Peace and calm at Sunbury on Thames

Sunday, 25 September 2011 13:58

After a few days at Hampton Court we needed to move on, so once I returned to Epiphany we loosed the ropes.

River Ember enters the Thames at Hampton Court

We are once again trying not to plan, so where would we end up .....?

Well, we needed water etc., so it was good that there is a service station above Molesey Lock

On the lock-side is a "sculpture" of the paddle and rymer gear that used to be used on the weirs beside the locks. I heard recently that the EA are getting rid of the ones that remain on health and safety grounds. If I recall correctly, the weirs with the remaining working paddle and rymer gear are further upstream. There is one at Northmoor Lock and one at Streatley Mill. There are only three others remaining as EA have already electrified some.

Molesey Paddle and rymer gear

Boat slide and rollers for portage above Molesey Lock

Above the lock are a string of islands - Ash, Tagg's, Garrick's Ait, Platt's Eyot, Sunbury Court Island and Rivermead and Swans Nest Island. There are lots of houseboats moored alongside Tagg's Island, which has a long history: including a boatyard; then an hotel was built, which passed from owner to owner, including Fred Karno, as well as a car factory. The hotel featured in Clockwork Orange in 1970, then was pulled down the following year.

Houseboat based on a concrete barge, reputedly built to carry ammo across the Channel in WWI

At Garrick's Eyot, we passed the villa (now flats: it is wrapped in scaffolding, after a fire in 2008) and temple, once owned by the actor David Garrick.

David Garrick's contribution to the Thames riverside

Platt's Eyot has a link with war too, as I blogged on the way downstream.

Port Hamilton on Platt's Eyot 

As it was now well past the time we usually stop, we looked for a mooring that we knew of below Sunbury Lock. We had stopped there for a cuppa with Sue and Vic of No Problem on our way down. Sure enough it was vacant, so we pulled in. Either the river has dropped a lot or we are deeper draughted (probably the latter), but we had to use the plank to get on and off. Someone had left a lot of rubbish which was strewn along the bank, but it was a quiet, peaceful and a restful night for us both. 

Never mind, the view early in the morning made up for all that!

Towards Sunbury Lock the following morning

So onwards and upwards on a beautiful day, where would we end up?

River Thames, Hampton Court to Sunbury
1 hour 37 minutes, 3,28 miles, 1 lock