We are gradually getting later in waking up….4am this morning, but managed a couple more hours sleep before breakfasting.

Papercourt Lock was set in our favour, always a good way to start the day. Newark and Pyrford weren’t, which allowed time for photos.

It felt strange going past Pyrford Marina, we’ve berthed there for many years, but Cartbridge is much pleasanter, and cleaner.

Next up was New Haw, probably the hardest on the river. It has short metal lock arms, cranked at 45 degrees right beside a bridge. The lock gates “stick” to the wall and are a 2 person job to shift ! However our luck was in, with a boat waiting for us to join them. Great for Hazel, we breezed thru and joined them again at Coxes Lock, one of the prettiest with it’s converted granary.

We caught up with another boat at Town Lock, Weybridge and had the lock gates closed on us. Mortified our new companions realised we could have all fitted. No worries we said , and helped them thru. With the clouds getting blacker we decided to stop downstream a bit, in front of some grand designs…for lunch, and the first proper bit of rain.

Thames Lock is the only manned one on the Wey, but the Lockie was happy to put us thru by ourselves. Of course just as she closed the gates another boat appeared, so opened up again to let them in. Because it’s a semi staircase lock it has to be at just the right level to go thru 2 sets of gates. But just as we were ready to go, all systems STOP. Another boater coming the opposite way had presumed to let our water out of the second lock so he could get in. He was duly educated by the lockie, and we started the procedure again. By now it was raining but she grinned at us as we thanked her, the other boat did apologise to us. Lesson learnt !

It was then only a short run to one of our favourite spots on the Thames, Lady Lindsay’s Lawn. We even had a squirrel run past for Hazel. Tomorrow we’ll heading upstream, slowly, to avoid the Henley Rowing Regatta and its finals next weekend.