It had rained quite a bit overnight - according to the water in one of our buckets at the front of the boat - but was dry by the time we were up and about. Mike found a few shops nearby in Send. He was able to get the paper from the first small shop, but had to cross the road to a slightly larger one for some yoghurts!
The morning was grey and overcast, but again not too cold. A boat did pass us before we set off but we caught them up, just as they were leaving the first lock. However, by the next they were only just ready to enter so we shared that one but they then said that they were stopping before the next!
There appears to be a planning campaign in Send at the moment - why is it that they always start with NO? The people displaying this sign seem to be unaware of the ambiguous position that they are in since their stretch of houses cannot be that old and must at the time have been built on green land.
The second set of flood gates are joined by a conventional straight sided chamber, unlike the first set. Worsfold also seems to be where they keep their dredger.
Send Church is over a mile from the modern village of Send with only a few houses near it.
A couple of sharp bends took us alongside a very carefully manicured driveway belonging to Sutton Place, a large Tudor house (hidden behind the trees). A groundsman was out making sure that every little twig that falls from the trees is picked up quickly. We understand that the house is currently owned by the richest Russian oligarch.
Alongside the layby (the local name for lock landing!) below Bower's Lock we spotted this very gnarled tree trunk.
At another sharp bend there remains a rope roller, dating back to when all of the boats would have been pulled by horses. The long rope would otherwise have snagged in the hedge.
Along this next section before the last lock of the day there is a long line of willow trees. They have been much pollarded over the years and most of them are clearly on life support systems - each individually crafted! Only a heritage organisation would refuse to put DNR signs on them. After all, they do grow up from the ground very quickly!
As we approached Stoke Lock blue skies came over the horizon and, although the clouds had one final fling with a few drops of rain before they finally cleared away, the afternoon was bright and sunny as the photo of the lock itself now shows. The lock also sports a large wooden carving. (Fortunately, dear reader, you cannot smell that it also has alongside it a very active sewage works!)
Dapdune Wharf announces the start of Guildford itself, just after passing under a busy railway viaduct. This is the last place recommended for mooring until after the town centre and an overnight stop is allowed. We were the only boat taking advantage of this although a couple stopped for the services.
The National Trust have preserved many of the old buildings and use them as a visitor centre. at least as an arrival from the river we were not charged for entry! However, we found the Wharf manager and the volunteers all very helpful.
After lunch we walked into the town centre, passing a splendid patch of violets ate the entrance gate.
Although we quickly realised why town centre mooring is not recommended, the high banks for once making it less than comfortable, this statue marks what was once the Town Wharf.
Close by is the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre where we were first heading. We had seen information about their performances tonight and wanted to check out availability - there was plenty. Christine also spotted from a leaflet that Standby tickets are almost half price so we took a gamble - since there were two different shows that we would have been content to see it did not feel like a great risk!
We wandered up the High Street - largely pedestrianised and very wide.
The central Keep is all that remains of Guildford castle, standing where it has a good view out over the river and the town, with the modern cathedral now in the far distance. Sadly, despite the notices saying that the castle would be open, its doors were firmly locked just as if we were an approaching marauding army!
Finally we took a look in the quadrangle of Abbots Hospital. Opened in 1619 it still provides accommodation for older retired folk. The eponymous Abbot was George Abbot who was born in the town and later became Archbishop of Canterbury and was able to use the wealth that came with that post to found this hospital.
Back at the boat, some 15 minutes walk from the centre, we had an early meal before walking back to the theatre. In the end we opted for the main production, a touring company presenting O What A Lovely War. (It was with some surprise that we were reminded that the film of this that we saw when it was first made was released in 1969!)
This was a very polished production, technically very skillful and retained many of the hallmarks of Joan Littlewood's original concept, including the Pierrot costumes, projected pictures and the rolling newstrip.
6.2 miles - 3 locks
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