Dapdune Wharf River Wey Guildford

We have continued to wend our way slowly down the river which has been getting better and better.Yesterday we had a lovely mooring above Triggs Lock and just past Warehams Footbridge in open countryside and glorious sunshine-heaven at last. Today we had an early start and moved through 2 locks and  4 1/2 miles in a leisurely 3 hours with no other boats about. We moored at Dapdune Wharf the home of the Wey barge and The National Trust base for the river. Another meeting with Janet, Ray and Brian with lunch over looking the river in town. Tonight was time for dinner out -so a trip to Jamie Italian was in order.  

Our mooring at Dapdune Wharf- they only have a few but they are secure and free for 24hrs

 

The wharf is the place that Wey barges were built and side launched in the 1920/30's - this is Reliance built 1931/2 

Coming into Guildford are some interesting sculptures!

A wooden foot

A dragonfly of which the river has plenty

A whole dead tree has been carved -this is just a part

There are a few rooting wooden narrow boats

Triggs Lock

This lovely wooden boat was originally built for the narrow canals in 1950's 

Waiting to leave Triggs Lock

Our mooring just past Wareham's Footbridge-I do like the cloud reflections

Waiting to do a sharp left turn into Bower's Lock

Looking down river from Bower's Lock-we are only 2 miles from Guildford

Bower's Lock again

Stoke Lock

A Chaplin owned this steam launch- he was making a brew before his visitors arrived for a trip to a pub for lunch

A paddle wheeled narrow boat!

Moored at High Footbridge Send on the River Wey

We had a lazy day yesterday (Anne did the washing) and stayed at Pyrford- well we had done two -6 hour boating days getting off the Basingstoke and therefore we decided on a rest day-also the forecast didn't look very good. In the end we only had a bit of rain and a clap of thunder. We were therefore on the move at 9.15 this morning up through Pyrford lock,got some water and then cruised on. The scenery has started to improve considerably as the waterway weaves itself between all the towns and villages.We have moored tonight by High Footbridge which is a 5 minute walk to a small shop in Send village and is a lot quieter than the moorings outside the New Inn by Cart Bridge and a main road.

Our mooring by the appropriately named High Footbridge

Last nights mooring just before the entrance to Pyrford Marina-The Anchor is on the left  

The busy narrow road bridge in front of Pyrford lock 

BB waiting patiently for the lock outside The Anchor

The National Trust has planted up the pilings protecting the entrance to the lock

I spotted this interesting looking building and then spotted the sign below

Walsham Flood lock and cottage and also one of the few remaining turf sided locks in the country

Newark Priory

This Jay spent ages hunting for food along the edge of the towpath

The very pretty Papercourt Lock,cottage and weir stream which today was OK

 More boat names

How did this river slip in

Cheerio and thank you to the Basingstoke Canal

The sun came out together with the shorts for the final passage  through the last 11 locks at St Johns and Woodham. One of the most striking things about the Basingstoke is the light effect through the trees. All the staff and rangers have been so friendly and helpful and they have always arrived promptly and have the locks ready for us - with lock gates open or the locks full. In some ways it must be like how cruising used to be-only a few boats about and a sense of adventure in that you have to make the journey. Perhaps in this day and age we expect everything to be sorted for us and  we   therefore have no hassle - everything is on a plate.  On The Basingstoke you have to work at it a bit but its well worth the effort if you are down this part of the world.

Our mooring in Woking outside the WWF UK headquarters-that's why there was a panda near the towpath!!!

WWF building

Either a weed cutter or a paddle boat


Some final views of The Basingstoke Canal

A man moving his floating platform so he can do some repairs on  his houseboat

Approaching Woodham Junction-M25 on the bridge-we turn right for Guildford

 And to finish as we are now at Pyrford on the River Wey - some boat names

Deepcut and Brookwood Locks Basingstoke Canal

We stayed at Mytchett Canal Centre on Tuesday as the forecast was so bad- the winds we had were not bad as we did have some surrounding shelter luckily. A trip out was called for and as North Camp Station was only a 20 minute walk away - a train into Reading for a mooch round the shops was called for. Back early afternoon for a pump out (only £5) and then moved BB to the top of Deepcut flight ready for the descent this morning. Only us going down and two boats coming up-they had done the first group on Tuesday. Last day on the Basingstoke Canal tomorrow and then to continue our journey along The River Wey to Godalming- I have just read that Broadford Bridge south of Guildford is only 6ft 4inches- which we should be able to go under without taking anything off or down-providing the water levels are normal-all fingers are crossed. We are moored tonight at Hermitage Woods near Brookwood- same as on the way up.

Our mooring last night above Deepcut Top Lock

A view of Deepcut Top Lock 

The only problem is its on the flight path for Farnborough Airport which is very busy with business jets-which get ever bigger

A new house being built as we approached  top lock

This is either an updated WW2 pill box, jacuzzi or a Thai restaurant -you can decide

One of the locks is right under a road bridge-but at least its not that low

The Deepcut flight is very rural despite hearing the trainees in the local barracks

There are no walkways on the lock gates so they all have a bridge

This float plane flew over perhaps looking for somewhere to land!

Back under the low bridges on The Basingstoke Canal

After two nights outside The Fox and Hounds we made our move this morning as it  was forecasting a dry morning at least to 11am. We collected Matthew from above Fleet Road bridge and prepared the boat by removing the cratch and top box again. All went well except we had a few drops of rain as we approached Ash Lock at 11.20 so we stopped and put the cratch back up.

The best bit of the day occurred as we were approaching Ash Lock and we suddenly saw that brilliant blue flash in front of the boat- Yes we have seen our first Kingfisher of the trip- they really do bring things alive when they suddenly appear- it darted in front of the boat several times.

As you approach Mytchett you go past a very wide area know as Mytchett Lake which makes even the flashes around Middlewich seem small. It had some interesting bird life.

Day off tomorrow hopefully we will survive the strong wind warning tonight and we start down the Deepcut flight on Wednesday.

The first low bridge at Fleet Road which is the lowest and bent the radio aerial back by about 3 inches

Approaching the last low one -Wharf Bridge (or some call it Farnborough Road Bridge) - the team is ready to take out the top board and lower the front A section-the first bridge is the old road bridge which is OK its the new one which is the problem.

The new Wharf Bridge which didn't bend the back aerial-the bridge is higher on the non towpath side

Queens Avenue Bridge with a bit of style

There are a lot of  Herons on the canal- these two were on Mytchett Lake

So was this cormorant