After our usual late start from Windsor we set off with our new crew member, Liam! Last year we had him helping with locks up to and around Chester but this year the locks are a whole new kettle of fish for him!
To start the day he took the helm for a while …
…giving Paul a well-earned rest (not!)
We stopped at a lock to get water but there were a couple of cruisers doing their water too so we had a long wait! When we finished we headed off toward the lock … but then we noticed a cruiser had managed to run aground on some shallow water just outside the lock. A couple of other cruisers had evidently refused to help him for fear of damaging their vessels and another cruiser (hire boat) was trying to help him but couldn’t get their boat close enough to him. So Paul ‘drove’ up toward him so that we were bow to bow with the stranded boat – I took his rope and tied it to our bow and Paul reversed him off his bank! Much applause abounded from the hire cruiser after the mighty Caxton did its good deed for the day!!
Continuing on our journey, we passed this AMAZING hotel …
Paul said that while I am writing this blog I must emphasise that we have seen the most amazing houses we have ever seen in our lives during this little trip along the Thames … they truly are gob-smacking !
This lovely bridge was around Maidenhead way …
Clivenden in the distance ..
… and zoomed in on the ? castle you can see in the distance …
All hard at work in one of the many locks today !
We decided we would like to stop at the Bounty pub near Bourne End, as it looked like it would be a nice pub and also had moorings attached to it! Approaching it though, it looked ‘chok-a-blok’ along the mooring but just as we approached a narrowboat started to vacate his spot … perfect ! Another made-to-measure mooring – and right outside the pub, which we will go and sample soon! We also noticed it has free wifi so we are hoping we can publish a couple of blogs !!! If you see this blog post before 6th Aug then we have!
So – we moored up and Paul and Liam took the dogs for a walk … just along the path lead out to a huge field and wonderful scenery just behind the pub … where the dogs were able to have a free run !
Nearby to our mooring they are doing some maintenance work on a bridge … we heard a kerfuffle outside and then we saw that a lorry has somehow gone into the water on the opposite bank, squishing a little boat in the process – oops!
All too much excitement for one day !! Now we are off to the pub!
Yo dudes! Just before you get to Cliveden House (going upstream) there is a small island, opposite there are mooring spaces that will just fit your boat, tie the ropes to the tree trunks! The grounds are extensive and great for dogs. You can also go into the main house on certain days, it is all run by the National Trust. It used to be owned by Nancy Aster…..she was the lady who told Winston Churchill he was drunk, to which he replied ‘Madam, you are ugly, but in the morning I will be sober!’ Definitely worth a call. George
ReplyDeleteSay Hello to Dolly from us if shes working this weekend? the best pub on the system! Always good food and great locals and staff behind the bar, Dolly kindly looked after us and fed us when we broke down outside for 10 days in 2007, great people, enjoy your day. Doug and James
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