Hampton Court Flower Show

[alistairedw]

I am taking SWMBO to the flower show at Hampton Court next week. To avoid the traffic chaos I am thinking of going by boat.

Does anybody know whether there are likely to be any problems with mooring there during the show?

 

[Brayman]

We did this a few years ago and had no problems. It was helped by the wardens enforcing the "one night free, subsequent nights you pay for" regime. We got there the day before it opened and enjoyed the fireworks that went with the concert then visited on the firsy day. There were quite a few narrow boats moored at the downstream end of the moorings, some of which were rafted but I don't know how long they stayed as we only stayed the two nights. There appears to be a fair bit of mooring opportunity further downstream of the Palace mooring but I've never needed to try it. It certainly beats going by car!
Hope this helps.

 

[alistairedw]

That sounds encouraging. All we need now is some decent weather.

 

[chuckaduck]

Just looked at their website but cant see anything about fireworks this year ??

Might come for the fire works ( not into flowers )

By boat of course

does anyone know whether and when there might be fireworks ??

 

[TrueBlue]

Yes,

There are fireworks (as in previous years - even in the rain).
They are for those folks who have stumped up a lorra dosh for the "exclusive" dinner on the Monday night, and are accordingly directed at the booze tent - if you see what I mean.

If you look at the RHS website - under "tickets", I think, you'll see a passing reference to the Gala dinner and ..... Usually start at about 11p.m.

Not terribly impressive from the river and only last about 10 minutes, with several interludes. Not a patch on the show upstream at the end of the week. Hardly worth making a special journey for IMHO. Best viewed from the main moorings.

For CentreBoarder:-
Mooring is possible all the way down that side of the Park, but not always very practicable. In some places it means tying to a tree and a plank, or jumping. There is a shelf - probably older bankworks running the whole way along which prevents most boats coming in tight to the bank. As a result the Turk's and Parr's boats - even if they go (relatively) slowly, tend to wash you onto it. Otherwise it's great...

 

[alistairedw]

The Charity preview evening is on Monday (6 - 11 PM)

I would assume that the fireworks will be the finale?

 

[Brayman]

That was the case when we last went. I agree it isn't woth going just for the fireworks but if you are there ready for the morning just take them as a bonus and enjoy.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I've got visitors hoping for a boat trip this Saturday. It will be tiddling down, no doubt, but Hampton Court is still an option. Watch out for badly helmed Coronets weeping clouds of smoke

Even better if I can persuade them that they want to buy me lunch at that tapas place in Kingston. The waterside one with no mooring rings or other attachments on their pontoon last time I tried to go.

 

[Ramage]

Sounds like you are bidding to be the "Mucky Farter" of the Thames /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[temptress]

Re: Yes,

[ QUOTE ]
/...here is a shelf - probably older bankworks running the whole way along which prevents most boats coming in tight to the bank. As a result the Turk's and Parr's boats - even if they go (relatively) slowly, tend to wash you onto it. Otherwise it's great...

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the punting ledge. Put in to allow the Victorians some 'recreation' on the river at Kingston. It runs from Sunbury to just below Kingston bridge. At notmal river levels it about 3 feet down and comes out about 4 feet from the bank all on the North Side (ie Hampton Bank). But depending on what they are doing wiht the locks this changes quite quickly.

 

[temptress]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got visitors hoping for a boat trip this Saturday. It will be tiddling down, no doubt, but Hampton Court is still an option. Watch out for badly helmed Coronets weeping clouds of smoke

Even better if I can persuade them that they want to buy me lunch at that tapas place in Kingston. The waterside one with no mooring rings or other attachments on their pontoon last time I tried to go.

[/ QUOTE ]


Beware that pontoon - it's the old Beverly school rowing club one - the developers who built the flats and stuff are suppose to look after it but it's now very rotten and has many holes and is not attached to the bank. It is simple standing on a few scafold poles sitting on the bottom! Minima YC (just downstream) used to use this during reagttas but it's too unsafe even to walk on now( although prople do). This has been pointed out to the council who are uninclined to do anything. You would be much better off on the bank either side of it.

 

[boatone]

[ QUOTE ]
Even better if I can persuade them that they want to buy me lunch at that tapas place in Kingston. The waterside one with no mooring rings or other attachments on their pontoon last time I tried to go.

[/ QUOTE ]

Andrew,
Much better to moor on the finger jetties just a litle upstream. They look a little minimal and rickety but I regularly put my Pedro on there nose in to the bank. Aim to moor on the upstream side of one of them and any current will carry you down onto the jetty. have a crew member ready to jump off and secure the headline.

 

[TrueBlue]

Thanks -

Thanks for that, I always wondered if that was by design or happenstance. It show you how much more maintenance and facilities there were in the past before the dreaded EA took over. To be fair, I wonder how such works were funded.

There are lots of steps down to the ledge that you mention and on the clear stretches - for example by Raven's Ait you can see that the whole project was quite grand.

Is should have been clearer; the ledge to which I was referring is under water at about 18 ins: below the surface. It hinders one getting ashore in some places.

I could use your kind reply to have a rant about the uncared for look if the river nowadays; for example between the end of the long moorings at HC proper and , say, the end of Thames Ditton islands (? how called) the bank is completely obscured by now mature trees which have grown out of the bank. These benefit no-one, walkers can't view the traffic and folk on the river can't see the splendour or the Palace grounds. The *asterisk* clouds of parakeets love 'em though.

I believe in the Thames Conservancy days there was a tree cutting gang trolling up and down the river chopping everything in sight. But no more. The EA mostly leave tree maintenance to the Riparian owners on either side, and don't do 'owt even when whole trees fall into the stream - unless it completely blocks the channel; side channels are ignored.

Shame.

Oh, sorry id did do a bit of a rant.

Anyway, I'm grateful for your info, I'll store it in my infobase!

 

[temptress]

Re: Thanks -

[ QUOTE ]
T...To be fair, I wonder how such works were funded.
...

[/ QUOTE ]

‘From the public purse for the good of all’ was the policy then I believe. On the subject of the banks and trees the banks are the EA but the trees are down to the council and therefore nothing gets done cause they would have to talk and that can't be allowed to happen.

Try going to one of the river users group meetings and you'll see what i mean.

Turks (Who have been on tha reah since 1750 somethin) think it all needs to be run for them, Minoma YC (1889) and Thames SC (1879) have been sailing there and have their views and the various rowing clubs have their agendas - even before the EA and council put their spin in.

 

[TrueBlue]

I\'m obliged,

- Young Sir once again,
I wondered how someone "registered" in Pompey (your signature) should be so knowledgeable about "my" ditch, but then I looked at your bio and blog.

All is now clear(er); good old Ranelagh and Minima (however you spell it). My brother and sister were the sailing freaks at both clubs, and myself merely a bystander as I didn't like getting my bottom wet. Those were in the days of John Nichols - who was a more memorable name than ours.

Anyway, bag to the matter in hand. It's worth making these posts as others may find the discourse interesting. I feel fairly sure that no-one in authority at the EA reads here, but if enough interested boaters get together and are persistent, we may get somewhere in time. We certainly wont if we do nothing.

In these days of multiple stealth taxes it's surprising that there are not funds to do things, but in any event I'm prepared - and do - take some very minor action (like slashing my way through a jungle of willow branches where it impedes my navigation, or clearing the undergrowth round official moorings). On the even narrower ditches they have canal societies who do some of this work willingly. On the Thames the river groups are local units and don't represent long distance boater like myself.

Perhaps BoatOne's MAD on the Thames can be jollied into life, but he'll need some help.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Re: I\'m obliged,

Very interesting information on the punting ledge but I'm still bemused as to how it worked. I assume an artifical shallow bit to make life simpler for those punting?

Tony, thanks re the fingers. I didn't reckon they were strong enough for Jedi, let alone your Pedro. Now reassured, save for weather.

 

[TrueBlue]

We\'re all getting confused -

Well I think I'm correct -

My shelf - translated to "ledge" is an underwater obstruction, presumed to be part of the aforementioned punters' bit. Means that I can't get my ladies close in enough to land them.

The punting ledge is (I infer) the construction of the bank side where a very nice hogged (? term) side of the bank with interspersed steps down to a narrow ledge above the water level (about 18 inches wide), where the Edwardian Gentlemen and Ladies could alight from their punts and promenade along the very stout roadway which is a feature of the reach between Hampton Court Bridge and Kingston.

The English language or mebe my use of it was not precise enough to make my initial point clear. If it had been, the ensuing discourse would not have been so revealing.