First proper boat trip and it was dreamy. You enter the Wey from the Thames via a slightly tricky to identify channel at Sunbury. It moves from the back gardens of the super rich to suburbia into a stunning green corridor most of the time surrounding you with mature woodland and water meadows. A few sections are quite noisy, passing close to the M25 and the M3 and arriving is Guildford is a strange experience as the old wharfs and modern buildings tower above the Canal as you pass thru the centre depositing you on the other side into trees, fields and calm.
The whole river is popular with walkers and boaters especially at the weekend. I am glad I made it all the way to Godalming but my favourite part was being moored downstream of Newark for a few days relaxing. Lenny settled well into the boat and was happy sleeping in the sun or watching the world go by, less keen being left onboard while i run around and deal with gates, paddles and ropes!
Some pictures of my trip to give you a flavour of the river
Detailed Trip Report
Sunday 4th May left the island mid afternoon and stayed upstream from Sunbury lock for the night. Thames locks where both manned and easy to manage so i could stayed on the boat which made Lenny happy.
Monday (had forgotten it was a bank holiday) up early and the engine won’t start! 30mins charge to the starter battery from the inverter and we off by 10am. Finding the entrance is a bit of an adventure. Would not start again when i tried to leave Thames lock, had to tow the boat out! Battery was fine for the rest of the journey and we easily travel thru Coxes and New Haw lock. Moored by The Anchor just downstream from Pyrford lock for the night. Clive kindly drove over (45min drive lol) with a replacement starter battery and a jump pack, dinner in the pub. Got back to the boat just in time, front pin had pulled out and the boat was broadside across the canal! Getting heater going was fiddly but needed as it was a chilly evening.
Tuesday – sadly i have forgotten to pack spanners so had to use the jump start in the morning but all fine for the rest of the day. Started at 9:30 did 4 locks and settled in a mooring near Send Church Footbridge. It was a new mooring made from river dredging and very sandy, feel into a hole at one point! nice quite section with heating on.
Wednesday – jump start again and took the chimney off as i think we going to pass under some low bridges today. Left at 8:30 and arrived at Godalmaing town wharf at 3:30pm. moored on the town quay, left Lenny with treats and popped to Sainsbury. He was ok, bit of howling but no damage and he had eaten his dinner and his snacks. Moved the boat over to the other side against the bank.
Thursday – wander round the charity shop, town is very pretty. Clive arrived and we left his car at Godalming station. Setup off at 1pm and and where at Dapdune wharf into to see the displays and dropped Clive back in Guildford centre so he could get the train. Was tricky turning round ended up doing it on the ropes, windy and quite a bit of flow on the river did not help. Moored downstream of stoke lock.
Friday – departed at 11am, engine just started so easy with a working battery and nice run to Pyrford. Once i reached Pyrford realised i have missed the lovely spot i noticed coming upstreat so turned and back almost to Newark lock. lovely spot on the edge of a water meadow. The bullocks where very interested in the field acrosss the water and saw a red deer stag in the field. still suprising number of walkers and unpowered boats. Each day has got a little warmer and today was lovely.
Saturday – lazy morning, planning to stay put for a few days but got moved, on apparently i was on private land! quick dip in the river to freshen up then upstakes and move downstream to the next public mooring. Clive came over with Spud and meet us for lunch. It was about a 20min pleasant walk to the Seven Stars in Newark. Once i got to the road to the pub spotted my planned mooring site upstream of the lock, it was busy with paddle boarders, put it on the list for next time.
Sunday – Lenny has mostly lost the use of his back legs. he seems ok but decided to let him rest as much as possible and hope its all the excitement of his first big boat trip!
Monday – last day, visitor licence expires today so we are up and off not long after 9:30. Quite a few of the locks where against me which slowed down the journey and both Thames locks where on self service which is really slow. Got to Trowlock at about 6:30.
Useful links
very detailed writeup from the canal boat website.