Brentford to Weybridge

Tue 6^th July  Brentford to Shepperton

We had hoped to change our tidal booking from tomorrow to today, as we had made up time in the Uxbridge area. When James tried online a few days ago, the website showed it as full for today, so we had a day to kill in Brentford.

We started the day with a very interesting breakfast at Feather and Heart Cafe. James had an Acai smoothie bowl, and Hazel had folded eggs with salmon. Beautifully presented, and a lovely experience. Excellent coffee, too.

Acai smoothie bowl

Folded eggs with salmon

As we sauntered slowly back to the boat, we saw that the toll office near the gauging lock was open, and was manned by volunteers. The office is a mini museum, with photos and documents relating to the carriage of cargo by boat. While we were there, we mentioned that we couldn’t get booked for today on the tideway. Immediately they phoned the Thames Lock staff and were assured that there was room and just about enough time for us to go today.

We walked hastily back to the boat, put down the hood, organised our equipment, and set off. With both locks in our favour, it took us just 25 minutes to go through the Gauging Lock and the Thames Lock, and reach the Thames. Looking back, we could see the Turkish restaurant where we had eaten the day before.

Leaving Brentford mooring

Brentford Gauging Lock

Thames Lock, Brentford

Onto the Thames

Galata Pera Turkish restaurant from the Thames

Out on the tideway, the tide was still with us, but had slackened off at the end of it’s run, and we arrived at Teddington just as the tide turned. We took a little longer than usual, as the current was not so strong.

Here are some photos of the journey:

Syon House

The Pavilion, Isleworth

Little Egret

Richmond Weir

Richmond Lock

Twickenham Bridge and Richmond Railway Bridge

Historic Vessels at Richmond

Richmond Riverside

Richmond Bridge

Star and Garter

The Eco Warrior is still here

Port of London marker

Teddington Lock

At Teddington, we asked for a transit licence to the Wey, which is not advertised on the EA website. It cost £11.00, and we were given until 5pm tomorrow to get to Weybridge.

Egyptian Geese

Kingston

Oxford Barge at Thames Ditton

Chimneys at Hampton Court

We had a bit of a rough ride at Molesey Lock, as the lockkeeper had put our ropes on the closest bollards, perpendicular to the boat, and we couldn’t stop the surging. We used the water point at Molesey. The old blue hose has gone – we had to use our own, which we are used to doing on the canals, anyway. I guess this is due to Covid rules. We disposed of rubbish, and emptied two cassettes.

A hire boat from Datchet came out of the lock, and travelled behind us, sharing Sunbury Lock. The sign said “Self Operation”, but there was a guy there pressing buttons. We asked if he was on a boat coming down, and he said he was the lockkeeper about to go home.

Dog on a paddle board

Canada Goose crossed with a Greylag

Shakespeare Temple at Hampton

Falconbrook Tug built in 1958

We tried to moor at Walton Anglers but there was no space. We then tried the moorings on Desborough Island, but they were occupied as well. It started to rain heavily, so when we saw that the mooring at the Red Lion was available, we decided to go there.

We had suggested to Graham and Sheila that we could take them to the Red Lion tomorrow for lunch. However, when we went in for a meal, we realised it had completely changed from a friendly pub grub place, with the menu written on the wall, to a posh tapas bar, full of young people in smart clothes. We had a very nice meal, but expensive, e.g. £7 for five small scampis. We decided it was not the place to bring Graham and Sheila.

It was a nice place to moor, and we were pleased it had been vacant.

Red Lion mooring

Heavy Rain

5 locks, 16 miles. Dep 1135, arr 1315 Teddington. Dep 1425, arr 1550 Molesey tap. Dep 1610, arr Red Lion Shepperton 1745.

Wed 7^th July  Shepperton to Weybridge

We were woken by the wash from rowers gently rocking the boat. We had planned to make a leisurely start, finishing our tour around the back of Desborough Island, and heading for the Weybridge Wall. James suddenly felt the urge to go straight away, even though Hazel hadn’t finished her breakfast.

Moored at the Red Lion

The Red Lion

We discovered that there were some spaces on Lady Lindsay’s Lawn, further on the Shepperton side. The mooring by the Warren Lodge Hotel was occupied. We arrived at the Weybridge Wall, and our friends on the hire boat from yesterday were there. We cruised along the line, and a wide beam at the end kindly suggested we tie alongside. At that moment, a boat at the beginning of the line left, leaving a space, so we turned and turned again to tie up just upstream of where the ferry comes in. The mooring was short, so our stern overhung by 15ft.

D’Oyly Carte Island

We secured the boat, and James had just started chatting to yesterday’s hire boat skipper, when a boat came down through Shepperton Lock. It was our friends Simon and Pat on Daedalus! How good it was to see them! They turned and came alongside us, after a near collision with two rowing boats who weren’t looking or listening to people’s warnings. We went on board Daedalus for a cup of tea.

Daedalus arriving

Daedalus and the rowing boats

Simon and Pat

If James hadn’t suddenly decided to depart early this morning, we would have missed them, as they were going to go down Desborough Cut, instead of round the back of the island where we had been.

We phoned Graham and Sheila and told them about the Red Lion, and we decided to meet at the Crown instead, where we had excellent service, and lovely home-cooked pub grub.

A Black Swan on the Thames at Weybridge

After lunch, Graham and Sheila came with us on the boat into the Wey, where we shared the Pound Lock with two others, but we went up Thames Lock on our own. Tracey was on duty, and we bought a three week licence. They don’t do a two-week one.

Graham and Sheila at Thames Lock

We passed some work boats doing something to the weirs near Bulldogs Island. We moored at Hamm Moor, halfway between Thames Lock and Town Lock, opposite the newly built property with a lot of glass.

Working boats in action

Moored on the Wey in Weybridge

2 locks, 2 miles. Dep 0910, arr 0940 Weybridge wall. Dep 1420, arr Hamm Court 1525

Next:  Moving further up the River Wey.