Hot, hot River Thames: it's best to be cruising

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:20

Who chose to give us this hot weather just when we have a couple of long cruises planned? My brain has decided it is just to hot to function, so apologies to regular readers for the break. Now to catch up.

Despite Hart's Boats selling lots of wide "narrowboats", we have seen very few

The next bit of the Thames from Hampton Court downstream must be one of the most well known to tourists, all sorts of boaters and walkers ......

It had been so busy with boats we were permanently rocking on our mooring. The world and his wife and children were out enjoying the wonderful Thames. It was much quieter when we set off. It is also cooler cruising! The river swings around Hampton Court Park, but little can be seen of the park. The houses of Surbiton and Kingston pass on the east bank.

Kingston on Thames Bridge

The Kingston Bridge was once wooden, with twenty arches. The current one is built of Portland stone and was opened in 1828. It was widened in 1914 and then a new one, a mirror image was opened in 2001. It was illuminated in 2003.

The Bridge and Kingston from Barge Walk

We picked up my friend Maggie at Kingston after a bit of shopping. There are some nice moorings here above the bridge and the energetic can walk all the way to Hampton Court along Barge Walk (the Thames Path). It will be worth coming back to explore more later in the year.

Moorings, looking upstream from Kingston bridge

On the way down to Teddington, we passed this summer house with its barrel of Pusser's rum

The Boaters Inn does not appear to have any decent moorings - rather defeating the object of its name me thinks.

Teddington weir ahead

We arrived at Teddington, moored and walked over to The Anglers for lunch.

Moored above the locks

After a long leisurely one while we caught up with Maggie's news, we said goodbye and wandered back to Teddington Lock. There are three locks here - a skiff lock and the middle launch lock, which was in use, and we wondered if the right one (barge lock) was ever used. We were soon to find out!

Teddington Locks, the beginning of the "tidal Thames"

More to come when the Internet signal improves ....