The Thames. Longish term Parking !

[oldgit]

Suggestions and advice wanted
My scurvey crew ie. the family, want to join me on my voyage of discovery up on the Thames a day or two after Teddington Lock.
They will be arriving in a people carrier , brand new and pristine it aint.
Suggestions as to where a vehicle could be left for several days and close(ish ) to the river to allow me to pick them all up.
Needs to be fairly close but a short cab ride would be no problem.
5 peeps . 2 x seven year old twins plus 1 x 2 year old plus all their junk. .
Commercial car park or reasonably safe(ish) on street parking OK.

 

[Brayman]

I'd aim for one of the Marinas, Bray, Windsor, Harleyford etc

 

[thamesS23]

There is school lane in Cookham (the back road behind The Kings Arms), that doesn’t have parking restrictions from memory

Google Maps

 

[Old Crusty]

I'd say the best bet is Shepperton Lock. There is unrestricted on street parking that is by the river's edge. That may be a bit soon given the twin outdrives in tick over will have you in Maidenhead in a day!

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Pick up below Maidenhead railway bridge and leave the car by the rowing club?

Obviously not possible to guarantee lack of problems but it's residential there and pretty relaxed.

It's not incredibly deep on that mooring so be careful.

It depends how far up River you want to get.

For proper security I agree with the marina suggestion above. It would also give the opportunity to have a mooring with facilities which might be handy if getting guests aboard.


Shepperton lock is definitely a good suggestion. Parking right beside the lock and plenty of space above lock on the same side to get people on board, although when I passed a couple of days ago I did notice the moorings outside the pub there were completely full...not sure if this is a problem area or just passing boats but I suspect they might be staying.

A lot of the River from Shepperton down has become very clogged up. I was quite surprised to see about a dozen boats in Desborough cut last weekend. Widebeams and barges mainly. Lots of them.

I have never seen that many boats there and have been up and down there most years since the early 90s.

It's changed. Much less convenient for the traditional activity of blowing the cobwebs out of the engines.

The original reason for Desborough cut being built was for owners of reasonably powerful boats to be able to "give it some oil" but this I suspect is a thing of the past. Having said that it might discourage the boats which are presumably only there on account of councils having no enforcement options..

Or maybe it's another bit of unregistered land being occupied like down at Molesey.

 

[CLB]

Pick up below Maidenhead railway bridge and leave the car by the rowing club?

Obviously not possible to guarantee lack of problems but it's residential there and pretty relaxed.

It's not incredibly deep on that mooring so be careful.

It's not a problem. When I last moored there I simply raised the inside drive and moored using the outside one. You can do that, can't you Oldgit?

 

[oldgit]

IWhen I last moored there I simply raised the inside drive and moored using the outside one. You can do that, can't you Oldgit?

Have been given explicit instructions as how to get close in to a dubious mooring by a very old hand indeed.
It apparently involves putting the engine in neutral to stop the prop going round. Sounds very complicated for us shafties but prepared to give it a try.

Jet washed off the boat hull yesterday and thought better do the yearly stern gear maintainance .............walked round to back of boat.
Yup its all still there, walk back up top and spend rest of day waiting for tide to come in, while reading all the fascinating posts about trying to keep the paint on outdrives
in the Mobo chat forum.



or..

a shaft drive owner


with sympathies to Bruce K.


thanks for suggestions going to sort a couple of nights at one of the MDL marinas.
Thanks all.

 

[Flynnbarr]

The Italian restaurant at Runnymede........you could treat them all

 

[Pump-Out]

a day or two after Teddington Lock.

That would put you somewhere near Harleyford.
Acres of parking, and a vistors berth to embark/disembark.
I'd give them a bell.

 

[oldgit]

The Italian restaurant at Runnymede........you could treat them all

It might be of interest in this matter to be aware ..................my middle name is Scrooge. !
I shall have aboard that very well known tome " 1001 ways to make BAKED BEANS interesting after a fortnight"


"Wind" might delay our departure.
SWMBO unfortunately has managed to find a weather forecast for the estuary.


Been checking marina visitor prices, seems to range from £20.00 to £30.00 per night.

 

[DogsBody]

Its a shame Mike Gates is no longer with us, as he used to keep an eye on these forums and I'm sure would have worked out a deal at one of MDL's marinas for a night's stay and car parking for a few days at a sensible price.

 

[jct1981]

It might be of interest in this matter to be aware ..................my middle name is Scrooge. !
I shall have aboard that very well known tome " 1001 ways to make BAKED BEANS interesting after a fortnight"


"Wind" might delay our departure.
SWMBO unfortunately has managed to find a weather forecast for the estuary.


Been checking marina visitor prices, seems to range from £20.00 to £30.00 per night.

It may be too far upstream, but if you'd like to park up at Thames & Kennet marina (Reading / Caversham) you're welcome to use my guest spot. Obviously on the proviso you're nice about outdrives for at least the duration of the stay...

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Another option might be to leave vehicle at Henley rugby club car park and collect guests from Fawley top field moorings just below the floating stadium (right hand bank going up before the SyPhylis Caught rowing club) . 5 minute walk vehicle to boat. Fawley is regatta land and a chargeable (£10) mooring for any time up to 24h, collected by Steve of SRB moorings.

The rugby club offer daily or long term parking subject to arrangement.

Car Parking - Henley Rugby Football Club

 

[oldgit]

It may be too far upstream, but if you'd like to park up at Thames & Kennet marina (Reading / Caversham) you're welcome to use my guest spot. Obviously on the proviso you're nice about outdrives for at least the duration of the stay...

Thanks for offer........ appreciated ................but probably bit far up , suspect it will be around Penton Hook at the moment.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

If it's near Penton then I would suggest mooring at the Laleham public moorings (opposite 4all marine there is an EA 24hr site with proper bollards) where you can get a car right beside the boat. Then leave the vehicle nearby in a residential street. You can leave cars parked in the little parking area there but be careful not to block the resident access. The couple in the house whose car comes in and out are really nice. They keep any eye on things. I was stuck there for a while during the red boards and found them to be pleasant locals to have around, but I would recommend leaving the vehicle further up the lane near the church if left for an extended time.