Down to the Wey 21st July

As we left Bell Weir Lock there were people having breakfast on the patio of The Runnymede Hotel and Spa and on the opposite bank some bright spark had set this boat in his garden as a form of decking overhanging the river. We expected the mooring in Staines to be busy but surprisingly there was no one about. We filled with water at the point below Chertsey Lock and then carried on down steam.

We passed some interesting little establishments near to the ferry crossing at Laleham and the Laleham Boat Yard who seemed to specialise in repair and renovation of wooden cruisers.

Again on this stretch of river there were many and varied Houseboats some with 2 stories and some quite luxurious.

Just before Chertsey Lock we passed under the busy M3 Motorway bridge and were glad we were not in that rat race environment. Just below the lock is Chertsey Bridge and this was rush hour on the river with 3 boats in the process of navigating through it.

We found a nice mooring with a grassy bank just before Shepperton Lock and so decided to stop for the day. After lunch we walked down to the lock and the junction of the Rivers Thames and Wey.

With the Lock  and  Weir channels, the channels either side of D’Oyly Carte and Desborough Islands and several channels into the Wey, it makes a large junction. We caught the Feryboat across to the other side of the river, you summon it by ringing a bell on the 1/4 hours and the  ferryman comes out of the boatyard and takes you across. Coming back was a little more difficult as somebody on the other side of the river was power washing his boat and so we had to time the bell ringing to fit in with the lulls of his machine. The ferry is run by Nauticalia for the National Trust so walkers can enjoy this ancient crossing nd it costs £3 return for and adult..

It was a  20 minute walk from the ferry into Weybridge where there is a small Waitrose and several other high street chains. We carried on walking and came to the Town Lock. It is worth noting the Piles at the entrance to protect the lock opening and the platforms to stand on to operate the gate paddles.

We had to cross the Old Wey Bridge; a 3 span cast iron bridge built in 1865 replacing the 13 span wooden bridge built in 1808. It is believed that there was a bridge on this site as early as 675AD and it was from this that the name Weybridge was derived. It is interesting to note the roller on the post on the right hand side of the bottom picture as this was presumably used to help haul the boats around the corner to a wharf.

We walked a little way back down the river and came across this lovely house in a rural setting even though it was only at the back of the Weybridge High Street.

Carolann saw this the other day but we spotted another today; a young Grebe on its mother back.

Returning to the boat it was too hot for me to be outside so I came inside and did the blog.