But the K&A is that way ..........

Our last Thames lock for 2013 at Sonning.  A full lock as we came up so just a few minutes wait. From tomorrow onwards I'll be working again! 

The view as the water starts to come in

And as we 'pop' up

 proof there is room for all shapes and sizes on the Thames

 Weren't we heading for the Kennet and Avon?

Yes, but not until we've topped up with fuel and 'done' a tesco.  Rather amused by this bike. I think there could be a market for them! 

 And our view. Tomorrow it IS the K&A.

Only time for one pub - which gets our vote?

A second night in Henley. We had intended to visit two of our favourite pubs, The Little Angel and The Henley Brewing Company. Both dog friendly.  HBC won the day as we really only wanted a snack lunch and to call in at the magnificent butchers.

Tomorrow we go onto Reading. The plan is to moor at Tesco overnight, get fuel on Friday morning and make the run up to Fobney Lock. The weekend forecast is good and it's tempting to stay on the river but we'd really like to get to Great Bedwyn and back before going into Newbury and leaving QISMA for a few days whilst we head off to Jay and Michael's wedding next month. Sadly, can't do it all.

Some Henley views.

£1.1M

£300k for the plot

Some Henley vi

Ain't life grand?

Henley was where we hit the rain on our way down the Thames in March and despite the forecast the sunset last night made us hope we might just make it.

 Well, nearly. We got past Temple Island

 But not through the bridge

 And we've watched the water rise in this perch before!

 On passage between Marlow and Henley I went into winter uniform

 And thank goodness I did!

Still, quick trip for supplies, LJ walked. In the shower, fire on, cuppa to hand - ain't life grand!

It's 5 in the morning and ........

SOMEONE IS RUNNING AN ENGINE OR PUMP! So there you are, moored in this tranquil and idyllic spot. Only moorings for three or four boats. Once moored you can't tell if any other boats are moored further down the path. Last we knew we didn't have company - but at 0500 I learnt that we did! The sound of engine/pump/heating on. I know there are some early risers out there, not us obviously but ....... Sure enough, when I walked LJ, we had company.

 Cliveden Deep

 mooring made for one!

 Worth climbing up for these views

We've come onto Marlow now. The £11 overnight moorings are all full. We're 20 yards beyond on what was an empty and free 24 hour mooring - go figure!

Cliveden - that says it all!

The rain went through overnight - torrential! So, we moved on today, in the hope that we would find a mooring in the National Trust land at Cliveden. And, readers we did! Not only a mooring, but the only mooring not on the footpath.

lJ got the most fantastic walk in the grounds and I took a walk up to admire the exterior of the hotel. I read on the web that afternoon tea starts at £37.50pp and the most expensupive is £570 for 2. THIS IS NIT A TYPO. Having said that. Midweek lunch at under £30 sounds like a proper treat!

We had so wanted to moor here so are delighted.

9 out of 10 boats

Have we all heard the story about  traffic police calling certain cars, Porsche for example, 9 out of 10 cars- in that 9 out of 10 will be speeding. Could we say the same for boats? I'm sure you could on the Thames!  When I was younger, much younger, I lived in West Berlin. If we wanted to drive through East Germany to West Germany we had to book out at Checkpoint Bravo in the outskirts of Berlin and were given a time when we were expected to arrive at Checkpoint Alpha onmthe East/Weat German border. The route was known as 'The Corridor' and the timings ensured that we kept to the East German speed limits.

It seems to me that, on rivers where locks are manned, it would be straightforward to have a similar system and boats speeding could expect to be fined. Perhaps something for the Canal and River Trust to think about as a revenue earner when they eventually take over? I'm sure it could be wrapped up in some sufficiently environmentaly friendly way as to make it acceptable!

Does this count as a rant? Surely not!

All our Windsor chores done, not without some hiccups - best if veil is  drawn over this - so we decided to take advantage of a shower free hour and move down to Dorney Lake.   I took LJ  for a new walk and found a small holding selling logs and kindling so we took a couple of bags. Nice to have a log on the fire.

We also saw some low flying spaceships. Honestly!!!  I want one!

 This has to be our favourite view of Windsor

 The Thames is very wide as you leave Windsor

 Could he have taken up ANY more space?

£2 of kindling - bargain!!

 Boveney Lock not quite so colourful as some but it does have Bill and Ben

Royal Windsor - without the Royals

Back in Windsor by lunchtime. We were here for two weeks in April because the river was too high to travel so we got to know it quite well.

We didn't want to stay on 'our' mooring, though it was empty  - and even had the same neighbour who hasn't moved an inch!

Though there's a lot more foliage on the roof. Can't compete with this though

We went up for water and found the ideal spot on the island - away from the hundreds of visitors who want to feed swans and geese by the boat.


The first sight of the castle is always a bit special

 And a town view

We were off to the Long Walk very quickly. Closely followed by lunch at the Two Brothers.  The house next door to the pub is to let. A mere (cough) £3500 PCM.

Here for  just a couple of days, though the forecast isn't good.............

Time on foreign soil

You can't help thinking at Runnymede just how different it might be if it was American. Perhaps this is because the memorial was donated by the American Bar Association. Perhaps it's because the JohnF Kennedy memorial is set on an acre of land that was given to the US or perhaps it's because on  both visits by QISMA, there has hardly been anyone there and that doesn't  seem right. 

Just a bit further on from the JFK memorial - unlikely to produce our next potential Wimbledon champion! 

With these girls in the way of our afternoon walk I decided to take LJ up to the Air Force Memorial

A bit of a hike for a canal walker!

 But the views were worth it.