Send to Godalming

Mon 12^th July  Send Meadows to Guildford Meadows

Showers in the night left everything wet, but they were soon finished. Unusually, Triggs Lock was in our favour, although the gates were shut. On the Wey, unlike most canals, the custom is to leave the lock with the gates open and the paddles closed.

Then we had the long section through beautiful water meadows and past Sutton Place, before the noisy A3 road spoilt the peace. Bowers Lock was against us.

Beautiful water meadows

Approaching Bowers Lock

Bowers Lock

Then the next section took us past more water meadows to Stoke Lock, where the outfall from the sewage works brought an unpleasant aroma to the atmosphere. The lock was against us again.

Stoke Mill

The river section into Guildford is lined on one side with waterside properties as far as the A3 bridge. We moored just after that on bollards by B&Q, to visit the new very convenient branch of Lidl which is in the building previously occupied by PC World. A wide-beam community boat tried to turn, and they had to ask us to move up a few bollards to give them more room. The correct place to turn is half a mile downstream at the Row Barge.

Returning with our shopping, we set off again to Dapdune Wharf, where we disposed of rubbish, emptied a cassette, and had a coffee and cake in the café. We established that we can moor there free of charge for two nights, which is what we hope to do on Friday and Saturday for our two events next weekend.

Dapdune Wharf

Moving on once more, we cruised through the centre of Guildford, past the closed down Debenhams store. We wonder what the future holds for this prime riverside location. 

Guildford warehouses

Bridge in Guildford

Millmead Lock was against us. There was a dad with two small children watching the workings of the lock, so we gave them Bertie leaflets.

We passed Swingbridge II, and then, near the rowing club, we met Swingbridge I, and someone on board hailed us. We think it might have been David Ward, a BCF friend of ours from Fleet.

We moored on the meadows, as far from the town as we could get, to avoid traffic noise.

James had a chat with H, who followed conspiracy theories, and alternative science. He said he was a believer in God but had no specific “religion”.  Everything is made of light. Covid vaccinations are to keep the pharma companies in business. He approved of Canal Ministries work among the penniless boaters.

We had heavy rain later

Moored on Guildford Meadows

Heavy loud rain

4 locks, 6 miles. Dep 0845, arr 1110 Lidl. Dep 1300, arr 1305 Dapdune. Dep 1410, arr 1500 Meadows.

Tue 13^th July  Guildford Meadows to Godalming

We had a gentle departure under a cloudy sky this morning. We passed the old river crossing for the Pilgrims Way, which used to be a ford. There is golden sand there, and the name Guildford derives from “Golden Ford”.

Golden Ford

St Catherine’s Lock was in our favour, so we cruised straight in. Leaving gates open is a civilised way to do things.

St Catherine’s Lock

Soon after the lock, we met a boat who flagged us down, to warn us about the lack of headroom at Broadford Bridge. They had been unable to get underneath, but we have a low profile. We paused under the railway bridge to take the flowers off the roof as a precaution. This was a wise move. The bridge is followed by the junction with the Wey and Arun Canal, used here for moorings.

Broadford Bridge

Wey and Arun moorings

At least the Nicholson Guide says “Unnavigable” rather than “disused”, which we see on some maps. Disused implies that nobody wants to use it.

Unstead Lock follows, and then Trowers Footbridge, where a bridegroom lost his head a few years ago, as a stag party hire boat took the wrong bridge arch.

Unstead Lock

Trowers Footbridge

Farncombe Boat House follows, and Catteshall Lock, before Godalming and the end of navigation. This is the furthest south a boat can get on the connected system until the Wey and Arun is restored. We turned the boat before mooring up, and we arrived just in time, as an hour later there were lots of kayaks and paddle boards on the water.

Farncombe Boat House

Catteshall Lock

Moored in Godalming

We went to explore the town, which has lovely old buildings, and some independent shops. We had to visit every charity shop, and James managed to buy some slippers in a shoe-shop, even though several other shops elsewhere had said they were out of season.

Godalming

Our friends Vicki and Ernon came to find us, and they took us to the Withies at Compton where we had a very pleasant meal and catch up.

The Withies

Vicki and Ernon

3 locks, 3 miles. Dep 1010, arr 1215.

Next: heading back up the Wey Navigations to Guildford, where we will make use of public transport to get to a family event in Leatherhead on Saturday, and a farewell lunch in Weybridge on Sunday.