Pangbourne Meadow - Thursday 9th May 2013

This morning I took Phoenix on her early morning walk up to Caversham Lock via Kings Meadow where the large Marquees were being taken down after the CAMERA beer festival on 5th May. We then went over to View Island and in the backwaters we espied these two families of Geese together with a Swan and in the next backwater was a Swan nesting next to a Coot.
After a late breakfast we set off for Caversham Lock and had a good view of  The Blade Building by Sheppard Robson and some lovely waterside apartments.

On the outskirts of Caversham we spotted this wooden Chalet being constructed and the men were just putting the Shingles on the roof and immediately thought of Mike back in Canada as the forecast was for rain at 11.00am

Further up river we passed several fields of Alpacas.

We had hoped to moor up just passed Mapledurham Lock but all the spaces were taken so we carried on to Pangbourne Meadows where there was plenty of room.

Whilst having our lunch a Dredger and fully laden Barge went down river and the guy steering the towed barge was having a real struggle to control it in the wind. Later they came back empty and were making good headway against the current.

Later in the afternoon Phoenix and I walked up the meadow to Whitchurch and crossing the 100 year old privately operated Toll Bridge to explore the village.  The lady in the tollbooth told me that the bridge would be closed in September to be replaced as it was no longer suitable for the job. A foot bridge would be retained for pedestrians. It must have taken a lot of 40p’s to pay for the new bridge.

Next to the bridge is the Mill stream and clustered around it with the mill are some delightful little cottages and the village Church. Further up the High street is the Greyhound Pub which looked to be offering some nice food.

Returning back over the bridge, the children from local schools were having canoeing lessons and on the end of the island a goose had nested in the stump of a fallen tree.

On the west side of the bridge sits Pangbourne Village with its array of small shops, coffee houses, the Old School House (which is now a pet shop), a couple of pubs and cottages bordering the River Pang.  Also near to the Thames can be found Old Ferry Lane where the river used to be crossed before the construction of the toll bridge.

Retuning to the boat for tea and home made cake the wind had increased somewhat so we were glad that we had moored up early and did not have to fight the strong gusts to secure a mooring.