Pub or Picnic - Windsor area?

[PEJ]

Hello,

I normally do my boating on the sea and post in the motor boat forum but I am hiring a day boat out of Datchet later this month and thought we would go in Windsor direction.

Can any one suggest a good pub for lunch or do you think we should take a picnic and if so where is a nice spot to moor up and eat it?

Any local knowledge gratefully received!

 

[Captain Coochie]

Theres a pub grub type pub between the Magna carta and Windsor that is always packed so that must say something about it . It used to have a pontoon to moor up too but last time i went that way it was sinking .
Or there are loads of places in windsor itself .

 

[Gavi]

If you've only got the boat for a day I'd be tempted to just moor up in Windsor (plenty of soft moorings), have a picnic, and then pootle a bit further up

 

[ms1]

you could go under Windsor Bridge, moor on the field on the right (The Brocas) walk back towards the bridge to the Watermans Arms at Eton (you cant miss it), or simply picnic on the Brocas. Large open mown field - small mooring charge (belongs to Eton College)

 

[Gavi]

I like that pub. They serve TEA

 

[DogsBody]

I think you're thinking of the "Bells of Ousley", a harvester if I'm not mistaken. Was good food last time I visited (a couple of years ago) and I hear it is still pretty good. The pontoon you refer to sunk and has been removed I believe, shouldn't be a problem to moor a day boat along there to the bank though. One lock down river from where PEJ will be hiring the boat.

Alternatively, as has been mentioned, head up river to Windsor (also one lock), plenty of mooring space and loads of pubs / restaurants in the town to choose from.

DogsBody.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Second vote for the Watermans, good food, good beer and rainproof Having said that The Brocas is probably a bit of a quagmire at present and is a soft muddy edge. If you don't mind the 10 minute walk I'd go for the hard edge of the Windsor side and walk round. Left side as opposed to the right one. Consider mooring onto Bath Island just before the railway bridge as the edges are lower which may be useful wiht a dayboat. You may still need spikes but there are some rings here and there.

 

[Doolittle]

Re Windsor/Eton Bridge, I'd keep a super soaker/big water pistol handy as scrotes have been inclined to spit or drop the remains of their lunch on you! Any references of my Seamaster looking a little like a skip at the time will be treated with the mirth it deserves. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[nickcred]

Hi I assume you are hiring from Kris Cruisers- nice guys - wave or stop off for a free beer if you see us as you head towards Windsor, just under the first Bridge on your right we are moored with 6 other boats forum burgee is flying.

The harvester is ok food and cheap and you can moor up if you watch the depth in places. Would agree head to windsor and moor and take a walk - loads of places to eat and drink.

 

[PEJ]

Thanks to everyone for your advice, I am really grateful to you. This is such a helpful forum. If you ever need advice on the Solent just let me know.

Nickcred: Thanks, I'd love to stop for a beer but I'll probably have to make do with a wave!

 

[PEJ]

For the benefit of anyone else who reads this thread, we moored up at The Brocas and walked back and over the river, turned left and went to a bar/restaurant by the river side just up from the lock. I can't for the life of me remember the name but it was something like the riverhouse.

Anyway it was very nice, excellent food and pims. The only trouble was the frequent interruptions by jumbo jets overhead!

 

[nickcred]

Sorry we missed you - not sure what time you passed by Datchet but we were late arriving due to the normal get kids in car, pack food scenario- hope you had a good trip

Nick

 

[apollo]

Moored by the Brocas, you must have an outdrive boat!

I cannot get closer than 20feet from the bank.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

[ QUOTE ]
Moored by the Brocas, you must have an outdrive boat!

I cannot get closer than 20feet from the bank.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's getting grim, what do you draw? Not taken Jedi there yet but asuming that I'll be nosing the bow in, kedging the stern and using the bow gate.

 

[boatone]

Friend of mine was moored there on Saturday and I stupidly decided to try and moor alongside him....touched bottom when still a good 20 feet away.

Brocas mooring seems to be currently FOC as Eton have lost/let go the boatman that collected the fees.

 

[apollo]

Well should be only 3foot6 according to the blurb, but I do wonder.

Went there with my inlaws who were on on their Princess 33, they had to stay a couple feet out from the bank, and even going alongside them I still could not get right alongside them!

Had to leave my tender between the two boats to hold us off. How stupid is that!

Maybe we hit a "hotspot", I have reported it to the EA and they are cogitating over whether to fix it.

I mentioned the Thames Waterways Plan and it being bad for business being one of the most famous views on the globe etc etc.

They havent said no yet......

 

[apollo]

So I am not the only one then.

 

[PEJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Moored by the Brocas, you must have an outdrive boat!

I cannot get closer than 20feet from the bank.

[/ QUOTE ]

It was only a little day boat from Kris Cruisers. I didn't give the draught a second thought because there were loads of boats much bigger than mine there.

I have to own up - when I got to the boat yard and looked across to the far side and saw the water level on the piling up close to the concrete cap I thought "oh good it's high tide!"

Duh!