Guildford to Pyrford

Sun 18^th July  Dapdune Wharf

We caught a train this morning from Guildford Station to Weybridge. We walked down through the woods past Brooklands College, and we suddenly spotted two deer in the bushes. We had been hoping to see some during our time on the Wey, as we have them before in several locations. We let them quietly move off before we walked on by. James only had his phone, not his camera.

Deer

We arrived at Weybridge Methodist Church in good time for the service, and we found Linda getting things organised, and Dave and Caryl Ingoldby already there. It was good to see Stan and Mary arriving. Jose and Lili were of course there, as this was their last Sunday before their departure for Egypt next week.

We had a buffet lunch in the big hall, where we also caught up with David Faulkner, Nancy and others, and there were some speeches.

Weybridge Methodist Church

David Faulkner, Lili, Jose, Linda

Stanley, Mary, Nancy

Jose and Lili gave us a lift back to the station.

At Guildford Station we popped into M&S Foods to pick up a few bite-sized things for supper. We bought some ice creams from WH Smith as it was extremely hot.

The boat was like an oven, as there is no shade at Dapdune Wharf.

No boating today

Mon 19^th July  Dapdune Wharf to Sutton Place

We had a remarkably peaceful night at Dapdune Wharf. We had a few early chores to do, such as fill up with water (as we were right next to a hose), empty a cassette, and dispose of rubbish.

We spoke to a chap on Escapology, who had brought the boat down from the Lancaster Canal.

We turned the boat (we had moored facing upstream), and cruised gently down to the B&Q moorings, where we tied up near to the road, in case another boat wanted to turn. We went for breakfast at the van in the car park, but decided we would rather sit down, so we visited Burger King instead. Not a place we visit often, and our views have not changed. It was convenient.

We then went to Lidl for some shopping, and realised we should have brought a cold bag and a trolley. So, we limited our purchases to what we could carry.

As we were about to leave, a narrowboat called Pippin came past and we agreed to share locks.

Leaving the B&Q mooring bollards

Under the A3

At Stoke Lock, there were people looking, so we gave out “How do Locks Work?”.

Stoke Lock

On the next stretch, we met a boat called Juniper, which used to belong to friends of ours from ACS, Graham and Sara. At Bowers Lock, the gates were open for us, so both boats went straight in.

Juniper

Sharing Bowers Lock with Pippin.

Pippin left first, as they were going further than us. We followed them as we negotiated the sharp left-hand corner, followed by the sharp right-hand one by Sutton Place, and then the  A3 veers away, and the noise diminishes. We stopped where we had intended, where there are some trees providing some shade, on the edge of the Sutton Place estate. We couldn’t get the boat close in, so we had to use our plank, which is only just long enough.

Plank needed

Shady mooring

The view from our bows

We sat in the bows for most of the afternoon, until the sun came round, and we needed a parasol. It was very pleasant watching the wildlife. There was a moorhen exploring the reeds, and letting out a loud call occasionally for no apparent reason. There were damsel flies in great numbers, flying low over the water, and pairing up to lay eggs. An armada of Canada Geese came slowly up the river and continued past us. At one point a grass snake went swimming rapidly across in front of the boat, and James only just got his camera turned on in time. There were whitethroats among the brambles making a churring alarm call.

Moorhen

Damsel Fly

Canada Geese

Grass Snake

Whitethroat

When it cooled down a bit, James went for a walk up to the next bridge and back. Despite some gathering clouds, the forecast thunder showers did not materialise. Later, the wind changed direction, and carried the noise from the A3 towards us.

White flowers

Yellow flower

Evening sky

2 Locks, 4 miles. Dep 0840, arr 0855 B&Q. Dep 1040, arr 1215.

Tue 20^th July  Sutton Place to Pyrford

The morning sun was thankfully partly shielded from us by a tree.

Thank you, Lord, for this tree

It took a while to unmoor, taking the mooring pins and ropes on board first, with the plank the last thing to bring aboard. A boat came up just after we had done that, so it was good timing. We had difficulty getting off as it was shallow.

The first lock was Triggs, which was in our favour, as the other boat had just left.

Triggs Lock

There were plenty of moorings available on the meadows below Triggs, but they would all have been in full sun. We carried on through Worsfold Gates, and past the house that is the home of the Navigation Foreman. This used to be where Vince Locatelli lived.

Worsfold Gates

Foreman’s Cottage

There was a shady mooring before the footbridge, but it was too shallow for us.

Too shallow

Cartbridge Marina

The ugly building has had a makeover

We caught up with another boat, Sentana, just before Papercourt. They had only had the boat for two months, and had not yet gone as far as Weybridge. Today they were going to Shepperton. We shared Papercourt, Newark and Pyrford Locks with them.

Sharing Papercourt with Sentana.

Leaving Papercourt

Just after Walsham Gates, we met a hire boat full of lads, and we warned them that there was a boat behind, coming off the river section.  Sentana was a long time coming after us, and we had time to top up with water at Pyrford Lock while we waited.

The water point at Pyrford

We moored just where we wanted, under some shady oak trees just beyond the Marina entrance. Sentana came past, saying that the marina was closed at lunchtime for fuel.

It was very humid, and once again, the thunderstorm that had been forecast seemed to pass us by.

Moored at Pyrford

Heron hunting

Heron hunting

4 Locks, 5 miles. Dep 1005, arr 1305.

Wed 21^st July  Pyrford

James went to the lock, armed with a chair and some leaflets. The first boat to come through was one of TLC’s day boats, with Stuart giving instruction about how to operate the lock. A family watching received two Bertie leaflets, and a “How do locks work?”

Stuart sharing his wisdom

While James was chatting to Stuart afterwards, Hazel rang to say that Graham and Brenda had arrived on GB-Casi.  We had a good catch up, as we hadn’t seen them since before they took their boat across the channel to spend three years on the French canals.

Hazel, Brenda, Graham

When they left past the Anchor and through Pyrford Lock, a busybody lady was telling them how they should be using ropes. As the boat occupied almost all the lock, ropes were quite unnecessary, and the whole operation was done very safely and gently.

GB-Casi at Pyrford

Later, we went to meet Dave and Caryl at the Anchor for a meal.

Dave and Caryl

No boating today

Next: Lunch at New Haw, a weekend at Byfleet Boat Club, and a visit to Greg and Jessy’s at Leatherhead for a family get together, postponed from last week.