyed the experience so much that we could have turned around and gone back.

Sunday 5 September 2010

Limehouse Basin, Regent's Canal

We have decided to get up early today (7.30am) as we understand a wide beam narrow boat is booked in with the lock keeper to go through the lock and onto the Thames. So, we duly creep around the marina, but not a soul to be seen, and widebeam boat curtains still drawn. Never mind, as it is a nice morning, we decide to take a walk, get a paper and look out over the Thames. The scene across the water is so serene, and peaceful, and we agree that today would be a good day for experiencing the Thames in a narrow boat, instead of tomorrow. C'est la vie!

We pay the lock keeper a friendly visit, just to confirm our time for using the lock tomorrow, and we learn that the Thames barrier is currently raised, as it is barrier annual test day, THAT is why the river is so calm! As a consequence, there is insufficient water upstream for boats to safely reach Teddington Lock.

After breakfast, we take the Docklands Light Railway to Canary Wharf to visit the Docklands Museum of London, (FOC) and very good it is too. Situated in the West India Quay, it has displays and information going back to Roman times about the Thames and London as a port. Worth another visit on our return in the spring.

This evening we went to Gordon Ramsey's restaurant Narrow, which is adjacent to Limehouse Lock and has a conservatory overlooking the river. Enjoyed the evening very much, not a cheap outing, and watching the Thames clippers racing up and down, even in the dark, did little to allay our fears of what awaits us tomorrow.

Saturday 4 September 2010

Paddington Basin, to Limehouse Marina, Regent's Canal

The British Waterways website says the stoppage is still on, but a quick phone call to them and we hear that the Regent's Canal has reopened.

So, off we go and the tape has been removed and we make our way down to the Maida Vale tunnel. We see just about the same amount of oil as we saw 24 hours ago, through the tunnel and practically nothing more oily to be seen. Overreaction? we will never know. The oil didn't stop a heron trying to consume a fish bigger than his bill!

Now we are passing some very elegant properties with rolling lawns to the water on one side and flats and apartments on the other. Then the Snowden Aviary of London Zoo. There are birds within the cage and birds without - difficult to see which are guests of the zoo. Rather scrubby, unattractive land along this stretch of the zoo. Then we arrive at Camden lock, where the market is in full swing and lots of gongoozlers too.

Then through the Islington Tunnel and on through heavy residential areas without a moments concern about security. The amount of rubbish floating and along the towpath is just shameful. There is a lot of work to be done to make the place presentable for the Olympics. We can see the new Wembley Stadium structure on the skyline.

We finally reach the lock that drops us into Limehouse Basin. Bob called up the BW staff on the VHF and we were directed to a mooring mixed in with some posh cruisers. During the early evening two tall masted sail boats, one from The Netherlands come off the Thames through the lock. Very impressive craft and boathandling.

Friday 3 September 2010

Paddington Basin to Limehouse Marina, Regent's Canal

Today we had planned to move down the Regent's Canal to Limehouse Marina, but we have to stay put. British Waterways have issued a Stoppage Notice because there has been an Environmental Incident necessitating the closure of the Regents Canal. So we decided to walk round and see what was occurring! We found tape across the entrance to the canal and the trip and cruise boats non operational. As we approached the tunnel at Maida Vale tunnel we saw and smelled oil - a brown slick across the width of the canal seeping out from the tunnel. We went further, and on the far side of the tunnel we saw 3 men very slowly and very clumsily trying the harness the oil in a boom trailed from a small boat. This could take ages to clean up!

To our surprise as we returned to the boat in Paddington Basin we witnessed the unfolding of a rolling steel and timber foot bridge across one of the basin inlets. This event happens each Friday at noon, and transforms the bridge into an octagon. But why?

Time to play tourist again, and we took boat trip from Greenwich down to the Thames Barrier and very glad we did. Most interesting commentary and we passed between the flood gate hoods.

We spent this evening at the Globe watching Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors - a great experience on a summers evening as the sun went down, and rather saucy at times! Excellent performance.

Another good day, if not quite to plan.

Thursday 2 September 2010

Today we are staying moored in Paddington Basin and going off into the big city with our newly acquired Oyster cards . We started with a visit to 221b Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes house, then managed to take in one whole floor at Tate Modern, before needing fresh air. Then walk down to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, lunch at the Globe Swan, a walk along the Thames watching the speeding Thames Clippers, and down to Tower Bridge and the exhibition and the excellent displays inside the bridge. A good day, but exhausted.

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Uxbridge to Paddington Basin, Paddington Arm, Grand Union Canal

Time to update you with our adventures!

We left Uxbridge in perfect September sunshine, a warm and windless day. Tescos and coconuts along the way!

A huge new Tesco is being built in Yiewsley which will have waterside moorings, as our picture shows, residents on the other side of the canal will soon have a very different outlook. We had the canal virtually to ourselves and soon reached Bulls Bridge Junction, where there is a another 24 hour Tesco. The moorings for shoppers are beside a dry dock feature the supermarket has recreated. Alas, it is a dump for litter and supermarket trolleys, and as a consequence, is a very insightly feature, as you can see.

Shopping over, we then turned down the Paddington Arm, and moved through Southall, Northolt, Alperton, and suburbia galore, crossed high above the North Circular Road, and on towards Little Venice. Coconuts all the way. Every so often we saw coconuts go bobbing past - never seen so many in a day! Many differing cooking smells accompanied us along the route. We branched off to the right down the Paddington Arm of the former Grand Junction canal. We had been lead to believe that some safe moorings were there and sure enough right at the far end of the arm, overshadowed by new office towers on one side, and St Mary's Hospital on the other, were some new floating pontoons. We could stay here for 7 days FOC if we wished. This was a most pleasant, and quiet spot given that it was just off the Edgware Road, and minutes from Paddington underground.