Council Moorings - Upper Thames

trev

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Just returned from the first trip up river for this year. Overnight mooring charges now a tenner a night in Marlow and eight pounds a night in Henley - you don't get much for your money !
These increases will surely deter folk from stopping and spending money in the town's restaurants, shops, and bars. Especially the hire fleet users who have already forked out a big wedge for their holiday.
How have these increases been justified? I wonder if the local tradespeople are aware.
 

Steve Clayton

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Just a few of the free moorings if you know where to look:

All points are looking up-river

Marlow: moor up on the starboard side of the river about 150 metres below the lock (and above the Marlow by-pass).

This trick only works once - moor up in the lay-by on the left just below the lock. Tell the lock-keeper you've broken down and got spares being delivered to you in the morning.

Henley: just above the management college on the right.

just above Henley bridge on the right; mooring by the pub.
Above Henley lock - the pub on the left having just gone past Val Wyatt's or a bit further up on the right.

There's a wonderful perch fishing spot near Reading (but I'm not sharing that information!)
 

TrueBlue

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Feeling pedantic today; the Upper Thames starts above Oxford, where there is a hazard which removes AWB's flybridges; always assuming, of course, that they can get above Abingdon.

Speaking of Abingdon, that noble town used to have extortionate mooring charges - a fiver for four hours if I remember rightly. These were removed a couple of years back and now it's wall to wall boats. I hope the town and Waitrose are reaping the benefits.

It's amazing, therefore that Marlow and Henley have upped their rates. Those moorings are only full near the racing week(s).
 

boatone

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Abingdon absolutely true and a nice welcome notice as well.
Henley suffered a big hike in price last year and I think the rates quoted above/below are still same but a tenner at Marlow is a bit steep. Only £5 or £6 there last year.
Not true that they're empty except at regatta time tho. Full pretty much all the time in decent weather months altho Henley easier just cos that many more moorings available.
 

Steve Clayton

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You lot mentioning the Thames have made me feel very homesick!!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I'm going to have a large Bacardi and Coke now!

From my recollection (and a few years ago) the moorings on the left hand side upstream of Hurley lock aren't/weren't??? Council owned. The land is owned by the "Copas" company.

The moorings upstream of Marlow lock on the right used to be Council owned but the land was sold to a private buyer. He got peeved by people mooring up on what was now his land and so employed a couple of people to act as traffic wardens/wheel clampers and you where charged the moment you put out a mooring iron.

We only moored in Abingdon a couple of times to stock up on beer; much prefering the quieter reaches either side of the town.

The river upstream of Oxford is technically the Isis. Hence around Henley and there abouts it's known as Upper Thames (the Upper Thames Motor Yacht Club being at Sonning and the UT Sailing Club being at Bourne End)
 
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