Beautiful day, beautiful river and I love it!

Saturday, 01 October 2011 17:52

The River Thames is spectacular at the moment. All this sunshine has brought out all the boaters and the trees are just changing colour.

Against the blue sky the trees and boats look wonderful

So what did I spot that is a bit unusual on our cruise from Cliveden .......?

Cookham was our first lock after Cliveden Deep and above the blue iron Cookham Bridge I spotted, what I presume is, the toll house

Toll House and bridge

There was probably a river crossing at Cookham in pre-historic days. The current bridge (1867) was cheaper to build than the wooden one it replaced. On our way up to Bourne End we passed two sections of river bank owned by the National Trust - "free moorings for members?" queried John. I doubt it!

NT land near Bourne End

Crochet Castle is also on the left bank going upstream, built by Ebenezer MacCrochet - a gentleman with pretensions of grandeur

Crochet Castle

This lock heralded a well know place - see if you can guess where

The church spire may be a clue

Above is an extensive weir and suspension bridge

Got it? 

We only called in at Marlow briefly, so that John could pop to the shops, and then set off again. Passing Bisham Abbey, we came to Temple Lock. It was very busy and we had to wait for boats to come out.

How about these boaters in boaters?

Hurley Lock follows Temple Lock very quickly. On the weir stream below are lots of moorings and Harleyford Manor, also known as "Lady Place", after the Virgin Mary; it was a monastery annexed to Westminster Abbey.

Harleyford Manor

The lock was extensively renovated last year at a cost of £1.2 million. There are three weirs at Hurley and is it is apparently a mecca for canoeists. 

Hurley weir above the lock

This boat selling "ice cream of the future" looks as if it is very much in the future past

So we came to Medmenham. It was time to moor up, but not until we had passed Medmenham Abbey in its lovely riverside grounds. Most of the building is fake, created by Francis Dashwood of the Hell Fire Club.

Medmenham Abbey

We moored in a very pleasant spot just above Ferry Lane and the site of the old ferry crossing. Other boats had the same idea, but we were all spaced out nicely so it was quiet. You can just make out the lights of our neighbours over the evening mist rising on the meadow.

Medmenham evening

River Thames, Cliveden to Medmenham
3 hours 16 minutes, 9.51 miles, 4 locks