Macc was a big fan of Marsh Meadow in Henley, especially the paths mown through the long grass. He had a long race about last night and another one this morning. We set off at 9, and it was actually quite chilly for a while. Another boat also came off the moorings and headed for the lock, and just as we got there the lock keeper changed the sign from Self Service to Lock Keeper On Duty.
Above the lock there are a few houses, including a boat house with a very modern house behind.
At Shiplake, there are quite a few houses down to the water in a real mix of styles and designs.
At Shiplake Lock we had a visitor. I’d remembered that my former news reading colleague, Tom, who you’ll know these days from Radio 4, lived in the area — and we’d arranged to meet at the lock. He arrived as we waited for a couple of boats to come down, so he came on board for a ride up the lock. It was on self service, as the previous lock keeper had warned us it would be, but we still got both narrowboats and a cruiser in. We stopped for water above the lock which gave us time to give Tom the guided tour, have some tea, and a proper catch up. It was really good to see him, and fortunate he wasn’t at work today.
We made sure Tom could get off the lock island by foot; most of it is fenced off, because it used to be an Environment Agency camp site but is now largely derelict. We set off again, passing several island. There are more isolated houses, many of which are strikingly modern.
Further on we passed several rowing crews from Shiplake College. Presumably these are summer activities, because term must have ended by now. Behind the. Was a lovely Dutch barge.
We’d thought about mooring before Sonning Bridge, outside Uri Geller’s house (he put it up for sale in 2023 apparently, but I’m not sure whether he actually sold it). But the boat we’d met earlier said they preferred the moorings above the lock, which also happen to be free because they’re Environment Agency. As it happened, there wasn’t really a nice space before the bridge anyway.
So we went through the bridge to Sonning Lock, which was also on self service. There was a boat coming down, then we could go in.
There was plenty of space on the moorings above the lock and they even have a nice edge and bollards to moor to. We couldn’t get the stern near the bank, but the bow is close in. The outlook across to the weir entrance is lovely (and the sun had come out by now too).
After lunch, Macc and I went for a look at Sonning, which is also apparently home to George Clooney and Theresa May.
That last photo is the hotel and restaurant down by the river, next to the bridge. Macc went in for a paddle here, and was so desperate to say hello to a black lab who was paddling much deeper, that he lay down in the water! For many years, Sonning Bridge had a mystery post box on one side; now, if you look closely, there’s a phone.
This afternoon, Adrian has been doing some of his charity stuff and I’ve made a chilli for dinner. Macc has had a long nap, which is much easier here because the towpath is nice and quiet — unlike the busy one in Henley.
6 miles, 3 locks. (41 miles, 16 locks)