In the last couple of days we ventured out on the Thames down to Walton to see our friend Sue. It was good to catch up, even though time was limited to an hour or so. With threatening skies we headed home to Pyrford and the last 4 locks of the year. It’s always a sad moment for me when we “finish with engine” for the season. Hopefully we will be able to attend next years Sea Otter Rally in Warwickshire….

Another final day ritual is a visit to Wisley. Compared with the bleak day when visiting with Leon and Heather, it was high summer. Lunch was held outside in shorts……The roses had also come on, and it was a pleasure to stroll around them enveloped in their fragrance. With the packing completed it requires a few chores in the morning before returning the car and heading to Heathrow, till next time Cheers Tasotter  ps this year we set an all time high with over 1000 people reading the posts, who are you all ? 

A blast from the past today, we motored downstream to Weybridge, where I grew up in the UK. After contacting our friend Sue at Walton Marina we decided to moor up here, as it’s a sheltered spot. At least it’s not raining, but it’s still blowy and the water has a stronger current flowing today. Our mooring is enhancing / spoiling a million £ house view !

T42 is moored on the right hand side of the pic. Not much of Weybridge remains that I recognise, 1 or 2 shops and the road layout.Church road antiques seems to be still surviving, at the “bottom” end of town, near the addlestone road and bridge.

Monument hill and the Ship Inn, now a hotel, still looked familiar. A lot more housing going up to Queens road now.

Our favourite grocer and fish shop has gone at the bottom of Baker Street, though a florist is still there.

Thankfully the library is still there, exactly as I remember it due to the hours spent there selecting and reading books. Something I still enjoy to this day in preference to tv. Weather permitting we will visit Sue tomorrow.

So last blog we were slow boating downstream on the Wey, enjoying the Rhododendrons in the sun ! Whilst having lunch at the New Inn at Send the weather started deteriorating. Going across open water meadows the wind started making steering difficult, so we decided to make a run for the marina rather than mooring on pins in the open. Thank goodness we did, last night a storm blew thru with heavy rain and gale force winds. T42 lurched around all night, and we could hear other boats hitting pontoons. It was still blowy this morning, it would be no fun on the Thames, so we’ve cancelled our trip to Hampton Court for present. Instead we went to the Aston Martin Museum / Owners Club HQ at Dreyton St Leonard. Situated in an old tithe barn we were made to feel most welcome, enjoyed the exhibits, and renewed our membership. 

First time seen in the flesh, Aston Martin One-77 with a  7.3litre V12 producing 750bhp, eat my dust Bugatti Veyron !

Another first see ! Vanquish Volante with only a 450bhp V12, well you don’t want your hair blown completely away….

Another sunny start saw us moving downstream 1 lock, but what a difference in surroundings. Our tranquil weir stream mooring for the old Dapdune Wharf in Guildford. We woke up to church bells, and as I write this blog they are ringing out from the Cathedral. On route we moored up by the high street and had a walk round. Guildford has changed from my childhood days, the coffee house and bookshop have closed, worse still the Jaeger fashion shop closed a couple of months ago……sorry mum. Hazel managed to find some stylish and inexpensive clothes from M&S, Mark found a stylish and expensive pre loved watch from Mappin and Webb ! The weather looks like it’s on the change, we will see how far downstream we get tomorrow.

As Ratty almost said ” there’s simply nothing like messing around on boats”, especially on an English summers day !The last 3 days have had glorious weather. With no timetable we finally reached the head of the navigable Wey at Godalming Wharf.

After a little shopping we met Penny, and gave her a lift by our boat to hers. Iona, a horse drawn trip boat also uses the wharf, after her departure we met again at the first lock going downstream. It was good to see a horse on the towpath, it was of course their intended use.

This couple seemed to have things sorted, being punted along. Normally seen at Oxford it looked good this afternoon. Tomorrow we will head back to Dapdune Wharf for a final foray into Guildford before heading for the Thames.

Our day of slow boating was rudely interrupted when a wide beam Narrowboat tried to go through Pyrford Lock without using ropes…..result one lifted lock gate. Chris, the local lengths man took 3 hours to fix it with a small jack and help as required from those of us waiting. As there were witnesses, and the boats name/number is known, he will be fined. Apart from the delay he ruined a couples day who had hired a boat for a picnic. They were last seen heading back to the boatyard to get a refund. Slow boaters rarely get “boat rage” but this guy hadn’t even stopped to apologise, so I’m sure there will be words. As a consequence of the above incident we did the first 2 locks with 2 other boats, a first for us. By 4.30 we were getting tired, decided Guildford can wait, and have moored up as shown below.

T42 waiting for the chamber to empty at Papercourt Court Lock.

This evenings moorings just upstream of Bowers Lock.