Reading to wey navigation

[Timx]

Hi, I am travelling off the K@A where I have just enjoyed a fantastic trip to Bristol and back over the last couple of months. So next venture is to spend a month license travelling on the Thames to wey navigation . Could people advise on good spots to stop for 60' boat nb and any navigational issues I should be aware of, I have travelled from Oxford to Reading, but still my first proper trip on a river. I have decided to get a month license, I presume I will get that at Sonning lock? Is a month too long on that stretch? I could go up to Teddington and return back to wey navigation, but after wey will be going to Brentford. Any advice very welcome, thanks in advance. As an aside, I want to go to Windsor racecourse, can you moor near the entrance.? Thanks again.

 

[Peter X]

On the Thames you buy your EA licence at the first manned lock you come to, which would be Sonning if manned. If no-one's there, for example because you've set out early in the morning, you might operate several locks yourself before you come to one with someone on duty, no problem. I know this applies to daily and weekly licences and suppose it would for monthly too.

A month from Reading to the Wey? That's not too long if you really like to take your time, and as you've just spent two months doing the K&A to Bristol and back I suppose you do. But Reading to the Wey can be done at a slow pace on a week's licence, and because it's only two 8 hour days of boating you could do it on a one day licence if you want, because that gives you the day you buy it plus the next day. The quick way is to moor the night before in the Reading Gaol loop, start early, buy your licence as above, stop the night halfway, then get onto the Wey late afternoon on day 2.

Navigation is not so different to going downriver from Oxford to Reading, the river's just a bit bigger. The main thing to keep in mind is to make sure you find the lock channel and don't head towards the weir! It's not always easy because the "LOCK>" sign sometimes gets covered by foliage in summer, so do take a map so you know what's coming up. There's a huge variety of craft, from the big trip boats (especially at Windsor) down to lots of little canoes, rowers and sailing dinghies and the occasional swimmer. So keep a good lookout. All those little boats are more manoeuvrable than you, so generally just be predictable, follow a steady course and give them a long blast on the horn if they're in your way. They don't want to be mown down by 15 tons of narrowboat, but they may need reminding of that.

[cereal tiller]

10 hours ago, Timx said:

Hi, I am travelling off the K@A where I have just enjoyed a fantastic trip to Bristol and back over the last couple of months. So next venture is to spend a month license travelling on the Thames to wey navigation . Could people advise on good spots to stop for 60' boat nb and any navigational issues I should be aware of, I have travelled from Oxford to Reading, but still my first proper trip on a river. I have decided to get a month license, I presume I will get that at Sonning lock? Is a month too long on that stretch? I could go up to Teddington and return back to wey navigation, but after wey will be going to Brentford. Any advice very welcome, thanks in advance. As an aside, I want to go to Windsor racecourse, can you moor near the entrance.? Thanks again.

 

Not possible to Moor at the Racecourse,but you can use  the Windsor Town Moorings and hop on a Passenger Boat which will take you to the Races,departing from Windsor Promenade.

[Timx]

Thanks for both those answers, it sways my thinking maybe a week license would be better, I have timed it badly really as the races are on a Monday night, I will have a rethink,!

 

[Timx]

Thanks to those answers I am gonna stay over the w.e in Reading, venture out to Thames on Tuesday then should get to races next Monday and travel next day onto wey before a weeks license only runs out.