USA Visitor Boating The Thames

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djones18

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Greetings All,

I'm a new member from the USA and count myself fortunate I found your forum.

I (the boat handler), my wife (aka SWMBO), and two friends (the crew), will be hiring a 12.50m boat for the week of 12 September for a leisurely upstream trip from Penton Hook Marina to Benson Marina. This will give us a full week to enjoy your historic river and all it has to offer. We intend to do alot of walking.

We boat in the USA and we've previously boated in France and Holland. This is our first trip on the Thames and we would appreciate any advice or tips you may want to pass on. I know, you may be thinking "thank goodness" we'll not be on the river with this Yank. However, I did fly fast jets (RAF and USAF) over your country for 10 years without too many complaints...except from the local residents with whom I'm fully sympathetic. Anyway...

I've studied Imray's Map of the Thames, scale 1:50,000. I've attained and read Imray's fine "The River Thames Book" by Chris Cove-Smith and Nicholson's "Ordnance Survey Guide to the River Thames". I've studied UK internet sites. I know the rules and I will obey.

We are interested in recent info, not in the books, you can provide regarding this route. We've never had a problem with theft when taking normal stowing and locking up precautions. Any worries in this regard? We'd like to moor up near Runnymede, Windsor, Cookham, and Henley as a minimum. We're very much open to suggestions.

We love to visit pubs, we appreciate a pint of fine ale, we have patience for others who feel they must get from point A to B at all possible speed, and we try to make friends on our river trips.

Your recommendations would be most welcome.

Dave
 
Dave, Pretty open ended so I'm sure many will chip in. Stop off points that may be interesting along the stretch I know best (Bray - Henley)

1. Eating at The Brasserie Restaurant at Bray Marina - you can moor on the outside moorings of the Marina a spit away from the Al Fresco dining.
2. Peaceful moorings on National Trust land along the Cliveden stretch above Boulters Lock(either on an island or on the Cliveden bank - which means you can walk through the impressive grounds and gardens up to Cliveden).
3. Plentiful moorings very close by to Cookham High Street (moorings start upstream of Cookham bridge, above Cookham lock). Excellent Indian restaurants on high street including Maliks plus other eating options plus decent beer available in high street pubs.
4. Moorings available at Marlow parkside upstream of the bridge above Marlow lock. 5 minutes walk from high street with plenty of eating options, from Michelin Star rated through to Bistro and cafe. Nice pub food and local beer at the Two Brewers on St Peters St (a wiggly footpath walk over the bridge and through the graveyard).
5. Moorings at Hurley lock. A few minutes walk into the village with reasonable beer and food available at Ye Old Bell.
6. About halfway between Hurley and Hambledon lock, mooring available on meadowland. 10 minute to Dog and Badger pub with food (italian I think). Just further up is a pontoon mooring with "The Flower Pot" signed. The pub in question is a few minutes walk up the road.
7. Immediately before and after Hambledon lock, bankside mooring available. Hambledon village is about 25 minutes walk away which is very pretty (film set for 101 dalmations)and has village pub. Next village up the same valley (+20 minutes) is Skirmett with another nice pub with good food and beer (The Frog). If you are keen for further walking, further up the valley is another village - Turville with another excellent pub (Bull and Butcher). This village is the setting for the TV programme "The Vicar of Dibley" and has the Windmill from Chitty CHitty Bang Bang overlooking it. The Hambledon valley is the prettiest valley in the Chilterns and if you want a days walking is well worth it.

I'll let others add the fourpenneth worth now.
 
Spinreach,

Thanks for the excellent information. SWMBO has added your suggestions to the boat handler's ToDo list.

I'm waiting for more of you to give your fourpenneths worth. Is that correct? Being separated by a common language can be confusing. I'm checking my Oxford English Dictionary on this.

Dave
 
Very nice that you have stumbled across our forum, you will have a fantastic time on one of the most beautiful stretches of river anywhere, and Spinreach has already put in a very commendable two pence worth of suggestions which will be hard to beat, just make sure you try some of the English Ales, not that lager stuff you can get anywhere...
 
There are some boating traditions which should be observed, especially in relation to eating swans for the first time.
 
I would only add that you should give yourselves a stop over at Runnymede to take in the memorial and Magnacarta, just make sure that you don't moor too near the road as it can be a tad noisy. Runnymede Hotel riverside is just being refurbished but their restaurant Left Bank is recommended but their bistro Charlie Bells isn't!
 
Doolittle said:
Runnymede Hotel riverside is just being refurbished but their restaurant Left Bank is recommended but their bistro Charlie Bells isn't!
Click to expand...

Surprised to see you say that. We have often eaten at Charlie Bells and felt it was one of the few restaurants riverside that offered good food at reasonable prices. Biggest problem was getting in and always advisable to book.
 
A week won't be long enough, do enjoy.

I agree with above, particularly Maliks in Cookham. Top quality indian food that is subtlety spiced. If you've had uk indian food before where they try and make out hotter is better it may have put you off. Try maliks.

In Marlow the 2 brewers is definitely my recommendation. Quality beer, quality food, first class service that is not in the least bit stuffy. Remember they won't take your plate until you've both finished eating. This is good service in the UK - we slap the hands of waiters that take the plate away american style as soon as it's empty!

Sadly the weather may dominate your week weatherweb is in my opinion by far the best weather site and copied below is what they are saying at the moment. Follow it on weather web clicky

Have a great week!

*12/09 – 18/09*
The pattern becomes rather lax for a time as high pressure to the east declines away, a new cell developing to the west or northwest, pressure falling across the bulk of the UK, a rather more unsettled regime will be established through the period.
Initially dry and settled, England and Wales should see showers developing quite widely through the middle of the period, possibly feeling rather cool too with a noticeable north-easterly flow. Sheltered western areas and north-western areas will see the driest and brightest of the conditions although some showery outbreaks can’t be ruled out completely.
Low pressure slow moving over central Britain will edge away into the near continent taking away its showery activity, drier and brighter conditions established over the northwest moving south and east
 
Elessar said:
I agree with above, particularly Maliks in Cookham. Top quality indian food that is subtlety spiced. If you've had uk indian food before where they try and make out hotter is better it may have put you off. Try maliks.
Click to expand...

Maliks now also in Marlow - where the little italian used to be diagonally opposite the entrance to the park.

Zizi's also good for medium priced pasta etc - in many places including Windsor and Marlow.
 
Can't help on the Thames front much, but would love to hear about your trips on French and Dutch waters (maybe in another thread, or pointers to writeups if you've already done them). Thanks!
 
Hi Dave, France, Holland and now the Thames. Why don't you try Ireland next year, The Shannon is hard to beat. Check out http://www.iwai.ie/ for info on all our navigable waterways.
And in addition to the boating, there is the "craic"(google it, probably ain't in Collins English) and the Guinness (much nicer than those watery English ales :rolleyes:), now ducking for cover!
Anyway, enjoy your trip and hopefully the weather will be kind to you.

Mick
 
Your final night before you hand the boat back would be well spent at the Beetle & Wedge Restaurant at Moulsford. They have overnight moorings but you would be well advised to book a table tel: 01491 651700 or by email boathouse@beetleandwedge.co.uk

From there you have a short run of approximately 1 hour or so and one lock to where you return the boat. You pass through Wallingford where William the Conqueror forded the Thames in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings on his way to London.

Alternatively I can make an exception and allow you to moor up at my house on the opposite side of the river. From here it is a short walk through a really beautiful old English village to our local Pub. The food there isn't great (you don't get enough but it is edible).
You can see our village website at http://www.southstoke.org.uk/

A passing comment on what others have written. You really must stop at Runnymede and hike up the hill to the Kennedy Memorial. The land was gifted by the Crown to the United States and is U.S. property.
 
I'm overwelmed by your responses. Thanks very much! They are all going into the ToDo list. We're looking forward to visiting many of the pubs you recommend. I must say, I am taken with with what most americans describe as your "warm beer", an innaccurate description I might add.

We are getting our boat at Penton Hook at 1400 Saturday and are planning an overnight at Runnymede, after provisioning at Staines Sainsburys. We will visit the Magna Carta, Kennedy and RAF Memorials...SWMBO's father was a 35year RAF veteran so this is a mandatory stop. Also poignant for us in view of the recent passing of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy.

In Windsor, many of you recommend overnighting at the island in Windsor near the leisure center. Does anyone recommend the Brocas? According to the specs, our boat has a water draft of 0.80meters, if this is a factor. We don't need shore power or other amenities.

I'll be happy to discuss our Holland or French canal trips in a PM or another thread with anyone who has questions. Both trips were well worth it to us. We rented boats so don't have details getting privately owned craft in and out of these countries. We will do Ireland and Scotland's Caledonian Canal once our banker recovers from his yearlong Seizure.

From 12 to 19 September, if any of you forumites pass a ponderous Le Boat "Classique S" encased in rubber fenders and bumpers, captained by three ladies and one very happy boat handler, give us a wave or stop by for a visit.

Dave
 
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The Brocas is fine if the weather is good, draught wise you will be OK, in some parts anyway, but if its been at all damp (this is England remember!) it can get soggy and less pleasant to walk through the long grass to the mown path. The Windsor side has a hard edge and plenty of depth and hard paths. If you are on Bath Island its a little quieter than the bank by the leisure centre. Both sides charge, the Windsor side let you into the leisure centre and kncok the mooring charge off the admission fee. Good swim if that's a requirement.

If you get the chance, find a mooring out in the wilds, even if only as a lunch stop, the peace and quiet is worth the effort.
 
Ha ha

"try some of the English Ales," ...you presumably mean that tepid dishwater coloured stuff with lumps in,that tastes of old underpants with a hint of battery acid to finish,best stick to good lagar that tastes refreshing and does not have some made up silly name.
Anyway for the benefit of our visitor,can answer one of your questions,in that when we have visited the Thames,we have never found security to be a concern,having said that it is always best not to leave valuables on view when you leave boat.
A couple of websites are worth a go before you come over.
www.teddington-lock.co.uk
www.visitthames.co.uk
and especially this one
www.the-river-thames.co.uk
The Thames at Windsor
DSCN4288.jpg

Ps.Keep an eye out for whatever flag is flying,it apparently indicates if Mrs Windsor is at home.
 
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We are just back from a jaunt from Reading to Penton Hook and back. This included stops at Cookham, we went to the Chinese restaurant which was excellent, and Medmenham and a walk up to the Dog & Badger. It is some years since we have been there and I suspect it may have changed hands again recently. The food was good quality English (that is not a contradiction in terms these days) and was excellent.

For Henley heading upstream towards the bridge there are good moorings on the right hand side at Fawley Meadows. It is a short walk into the town from here where there is a range of restaurants and pubs, mostly Brakspear which produce excellent beers.

If you are going to Benson it may be worth going a little further upstream to Dorchester (about 20 minutes or so). You can moor just by the entrance to the Thame or at Days lock and it is a very pleasant walk into the village which is well worth a visit.

If you are keen walkers I think the Ridgeway long distance path crosses the river at Goring and there are some good stretches either side.

Whatever you decide to do have a great time. Remember to practice a regal wave as this is the standard greeting to all passing boats. Try it to the anglers as well. Let us know what response you get.
 
Security on the boat - Reading Tesco mooring

If, as is likely, you stop off at Tesco in Reading for shopping, do lock all valuables in the cabin and close up the boat. The towpath is quite busy there and the local scroats know that when boats moor the crews often spend an hour or more away shopping thus leaving the coast clear for them. A couple of years ago SWMBO surprised a couple of teenagers who had boarded our boat, she was down below whilst I and the kids were in Tesco. They fled empty-handed on their bikes but it could have been much, much worse for her, being alone and out of sight of help down below, if things had turned ugly.
 
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