Basingstoke Canal Mytchett Canal Centre and getting ready to tackle the very low bridges

Its day 26 of our trip and we have covered 133 miles and 104 locks. Yesterday was a day of rest as the Brookwood & Deepcut locks were closed. Today we started at 09.00 at Brookwood bottom lock and moored up at the Canal Centre at  15.15 after boating for 6.5hrs doing 16 locks and travelled just 5.5miles. We did have the assistance of Sue (Anne's other sister) Graham, Clare,Nick and Michael and his daughters in their narrowboat. Tomorrow will be the assault on the 4 low bridges which have an air height of 5ft 10 inches. Using our boat hook and spirit level I think we are about 6ft to the top of the cratch. The committee ie me have therefore decided that before we set off in the morning we will take down the cratch and move the top box inside- hopefully that should do it. If it doesn't it will require a 1 mile reverse to a winding hole!

Starting up the Brookwood flight-very rural in an urban area

Just lovely

Leaking top gates on the Deepcut flight which are sealed after we have been through them

Our visiting helpers with Michael and his daughters 

A cote which I only suddenly noticed hidden within the reeds 

Our lunch stop above Deepcut Top lock after a hard days locking

I have never seen Canada Geese on a boat before

Basingstoke Canal above St Johns locks

After a quick trip to the local Morrisons for a paper and few bits we were off and met Matt the Basingstoke Ranger who arrived promptly at 09.30. Although its very close to the M25 it is very rural around the first of the Woodham six. We shared the work with Michael and his daughter which made the journey much easier. The locks are not as harsh going up as the Wey but the going is shallow and slow in parts-still it was a pleasant days boating -no rain and sunshine. The towpath is very busy with walkers,cyclists and pure gongoozlers. 

Our mooring tonight above Hermitage Road Bridge

Our mooring last night (on the right ) above New Haw lock 

The Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) steam tug Frodsham-a handsome beast 

Going under the M25 between Junctions 10 and 11 on The Wey

Woodham Junction turn right for the Basingstoke or straight on for the River Wey

The rural nature of the canal quickly takes you in although its a slog through Woking as its  very shallow  in parts

An interesting tree house for a change!

Its catching now a Panda near an office unit

This sealed it in a garden-they are trying to beat the Thames

There are several groups of large house boats as you start along the canal

Now - I had to include a few boat names based  on the pun on the wey its written!!!!!!!!sorry

River Wey above New Haw lock

We have now left the wonderful Thames and are now back on much narrower waters albeit still a River-The Wey or to be precise we are moored above New Haw Lock which is the River Wey Navigation,a man made section fed from the river and looking at the low sides- a stretch that doesn't flood. This is one of the oldest waterways in the country opened in 1653,one hundred odd years before the main canal network. Its owned and managed by The National Trust and the double locks  are different from the canals in that you have to use bow and stern ropes (not centre) as the force of the water from the gate paddles is horrendous. The mooring below the 1st lock of the Basingstoke Canal is very close to the M25 and this mooring is relatively noise free-just a rumble. We are near a local Morrison's for a paper tomorrow morning and will then move the half mile to meet the ranger.

This looks like a bath tub with a chimney

River launch with dinghy-like an Etchells-we have seen several being taken up river - must be a regatta

First signets of the year

Houseboat or recycling point-you can decide

A view of Chertsey Bridge as we take on water below the lock

A houseboat designed like a ships bridge-NB I am now into houseboats

Another animal in a garden 

Four narrowboats in a lock

Our lunchtime mooring below Shepperton Lock- The River Wey starts ahead of us to the left

Leaving Thames Lock on the Wey after paying our transit fee to the Basingstoke

Flats built on the approach above the lock

Even the Wey has nice houses

Entrance to Coxes Lock- the mill is now flats-note the bywash to the left of the mill which was an interesting challenge

Sign on lock cottage

Now at Runnymede and onto Basingstoke Canal this Saturday

We continue to make a bit faster progress down the Thames having stopped on Wednesday evening in Windsor and had dinner and saw the house of Clare and Nick - Anne's niece. A great way to meet up, we had moored near The Leisure Centre and Baths Island which was only a fifteen mins walk from their house.Today we had a 2 hour cruise down to Runnymede (NT £7per night) and found a lovely mooring at the downstream end of the site. As it was such a glorious afternoon we took ourselves off to walk past the Magna Carta site which was signed on the 15 June 1215 and then onto The RAF Memorial. It is very moving as you walk around all the names inscribed on the Portland Stone made even more meaningful when relatives have left pictures and brief details bringing those names in stone alive.

We are booked in to enter The Basingstoke Canal this Saturday at 09.30. Tomorrow we are going to make our way down to Shepperton and through Thames Lock onto the River Wey. Pay our £7 transit licence and stop below Woodham Locks to await the ranger who will help us through. Bring it on as we are a bit concerned about our height above water its about 6ft at the bow-with the cratch board-there are 4 low bridges at 5ft 10inches which may require the cratch to be taken down!!! Watch this space

Runnymede mooring with washing out!

The RAF Memorial

Windsor Castle from the top of The Memorial

An Airbus A380 taking off from Heathrow going over the Memorial- I am sure they would appreciate the advances in aircraft development

Our mooring in Windsor

The Ducks still operate but much more modern water/land versions

Windsor Castle as we leave our mooring today-Her Majesty was not in 

As we have cruised down from Marlow there have been a lot of unusual things to see in riverside gardens-

And finally a few boat names to finish with

Marlow and avoided all the rain and hail showers

Janet and Ray arrived this morning at 09.15 with the replacement impeller for the Johnson shower pump, after offering them coffee and eccles cakes they were on their way back home. We were ready for the off by 10.15 in full waterproof clothing as the forecast looked terrible. We could see the black clouds and rain all around but it always missed us. We arrived at Harleyford Marina at 13.15 dry- the heavens then opened with a serious hail storm whilst we had lunch. The engineer then arrived and checked the pump - it draws 13amps on start and then drops to 6amps so it needs the 15amp fuse. No obvious issues with the motor so changed the impeller and suggested that if it does go again it may be the rocker switch- good friendly service. We left at 15.00 and cruised down to Marlow in sunshine but gusty wind. Moored outside the leisure centre -£12 per night but good for the town first thing tomorrow. Just as we were approaching the mooring nb Chance with James & Doug passed going up stream- a quick shouted creating was made.

Our mooring tonight with Marlow bridge in the background

Bisham Abbey on the approach to Marlow

A group of houses around their private marina

Danesfield House used by the RAF during the last war for the interpretation of aerial photographs especially important against the V2 rocket sites

A bit of a special boat house

The old mill next to Hambleden lock-now flats

The famous Temple Island at the end of the regatta course at Henley

One of the umpire launches,

Steam launch Windsor Belle getting steam up opposite our mooring in Henley

We passed another steam launch Alaska moored above  Temple Lock