Our last night "in the country" on the Thames for a bit

Monday, 03 October 2011 20:25

We were hoping that "our" mooring at Shiplake would be free

You can see the blue sky over this stern wheeler at Henley

It was not far, but we were determined to make the most of our cruise ......

We left at a reasonable time, as we wanted to avoid the "traffic" as the day wore on. The moorings at Rod Eyot (where it seems most of the narrowboats choose to moor) were empty as we got nearer to Marsh Lock. Maybe they all had left early too?

We always remember Marsh Lock from flood conditions when we were stuck in Henley for 4 days due to red boards way back in the 1970s. Our friends Tim and Carol and their two girls Debbie and Tara, were with us then. 

John likes this house above the lock, but I find it a little stark. We have never seen anyone there, but the gardener was in attendance keeping it pristine.

Model house?

The Stone Bridge that leads to the Druids Temple beside the house still stands!

Once again we were into nice houses by the river, particularly around Poplar Eyot. I do so love the ones with the green sward reaching down to the riverside. 

It is not often one sees horses and these type of houses in close conjunction, but I suppose horses on the lawn are more "up market" than sheep!

This house near to the St George and Dragon pub has a colonial feel to it

It was at the Geoprge and Dragon that we saw the Mikron Theatre on our way downstream - despite our problems finding a mooring nearby. We passed Bushnell's Boatyard and Marina just below Shiplake Railway Bridge. This base was where John and his family started one of his childhood trips on the Thames (It was there I heard Tony Blackburn launch Radio 1 - John). I suspect it has changed rather a lot since then: the boats certainly have!

Bushnell's at Wargrave 

Once through Shiplake Lock, we stopped off at the sani-station there - another place with memories! When we were stuck in Reading at the beginning of our continuous cruising days, September 2008, we made friends with the boaters behind us. New Zealanders Louse and Graeme on narrowboat Faith took us down to Shiplake on Faith for a trip to the sani-station! 

Our hoped-for mooring below Shiplake College was vacant so we slipped into the Epiphany shaped space. It was only lunch time! We were in for a lazy afternoon and very quiet night with a lovely view.

River Thames, Henley to Shiplake 
1 hours 46 minutes, 4.34 miles, 2 locks