Best time to moor up on the middle Thames

R

RdKnight

New Member
Joined
14 Jun 2022
Messages
4
Visit site
Hi, I have hired a 38ft river cruiser for the second week of July and intend cruising from Caversham to Windsor and back in the 6 days we have available. I have been researching suitable moorings (plenty of choices) but was wondering how busy they get and typically at what time in the afternoon should we be thinking about stopping for the night, as I guess good moorings get very busy. Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks, Richard
 
I always aimed to be at Abingdon & Pangbourne (two moorings often full by mid afternoon) at 10.30 - 11.00, as this was the time when people often moved off. Was much easier when there were more hire boats around.
 
Download the river Thames guide app if you haven’t already as it makes planning your days so much easier.
Caversham to Henley is probably going to be your first day, with plenty of moorings below the bridge if you don’t find space in the town section. Of course this depends on whether you have booked during festival/regatta times, and whether you arrive on a weekday or weekend…and what the weather is doing of course… and….. it ‘just depends’ sometimes.
Marlow is always hit and miss because only a few moorings.
Windsor gets busy but plenty of moorings. Like ianc1200 said - arrive early in busy places so you choose your spot as others move off…. or relax on your hols and let Lady Luck choose your mooring without being too stressed and fixated on a zone. You’ll always find somewhere nice.
 
As a serial visitor we like a reasonably early start and always plan a fairly early finish.
This obviously depends on how far you plan to travel on a particular day and your destination.
The honey pots such as Henley, Windsor and Goring et al. need extra thought. At Cookham at least if the moorings are full of semi permanent Brooms, wide beam barges and 60ft narrowboats you can go up on to the field for the night and get added benefit of loverly cooling breeze ,constant sunshine and no leaves smothering your boat.
Many of the marina inhabitants out for the day/ weekend only go a lock or two away for home , clog up the popular moorings for the main part of the day and then depart back before darkness approaches.
We have found that a late morning arrival at your destination can pay dividends as the "cannot get up" crowd are finally departing and the stopping only for lunch bunch have not yet arrived.
Leaving late and arriving late usually only results in lots of stressful searching for totally unsuitable gaps at the shallow ends of moorings ( that nobody else would even consider) or stopping in lock cuts hoping you leave before the lockie arrives.
Tip. Book a night or two in a marina.
Tip. Look on it a bit like planning a war or a family reunion. A cold beer always helps and learn to enjoy the massed bowthrusters cacophony at most locks. :)
If all else fails there are a few unloved moorings the locals regard as being in the middle of scary wasteland ( no nearbye Waitrose or leisure centre ? ) which will at least give you a peaceful nights mooring.
Seriously we love the Thames. Not sure how it feels about us !
 
Last edited:
Caversham to Henley on the first day about 2 / 3 hours - plenty of moorings available, if the park is full I would suggest going onto Fawley meadow (under the bridge just past Phyllis Court on your left. Its only a 10 - 15 minute walk from there to the town centre.
Henley to Cookham is about 3 / 4 hours, and Cookham gets full by early afternoon if not sooner, so suggest leaving Henley by 9.00am.
Cookham to Windsor probably another 3 hours on a busy day or more, but you shouldn't have to much trouble as plenty of moorings on the Brocas and on the town side on the islands opposite.
On the return journey I would suggest stopping overnight at Cliveden and then the following night at Marlow (can get full early but Marlow is about an 1.5 / 2 hours from Cliveden.
For your final night maybe Sonning, which is probably about 3 / 4 hours from Marlow. Then you wont have far the next day to return the boat.
 
Gavin E said:
Download the river Thames guide app if you haven’t already as it makes planning your days so much easier.
Caversham to Henley is probably going to be your first day, with plenty of moorings below the bridge if you don’t find space in the town section. Of course this depends on whether you have booked during festival/regatta times, and whether you arrive on a weekday or weekend…and what the weather is doing of course… and….. it ‘just depends’ sometimes.
Marlow is always hit and miss because only a few moorings.
Windsor gets busy but plenty of moorings. Like ianc1200 said - arrive early in busy places so you choose your spot as others move off…. or relax on your hols and let Lady Luck choose your mooring without being too stressed and fixated on a zone. You’ll always find somewhere nice.
Click to expand...
Thanks and just downloaded the app which as you say is really helpful.
 
thamesS23 said:
Caversham to Henley on the first day about 2 / 3 hours - plenty of moorings available, if the park is full I would suggest going onto Fawley meadow (under the bridge just past Phyllis Court on your left. Its only a 10 - 15 minute walk from there to the town centre.
Henley to Cookham is about 3 / 4 hours, and Cookham gets full by early afternoon if not sooner, so suggest leaving Henley by 9.00am.
Cookham to Windsor probably another 3 hours on a busy day or more, but you shouldn't have to much trouble as plenty of moorings on the Brocas and on the town side on the islands opposite.
On the return journey I would suggest stopping overnight at Cliveden and then the following night at Marlow (can get full early but Marlow is about an 1.5 / 2 hours from Cliveden.
For your final night maybe Sonning, which is probably about 3 / 4 hours from Marlow. Then you wont have far the next day to return the boat.
Click to expand...
Really grateful for this advice. Many thanks. I have been trying to estimate "point to point" sailing times but it depends of course on how long it takes to traverse each lock. Would an estimate of around 45 mins a lock be a reasonable rule of thumb for daytime cruising?
 
45 minutes per lock would be extreme. I’d assume an average of 20 per lock myself. Sometimes you whizz thru, sometimes you don’t, but unless there are issues somewhere causing a backlog it’s usually only a brief stop.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top