Pyrford

 Today's Navigations - Thames, Wey

Because we cannot start to explore the Basingstoke until tomorrow morning, we did not have much of a target for today, other than to be near enough to Woodham Locks to meet the lock keeper at 9.30 am.

We left Lady Lindsay's Lawn to complete this winding stretch, normally bypassed by Desborough Cut. The former Manor House that we mentioned yesterday has a view of the more spectacular bend on the section, where also the Desborough Sailing Club has its base. 

After re-joining the main route we headed towards Shepperton Lock. Just before it we passed the small foot ferry that crosses the river to the outskirts of Weybridge. It can also carry bicycles and there has been a service here for over 500 years.

We stopped at the end of the lock landing to use the rubbish and elsan services beside the lock itself.

That task complete we set off across the large space of the Weybridge Junction. So many channels meet at this point that it can perhaps seem confusing which way to choose! In the panorama above there are at least four ways forward and the one we wanted was the least obvious from a distance.

OK, so this is the right one.

After a short distance the first thing we encountered was the pound lock. This is a a single gate that can be used to raise the level of the water over the cill of Thames Lock itself. This helps compensate for the fluctuating river level. This, and the main lock itself are under the supervision  of the lock keeper, considerable assisted by her husband! Before proceeding into the main lock we stopped in the short pound to use the water point. Christine went with Andrew (who has a National Trust card - ours lapsed during lockdown for the Member discount) to get the necessary Wey licences - we paid for the Basingstoke licence when we booked by phone on Friday.

Thames Lock, like many on the Wey Navigation, is quite fierce and only has gate paddles at the top. This is also the deepest lock on the navigation and requires good care with the boat firmly roped to prevent it being drawn violently up to the top gates. In this photo, the gates have only been opened a fraction.

The rest of the locks are self-service, starting with Town Lock, somewhat close to the centre of Weybridge. The lock it set at a sharp angle to the approach from below - the boat has to be threaded past the large poles on the right and the bridge all on the left. It is recommended that a crew member go ahead to see if the lock is clear as this can only be seen from the boat at the last moment.

The next lock is Coxes, alongside the former eponymous mill. Although the lock was first constructed in 1650s. the mill buildings that we can see today are only two centuries old. Once a major producer of flour and also acting as a foundry, most of the complex has now been converted to apartments. 

As the mill expanded it discharged so much water back into the stream below the lock that it caused great difficulties for the commercial barge owners. As a result a much larger pond was dug out but even today the bypass weir creates a flow and eddies that make entry into the lock not always straightforward.

Yes, Sir! Cap'n Pirate. (This may generally be a pretty posh part of the country but it still does not mean that some people like kitsch!)

Finally, New Haw Lock. Bridge widening means that the bottom gates have uncomfortable and difficult cranked balance beams. However, this photo also is a reminder that in this waterway the instructions are to leave gates open on departure (either upstream or downstream as appropriate)

The canal passes under the M25 viaduct (so that we then are taken outside the M25 Circle which some like to think defines 'London') The motorway dominates Woodham Junction. The Basingstoke goes off to the left of the picture but could almost be missed! (Except that there is a fingerpost to indicate the direction of each section of waterway!)

The canal is especially green with both sides of the river covered in trees and vegetation.

A short distance after the junction we found a mooring lace and tied up for a long lunch break.

Later, we continued up he river for about a mile so that we could turn around to face the correct way for the morning. We had expected to come back to the same place but found that after we had winded in the entrance to Pyrford Marina (yes, it is marked for such on our map!) we felt that the nearby mooring was preferable as it is away from the noise of the motorway. 

5.9 Miles - 5 Locks