Monday 10 September 2012

Cheerio Runnymede, hello ...

 Leaving our long weekend mooring at Runnymede this morning ...

 ... and passing this old building - interesting this - the actual Magna Carta document was supposed to have been signed on this island and not at the place where the monument stands, and whilst we were walking one day we heard the commentary given on one of the trip boats. He was saying that a long, long time ago for one penny, tourists were ferried across the river to this property and could sit at the actual table on which the Magna Carta was supposedly signed! (A good story?)

 The swan family is growing bigger





A peek through the willows at a very lovely mansion ...





... just look at those chimneys - fantastic!





We’re still on Heathrow's flight path

 ... I wonder where this British Airways plane is off to?





Into the clouds!
 Old Windsor Lock is to the left

 The Crown Estate starts here

 Cormorants in a brief spell of sunshine

 And there she is - a truly wonderful place!
A policeman was once asked why they decided to build such a lovely castle on the flight path from Heathrow!!?

 Eton College - all wrapped up.

 The old pump house at Romney Lock.
I’m not keen on using this lock because it has side sluices and it’s the devil’s own job to hold the boat steady as it’s being pushed away from the wall.





The oh so wide River Thames - we shall feel quite claustrophobic when we arrive back on the canals!





We continued up to Bovney Lock to take on water.  This view is of the lock weir and Windsor Race Course where we really did use the gusting wind to wind (turn) us and returned to Windsor.



Just as we were approaching a mooring on Alexandra Gardens it started to rain but fortunately we managed to get the pins in before the heavens opened. We shall stay here until Wednesday as George has a dental appointment tomorrow for a repair on a tooth that broke yesterday whilst eating a crispy bread roll.

6 comments:

  1. Carol, have a look at http://www.flightradar24.com/ seems to work over Norfolk where there is not much traffic, be interesting to see if you could track planes taking off from Heathrow.
    Andy

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    1. Hi Andy. Had a glance at it on the map and there were so many aircraft in the air, we couldn't see England, let alone Heathrow!!

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  2. Oh, those crusty rolls, they'll get you every time....
    Tell George good luck, hope it doesn't hurt too much, the tooth or the wallet!

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    1. Hi Geoff, we were very lucky, George managed to get an appointment with an NHS dentist in Windsor for yesterday afternoon for emergency (temporary) treatment. Cost just £17.50! The dentist has ‘filled’ the space that broke off but there is now more filling than tooth. This temporary action may last hours, days, months or even a couple of years he was told. So fingers crossed that it will at least last until our next dental appointments at Great Haywood whenever that may be. Good luck on Sunday - we’ll look out for you on the telly!

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  3. There is a zoom function which works for me:-)Centre mouse button or + or - at top left.
    Enjoying your journey, must be interesting travelling with other boats. Is Moore 2 Life still with you or have they left you as Seyella did. Trying to work out the longest partnership this year, reckon it might be Yarwood and Matilda Rose.

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    1. We’ll try that Andy, it was certainly facsinating to see how many aircraft are in the air at any one time - especially in ‘real time’. We seperated from Moore 2 Life at Godalming as we both had family visitors at different times and places. I’m sure that the longest partnership is as you say Yarwood and Matilda Rose even though they don’t ’stick together’ all the time. They do seem to have made the most of the Fens and Middle Levels.

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