More Thames

We set off as usual and gradually navigated our way down the Thames.The locks were all manned - it is Easter holiday - so it was not heavy work. Again,it was a warm and sunny day - at the end faces feel as if they have been in the sun!

The section below Cliveden is peaceful and the 'big' house is not visible until some way down stream. No doubt its inhabitants enjoy the long view of the river!

As we neared Windsor we began to see the trip boats - most of them turn around at the weir below Boveney Lock.

We found a suitable mooring at the place in Windsor which Joanna recommended - it was very busy with lots of groups out having a picnic or a barbecue. We had our lunch and then walked into the main shopping area of the town. It is clearly mainly geared up to the hordes of visitors - even at this time of the year there were plenty.

Whilst there is no specialist greengrocer or baker in the town centre, at least a specialist butcher survives and we bought a joint of pork for tomorrow - and had a good chat about the fate of specialist food shops!

Back to the boat and we continued through Windsor and Old Windsor. yesterday, Ellie was amused by a comment from her Grandad about warnings when people moor where they are not supposed to! She really should have seen the signs alongside the Crown Estate which threatens prosecution as a criminal under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act if one so much as puts a foot ashore! Not quite being shot on sight, but a close run thing!

Of course, Windsor castle dominates the skyline for several miles along the river.This also lies directly under the flight path for planes inbound to Heathrow - one every ninety seconds at busy times.

At Old Windsor, Christine spotted the house with a 60 foot mooring, whose details we were shown last night - alas, with a main road alongside may tick her boxes but probably not enough of those who might have to live there! The road in front did seem rather busy.

An odd and eclectic mixture of houses and chalets lines the river - one still being finished, but of a modern design, might be of future interest to Ellie.

We planned on mooring at a designated spot just below Penton Hook lock. Although not where it was indicated on the map, the signposted mooring spot was full - as a result of other boats mooring with maximum inefficiency. We tried to moor at the place indicated on the map but there was not enough depth of water for a boat of our length. We eventually moored - not without some difficulty, using a couple of trees as a backup to the mooring pins!