best lock for a picnic

[thamesS23]

My other half is currentley recovering from a hospital operation which means she cant walk to far at the moment without getting to tired and painful. As we both love the thames and she is keen to get out the house this easter weekend if the weather is good, I have suggested that we go and have a picnic by one of the locks on the thames.
Where would the people on here recommend as the most suitable lock for this. Ideally it would not have to be to far from where we could park a car (5 min walk max), picturesque setting, and not to touristy and busy (ie, not boulters lock!).
That way she can have a nice day out whilst we watch all the boats go by (the locks being the best place to get a good look at them), and remember why we have spent the last 2 years saving for our first boat!
would appreciate any suggestions and help

also would like one with a rural feel to it

 

[Dave_Seager]

Sheppeton Lock is quite attractive and has space to park. There is also a refreshment kiosk on the lock island which will probably be open for Easter.

 

[Steve Clayton]

Goring - no; too touristy
Mapledurham - pleasant, about a 5 minute walk with coffee shop and assume it still has a good quality plants for sale plus you could visit the Mill and the house if it takes your fancy
Days lock - fits all your requirements of distance to car, picturesque (don't look at Didcot!) and not touristy.
Caversham and Benson locks meet your requirements. Benson probably better than Caversham

No to Marsh lock (Henley); probably too far to walk and touristy

From that selection you could do two locks in the one day!

 

[Brayman]

Hurley Lock just needs a short walk and over the footbridge.
Shiplake has lots of benches beside the lock, you can park in the road.

 

[thamesS23]

am I right in thinking that Hurley lock is the one near Harleyford Marina. If so this lock has all the little islands to sit on with the river on either side, which from memory would be ideal for a picnic as there will always be some space to sit on the grass in peace, plus we could see all the boats moored up on the harleyford estate.
Is the access to this lock only from the Hurley village side?

 

[apollo]

Hurley Lock, there are picnic tables just below the lock and even loos there if the need arises!

 

[Brayman]

Yes, that is Hurley lock. It is only accessible from Hurley village. Make sure your car is well and truly locked and all valuables well hidden before you park (ie don't hide things while you are there).
As Mike says, there are new loos on the island upstream of the lock. Should be plenty of action every day.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Seconded for Shepperton, nice place but can get a bit kids with ices. Nauticalia is a very short walk.

Sunbury isn't so pretty but there is dedicated disabled parking by the lock and also the Weir Hotel pub on your way. Lack of picnic tables when I last looked!

 

[DWT]

On the stretch I am most familiar with, Mapledurham would be a good choice and it still has the cafe and shop. There is no public access from there to Mapledurham House and the Mill though.

Days Lock is one of my favourite spots and Hurley is particularly good, but tends to be rather busy. I think Shiplake is one of the nicest spots. There are always a few people sitting on the benches there watching the boats pass through. There used to be a kiosk on the lock island, but sadly that closed two or three years ago.

By the way, can anyone tell me more about the camp site just upstream of the lock, I am always asked about it by guests. It looks like a scout camp, but the pitches have wooden floors and little sheds at one end.

The weather forecast for the weekend is good so wherever you go I hope you have a great day.

 

[thamesS23]

Many thanks for all the replies, all have been very helpful. I think we may head for Hurley lock, as that seems the best option as it ticks the right boxes but if it is to crowded there, I think shiplake would be the next best thing. Looks like the weather should be perfect, so I hope to see plenty of you lot going up and down the thames (followed by the girlfriend's usual comment of 'can we afford that one' every time a 35ft plus brand new boat passes by!)

 

[Brayman]

I should be going through Shiplake Friday (down) and Saturday (up) not sure after that.

 

[Brayman]

[ QUOTE ]
There used to be a kiosk on the lock island, but sadly that closed two or three years ago.

By the way, can anyone tell me more about the camp site just upstream of the lock, I am always asked about it by guests. It looks like a scout camp, but the pitches have wooden floors and little sheds at one end.


[/ QUOTE ] There is now a Tea Garden at Sonning lock and it was doing good business over the weekend, supposed to be a "shapely lady" running it but unfortunately I didn't catch sight of her.
Re the camp site at Shiplake, I was told that it is owned by a London borough (possibly Islington) and that the individual sites are "owned" by residents of the borough and are handed down from father to son, seems unlikely that they haven't come on to the market and left the borough unless there is a covenant on them, which again seems unlikely.

 

[thamesS23]

Meant to reply back earlier to thanks people for their suggestions. We did go to Hurley lock, and infact also went again last weekend, and have to say it was a perfect location. Not crowded at all near the lock, even though the village road was full off parked cars (most people I believe head for the campsite area which has large open fields for the kids to play).
Had a perfect spot right near the lock lay-by, so could see all the boats as they waited in turn to use the lock. Spoke to a few boat owners as they waited, all very nice and friendly (many thanks if it was anyone on here). Even saw Paul Daniels and Debbie Maghee on their wooden launch.

 

[byron]

I see Goring Lock now has nice tea & cake facilities too.

 

[thamesS23]

did also pop along to sonning lock one of the days, and as someone mention on here earlier, there is a great little tea hut on the lock island, which I would recommend to anyone. Looked like it had a mooring space right infront of it (round the back).

 

[Brayman]

...........and Mapledurham is currently a building site with no pedestrian access. Even the canoers have a long walk round.

 

[byron]

Not a lock but Benson Tea Rooms just above Benson Lock where Benson Hire Cruisers are based. eally excellent facilities over looking the approach to the lock and views upstream too.