Macc was up quite early this morning, so we were ready to leave Windsor Castle behind us at about 8.
We made our way round Windsor Race Course. As expected, Boveney Lock was on self service as it was too early for a lock keeper. Adrian went to press the buttons, and found it was more automated than some locks, as it went through the process of gradually raising the sluices on its own.
The next reach is quite pretty. The Oakley Court Hotel always looks very impressive — apparently it was used in horror films. Then a little bit further on is Bray Film Studios, which appears to have been done up since we last passed.
Then we went under the M4 and on to Bray Lock, where we waited while a double kayak came down. The lady lock keeper there was very cheerful, and once in we waited for a cruiser to join us.
Bray itself has a very upmarket riverside, with The Waterside Inn right there. A little further along, a house has been completely gutted to be done up.
Then it’s in to Maidenhead, where the Brunel railway bridge had the widest and shallowest brick arch in the world. The road bridge is then a total contrast.
At Boulders Lock there was a boat going up and three to come down, so we waited on the lock landing which is in the middle of the river. The restaurant on the lock island is apparently very nice.
Boulters Lock was on self service, which seemed odd because it’s the deepest one around here. The guy from the cruiser (which had overtaken us) said it was probably because it’s also a long lock so lots of boats can fit in. Lock keepers are put at the smaller locks so they can use their judgement to pack more boats in. By the time we were up a couple of boats had arrived to go down. Above the lock island the lovely Cliveden Reach, in a tree-lined valley and with the mansion at the top of the hill.
There were lots of boats buzzing about as there are hire boats run by the National Trust and the hotel. But none of them went up Cookham Lock with us, just the three boats which had come up Boulters.
We stopped at the water point above the lock, waiting for a huge hire boat to fill their tank first. Fortunately it was a nice fast tap. I also took the opportunity to do the loo. Then we set off again, looking for a mooring once we were through the very delicate-looking Cookham Bridge.
We’d had in mind to stop at Cookham, but there were no spaces on the park or on the meadow beyond. We carried on towards Bourne End, without much hope of a mooring. But then we spotted that the cruiser we’d come up the locks with appeared to be about to set off from outside The Bounty — so we did a u-turn, went back past and did another u-turn to moor up in front of the pub. It’s actually ideal because we’re meeting Andy with whom I worked on the boat tests for Canal Boat magazine for many years. He runs the Captain Beaky ferry here, as Harbour Tours.
After lunch I went for an explore. The rail bridge behind us has a footpath attached to one side, giving access to Bourne End itself.
The town has quite a busy High Street with a good selection of shops. The train comes over the bridge from Maidenhead into Bourne End station, and the. Goes back out the way it came before heading along the river to Marlow.
10 miles, 4 locks. (24 miles, 9 locks)