The Basingstoke Canal, a green corridor through Woking

Tuesday, 26 July 2011 09:33

Sometimes you would hardly credit it - sometimes it is blindingly obvious that ....

The Basingstoke Canal cuts through Woking, one of the largest towns in Surrey .....

After John and Dom came back from the station we carried on up the "Bassy". It was hot, sunny and all the dragonflies were out. No chance of getting a photo of the latter though.

Is this in Woking?

This is above Sheerwater Bridge - with the apparently posh area of Woking on one side: fine houses line the off side bank, most having garden moorings. Gardens moorings are apparently a prerequisite with a canal frontage, whether or not the householder owns a boat.

However this mooring owner is after a boat!

This household already have a boat - and a lovely long garden

The cycleway is on the towpath side - very well used, with routes into the town

Narrowboat Finch is one of the nice narrowboats, a lovely tug front

This is reminiscent of the Kennet and Avon

Dom was on the tiller (standing on a box, he hasn't suddenly grown!)

He  masterly steered us through the very small gap in the rushes

The canal was still lined by nice houses one side. Then we came to this startling white bridge - Monument Bridge carries ... Monument Road.

Monument Bridge

Beyond is the remains of a water pump, possible used by the fire service almost under the shadow of a very modern sight

We were now passing through the heart of Woking - the shopping centre and the station are both very near. Apparently there is a Waitrose too, judging from the number of carrier bags - carried, not in the canal thank goodness. The Rangers spend a lot of time clearing rubbish, dog poo, trolleys and other detritus from the canal. It also needs dredging but there is no dedicated dredger operating and at £60,000/kilometer for commercial dredging, it is too large a cost for the County Councils at the moment.

The only other boats on the move

We proved today that walkers like seeing boats on the move - as soon as they saw us the cameras were out, we could have made a fortune if we charged.

Even passers-by on bridges took our photo: here at Chobham Road Bridge

We arrived at our mooring for the night, just beyond Arthur's Bridge, opposite Bridge Barn pub

There is a main road by the towpath, but it was not too noisy during the night. The water and elsan are also here (behind us on the towpath), so it is a good place to stop. I am not sure I would want to moor overnight in Woking town centre.

River Wey Navigations, Pyrford to Arthur's Bridge, Basingstoke Canal
4 hours 50 minutes, 6.41 miles, 6 locks