There have not been many days this summer that we’ve had weather that was worse than forecast, but it happened today. There was the chance of a shower around lunchtime, but in fact we got rain earlier than that, and more heavily. Still, we need it so we can’t complain.
Macc had a lovely time running around the meadows next to the mooring at Henley. Last night we had the field to ourselves, and he went mad through the long grass. This morning there were plenty of other dogs about, so he was able to play with them. He and a little white dog spent a good while doing circuits round a tree! We set off about 8.30, almost immediately passing Henley’s waterfront.
We were fascinated to see what, if anything, remained of the regatta course. When we were here in July, there were posts and rails making the lanes along a huge length of the river. Today, nothing. All gone.
The other thing that has vanished is the pop up bar and restaurant that was on the field near Hambledon Lock. The lock itself was on self service, although the lock keeper was actually there doing a couple of things, and told Adrian he was double locking today and was now off to Hurley Lock. Hambledon Lock is big.
It makes you wonder why they leave a big, deeper lock that’s a side filler (so more tricky to control the boat when going up) on self service, but instead staff Hurley Lock which is small and shallow. Anyway, below Hambledon Lock you get a view of the mill. There was also plenty of water coming over the weir.
There were far fewer boats moored on the field before Medmenham. The abbey and the house next door look very attractive, even on a dull day.
Going downstream you get a view of Danesfield up on the hill, which you don’t see at all going the other way.
We stopped on the water point above Hurley Lock to fill the tank, depleted by a couple of loads of washing over the past few days. We also made use of the other services, and it properly rained while we did so. When we were full we went to the lock, round a Le Boat which was waiting for the tap. We were joined in the lock by a boat we’d seen at Henley, with a cheeky name.
The distance between Hurley Lock and Temple Lock is very short — the second shortest on the river; it’s just 30 metres longer than the reach between Cleeve and Goring Locks. Nautical Buoy overtook us and got to the lock first, just as three boats were coming out. He apologised for going past but said he has poor steering a low speeds, and knew we’d both fit in Temple Lock, which we did. It was on self service, but fortunately a boat arrived to come up so they could take over operation. On the approach to Marlow there was a sailing boat, going very slowly because there was hardly a breath of wind at that point.
We’d decided that if there was a space at Marlow we’d stop; it was our planned destination anyway, and the weather wasn’t that pleasant. We’ve never stopped here before because it’s usually full, but today there was just one boat on the paid for moorings and nothing at all on the free ones. We headed for the free ones, and have had to improvise to be able to tie up. The stern is on a piece of rope that someone has looped round the piling, and I managed to bang a stake in behind the piling for the bow. The view makes up for it though.
After lunch and after Macc had been for a walk, I headed into town to have a look. First I walked over the bridge and back. It was designed by William Tierney Clark, who also did the Szechenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest.
At the bottom of the High Street is the war memorial, with a flag pole.
The High Street is very impressive with plenty of shops; it has all the signs of being an affluent town. The Everyman Cinema at the top is remarkable.
In Higginson Park, where the moorings are, there’s a circus tent. The shows only start tomorrow though.
There’s also a statue of Sir Steve Redgrave in the park. Macc took a dislike to it and barked, until he gave it a sniff and realised it wasn’t actually a huge person.
The paid for moorings are very smart, and some have electric hook up. I went onto the website to see how much it would have cost to moor there. The moorings are divided into 4 metre bays, which means we’d have needed five, and the calculator suggested we’d have had to fork out £45. The overnight fee is £20 regardless of how many bays you use, it’s the £1.25 per bay per hour during the day that means the price racks up. Electricity is 50p per kWh, which is double what we paid on the bollard in Oxford.
8 miles, 3 locks, free mooring. (54 miles, 20 locks, £15)