Tuesday, 7 August 2012

Leaving Windsor, arriving at Runnymead

 View from the galley over to the Bocca’s at half past seven yesterday morning ...

Replica of the steam loco The Queen at Windsor and Eton railway station

 10 am and we’ve upped sticks from what has been our mooring at Windsor since the 1st of August - we’ve had a great time here ...

 Ann and Chas are not far behind us




A gathering of swans ... 





... much to the delight of these youngsters
 Windsor Bridge






First lock today at Romney -
lock house built in 1919 ... 





... and has this unusual building on the opposite side looks as if it was an industrial building at one time but has now been converted to a dwelling





Black Pott’s Railway Bridge - we’ve been told there are good mooring on the other side ...



... this must be them on the public part of Home Park - we shall definitely moor up here on the way back





Yes, I know, yawn, yawn - 
Windsor Castle again - it is so beautiful though




You can see from this photo how high the water has been in the past few weeks





Victoria Bridge with it’s regal crest and padlocked entrance ...







... where it’s best not to go!
 Fantastic! The oldest inhabited castle in the world!





There is an assortment of pretty houses on the royal estate ...






... very clearly showing ...







... to whom they belong!



The flight-path from Heathrow (?) has been above us for over a week now - with a plane going over just about every 3-minuets or so!
 The last glimpse of the castle, for a while anyway!







Kris Cruisers on the waterfront at Datchet ...





... opposite another of those royal residences
 Egyptian Geese make a two-pronged attacked on some unwanted visitors - the noise was amazing!

 Chocolate box perfect!





Albert Bridge ...





... and what could easily be a guard house





The weir is on our left above Old Windsor Lock has some paddles open and the pull of the stream here is quite strong ...




... and we were glad that we were on the right-hand side as trip boat Windsor Monarch came round the corner ...






... into the lock where on duty today was one of the few lady lock keepers





We’re now in Runnymead, here passing some of French Brothers trip boats ...






... and lovely riverside properties 



That’s where we hoped to moor Rock ’n’ Roll but it won’t be long enough with that small cruiser moored there - but it looks a good size for Moore 2 Life ...
 Paddle Steamer Lucy Fisher ...





... starred in the films ‘Tarzen - Greystoke’ and ‘Chaplin'




... and has been cruising up and down on a very regular basis since we arrived
There are more pictures of this journey (in reverse) here

 Runnymead from our mooring last night at 20:45 ...
 ... and this morning ...
... just after 8am.

Saturday, 4 August 2012

Windsor

 Moored on Baths Island - nightly fee has gone up from £4 last year to £8 this year but it is a nice spot
 Egyptian Ducks on the end of Baths Island looking over the Thames to the Boccas (mooring banks owned by Eton College (still £6 per night)











Hawker Hurricane
 Windsor Castle from Alexandra Gardens ...





... and illuminated ...






... fountain.




Yesterday’s outing into Windsor Castle (George’s photo’s) 

 The Moat Gardens were open to the public today.



For more pictures of our last visit to Windsor Castle ... click here







Eton College over the river

 The gardens at the rear of the private royal accommodation is only open for the public to view during August and September when the Queen is at Balmoral





Private family residences of St George’s Chapel workers



St George’s Chapel and Albert memorial
Whilst walking around Windsor Castle and later through the town we saw quite a few Olympians from Poland, Russia, Greece and a group from the GB Team - brilliant!

and today’s visitors - George’s sister Diane and husband Paul - great to see you both again.

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Gold Medals on the Thames

 Bourne End was getting busy as we left this morning ...





The very pretty bridge at Cookham Lock ...





... which has the water point in the worst place imaginable with the shortest hose on earth!
 Clivedon House up on the cliff and Moore 2 Life below




The Ovaltine boat
Albert at Clivedon 
 A real or not?  I wasn’t completely sure until I was passing and his eyes didn’t move!



Dredging at Boulters Lock, Maidenhead ...



We were going to stop here for the night on the 24-hour visitor mooring but from this week there aren’t any! It’s £8 per night on the river wall and we decided that we didn’t want to be there.  So we moved on ...






Most unusual properties ...






... near Maidenhead Bridge



Does this house with a crocodile in the garden belong to someone famous?  I think it does but can’t remember who.
 First sign of security for the 21012 Olympics ...






 ... at Bray Lock where the Lock House is rather unusual but distinctive






From this point on below Bray Lock there is no stoping at all







An unusual sight in the back garden
 There is obviously something going on here near Windsor Marina ...
Heather Stanning and Helen Glover with their well deserved GOLD MEDALS
and the men’s eight with BRONZE - weren’t we lucky to be here today!!
 If you recognise any of the athletes  ...
 ... please let me know.






Boveney Church with its wonky tower





Waiting for the bus boat at Windsor Racecourse ...





... and here it comes barely managing to get under the bridge.
Currently mored at guess where??