Day 3: Bower's Lock to Godalming Wharf

5 miles    7 locks

Today we plan a short run.

Just four hors down to Godalming at the end of the waterway.

Right by our mooring at Bower's Lock is a historic oak.  Some say it has stood there for 500 years.

Although its not far to Guildford we plan a short stop at Dapdune Wharf, just north of Guildford.

But there is no space.  Perhaps we can make it on the way back.

This was once the HQ of the Wey and Godalming Navigation.  There are plenty of exhibits from the canal's history including an orginal Steven grain carrying boat.

Guildford is the largest town on the Navigation and in recent years it has considerably improved its riverside.

There are some great Victorian bridges in the town centre.

After Millmead Lock, the Godalming Navigation begins. 

Shortly after the lock comes one of the Navigations two narrow boat hire companies. 

The first is Guildford Boathouse.

There is not as much space at Godalming Wharf as you think there might be.

However, we tucked alongside the water point and Elsan Station right next to the Sainsbury site.

What is great about Godalming is there is still a horse drawn barge in service.

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Day 2: New Haw Lock to Bower's Lock

6.5 miles     5 locks

We are off at 9:30am a rather late start for Hallmark.

As we leave New Haw lock behind we are still in the canal section of the navigation and bypasses the meanders of the original river which flows away from Walsham, much higher up, through  Wisley and skirts Byfleet to rejoin the canalised section below Weybridge Town Lock.

Houses and gardens line the banks and the navigation gets busier and noisier as the M25 approaches and finally crosses the canal. 

The canal cowers under massive concrete pillars holding the motorway up high.

Just before the M25 viaduct there is a junction with the Basingstoke Canal.

This section of the Wey is rather spoilt by traffic noise from the M25 which runs parallel to the canal.  After Byfleet Boat House at Parvis Bridge it reduces considerably.

The scenery now changes and their are. Fields on either side which at times stretch into the distance.

There is a long curved wooden section leading up to the Anchor Inn at Pyrford and just be before is the entrance to the large marina.

Just beyond is Pyrford lock.

Next comes Walsham with it's flood gates which are left open other than in times of flood. This lock is of the few remaining turf sided lock the country.

The approach to Newark Lock is stunning especially with the ruined abbey providing the backdrop on the Surrey countryside. Only a few Walls remain of this 12th to 13th century home to Augustinian monks.

After the lock the canal becomes the river once more and seems to make an uncertain course that ends at the really pretty Papercourt Lock with it's stepped weir and cross currents.

Going into Bowers Lock is not straightforward and you could easily end up on the rivers course. The lock is a sharp turn the left just before the footbridge but it is best to moor up downstream of the footbridge to prepare the lock.

We decide not to push on to Guildford and stop just beyond the lock. It was a peaceful place far enough away from the sewage works in the next couple of miles.

Day 1: East Molesey to New Haw on the Wey Navigation

6.5 miles     5 locks

We are off to visit the River Wey Navigations.

It will be the first time for about five years and if we get to the end of the Navigation at Godalming it will be the first time in almost fifteen years.

We left Molesey around 11:00am in good sunshine which was still with us at Sunbury Lock. 

Little did we know of the torrential rain that was to come!

We used the 'new'  sanitary station at the lock and then stopped at Shepperton Marina to get diesel, color gas  and fill up with water.

Getting diesel at Shepperton is so much easier now the fuel jetties are longer and the hoses are at the very end of the jetty.

As we began to fill up with water the rain began to fall.

I turned Hallmark around amongst the expensive boats and headed back to the Thames.

Luckily a blast on the horn warned a cruiser about to turn into the tight marina cut I was coming.

As we got to the Desborough Cut the heavens opened and as they say it rained 'cats and dogs' 

At Shepperton with the lock in sight we turned left at 'Five Way Junction' towards the River Wey entrance.  

The wonderful Wey journey was about to begin,

We had hope to get to Pyrford by the end of day one but decided to call it a day at New Haw Lock. 

Light was failing fast as we approached Coxes Lock and it looked like we were in for more heavy rain.

Despite the gloom it still look stunning.

Just after New Haw Lock we decided to call it a day and we moored Hallmark up at the very end of the lock moorings. 

Google Places indicated that The White Heart was lest that 75 yards away. 

We ate in the Thai Resturant in the pub and what a jolly good meal it was too. 

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Hallmark is off for a service after the three month trip

It was an incredibly windy morning.
There was plenty of rain too.
The 8 o'clock news said it was the remnants of one of the recent American hurricanes.
I decided to go whatever the weather as it was a trip I had done many times.
At just after 11.00am Hallmark moved away from the mooring and the gusts were enormous as we headed for Sunbury Lock.  Here are some pictures.  The first looking back towards Molesey.

And the second looking towards Sunbury Church behind the weir.

And the second looking towards Sunbury over the weir.
The wind continued to really blow accompanied by fine but wet rain.
If the wind dropped it would have been much wetter!
It was too wet for photos!
The hairiest part of the journey was the approach to Shepperton Lock.
The journey along the Desborough Cut had been fine and Hallmark passed D'Oyly Carte Island  with no trouble but as we approached the lock the wind plus some stream from the River Wey really seemed to catch hold of Hallmark.  Initially I seemed to be heading for all the boats moored alongside Nauticalia and had to give Hallmark full power to straighten her up to get her on course for the lock.
The wind was kind as we went down through Chertsey Meads and there was no problems with the narrow arches of Chertsey Bridge.
But Chertsey Lock was closed. There was problems with the lock gates.  A main hose which contained the fluid which opened and closed the upstream gate had poured into the river and there was a two hour delay while it was repaired.

We made best use of the time by mopping the stern of Hallmark removing all the dirt that collects under the cover.
The last reach up to Laleham and Harris Boatyard is broad and the wind and the rain blew with all there might.
With a bit of help Hallmark was safely moored up and left for a good service after its two hundred hour adventure to Birmingham and beyond.

Banbury to Upper Heyford

11.5 miles:    8 locks

Hallmark with Maggie on board left Banbury at 8:00am
We had quite a long day ahead of us. There were eight locks to go through before we reached Upper and Lower Heyford where we planned to stop for the night.
Banbury town centre was really quite as we went under the lift bridge and Banbury Lock.
The first part of the day we went under the M40 twice.  There was also plenty of lift bridges but all of them were up! Here is the M40 and a bridge just before Grant's Lock.  20th and 18th century bridges alongside each other.

Aynho Wharf is re-markedly intact. In the picture below it nestles behind a large willow.
Its original brick warehouse is home to a shop selling provisions and canal souvenirs to passing boats.

The Great Western Arms is just back from the canal have really great food and the service is remarkable.
There is plenty of canal and railway memorabilla to look at too.

It is a day of memorial locks
At Kings Sutton Lock they have mounted the old village railway station sign on to one of the warehouse buildings by the lock.

You also get a stunning view of the parish church.

Nell Bridge Lock  is so close the main road (which runs over the top of the old 18th century bridge)  and everything seems so narrow but as always Hallmark just fit through.

Somerton Lock  is overlooked by an exceptionally pretty cottage.

Here is Maggie pushing open one of the gates.  Hard work!

It is very a very deep lock with a fall of 12 foot.  It is the deepest on the Oxford Canal.
It actually vies with Tardebigge on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal as being the deepest narrow chamber on the canal system.
It is just amazing going down as coming up It is so coffin like at the bottom.

At Allen's Lock a British Waterways man is working the lock.
He says there are water level problems below Lower Heyford and he is using the lock to feed and improve the level.
We see the sign for The Barley Mow just after Allen's Lock and Bridge  204 and pull in to a space after a bit of reversing.  A meal at the pub is planned for later!

Upper Heyford to Thrupp

9 miles:  5 locks


We left Upper Heyford at 9:10am.  What a peaceful place the mooring had been.
The Barley Mow was plain, simple but friendly.

The canal continues to be 'river like' down to Lower Heyford.  At times the tow path is more like a track through the fields alongside. Other times is finds its way through woodland.
Bridge 205 is interesting. It is a lift bridge in style but instead of wood it is made of steel.  The reason is the local miller had a traction engine and the bridge had to bear its weight!

Heyford Wharf looks very much like Aynho.  It is busier as it is the home of Oxford Narrowboats and there are plenty of boats about.  Some are moored in such a way that it makes going through Bridge 206 is really difficult.

Everything was going really well.
Although it was strange that although it was almost 11:00am we had not seen another moving boat.
As we approach the second lock of the day we realised why.
Northbrook Lock was closed and loads, well a dozen BW men were working on the lock.
Emergency repairs to badly leaking gates were in progress and a delay of up to four hours was expected!

 BW were brilliant.  They worked like trojans and go the work
We waited three hours and by then there were three boats waiting to go towards Oxford and 11 waiting to go towards Banbury.
Hallmark was the first through the lock and we had a brilliant run down through Enslow to Thrupp.
the canal on this stretch is stunning. The landscape of the Cherwell valley here is amazing.

After some big wide bends Enslow comes into view.
There are quite a few moored boats and the famous old canalside pub named The Rock of Gibraltar.
I have always wanted to moor here.  Perhaps next year!
After Baker's lock the canal ends for a bit and we cruise for a good mile or so on the River Cherwell and there are three very tight bends.

Finally the Cherwell departs under a large and long bridge and the canal runs on to Shipton where the church is almost in the canal.
It is then a short run to Thrupp.
I have booked a mooring here for two weeks with the Thrupp Canal Cruising Club.
It is back to London to sort some house things!

Elkington Lock to Banbury

7 miles:    7 locks 

The sunrise awoke me through the porthole by the bedroom I did't roll over and got up around 5:15 and had breakfast and did the engine checks which I hadn't done the night before because of the heavy rain.

I walked back to look at Clattercote Wharf.

An early start would be good as I could make up for the short run of yesterday and be in Banbury just boats left their overnight mooring in the town.
It was nine locks down to Banbury.
It was interesting the the two live-aboard below Broadwater Lock had gone.
This is where I left Hallmark for almost a week on my way up the Oxford.
I soon cruising through Cropredy narrows where the tolls were paid in times gone by and the by the old coal wharf there were plenty of boats on the visitor moorings.

After Cropredy the canal links up again with Cherwell and makes lots of twists and turns on the way to Banbury.

There is no longer a mill anywhere Slat Mill Lock and the river, canal and railway trundle along together and by Hardwick Lock the M40 makes it northern most crossing of the canal
Then suddenly Banbury is upon you and there area couple of miles of ring roads which really alter the peace of the canal.

There are plenty of moorings above Tooley's Boatyard in the 'shadow' of the immense Castle Quay shopping centre.

So by 10:45 I am all tied up and do a bit of cleaning and polishing in anticipation of Maggie's arrival.
I also trundle the toilet down to the BW facilities and walk up to Morrison's to stock up with food.
Maggie arrived 5:30pm and decide to take her car to Aynho Wharf so we have the car half way along  tomorrow's route.
Aynho is a great place to eat with The Great Western Arms offer top quality food.