Whats the nicest bit and no Forum punch ups please.

O

oldgit

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A friend has threatened to visit us for a dayor two during our epic weeks adventure on the Thaemes.
He has recent aquired a shiney new Vantage and a new lady friend who he wishes to impress.
He has requested that we find the nicest and most picturesque bit of the river to show him and his new chum,complete with a reasonable hotel in the vicinity to further enhance his chances of romantic success.
Suspect this visit may mean that I will have to clean my fenders and wash my boiler suit.
 
Blimey mate, every person here will have their own personal view on this subject. It is however quite pretty up my way and your mate can stay at the Shillingford Bridge Hotel with safe parking for his Vantage.
 
Suspect this visit may mean that I will have to clean my fenders and wash my boiler suit.
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Don t forget a new set of blue mooring lines with white leather over the eyes and a varnished boathook with of course a silver hook.
 
SHillingford Bridge certainly gets my vote....I might even be there next week unless slumming at the Beetle and Wedge..

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Yeh I'll vote for Cliveden. But Byron's reach also very good, the longest on the river, I believe.

Can certainly vouch for Beetle and Wedge. Thought it was fantastic when we celebrated Chris_d's SWMBO's birthday there back in May. I thought it was pretty good value, although everyone was telling Boatone and myself that it was a bit pricey. They must have thought we looked poor. Which we are, of course, eh Tony? Certainly, compared with Cafe Shore, in Poole, it's as 'cheap as chips'. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
My vote goes for the moment you exit Mapledurham lock on your way upstream, the hills come in from the side and you are heading for the Goring Gap, really quite stunning. Then basically all the way up to Days lock is very picturesque.
Hotels at Pangbourne, Goring and Shillingford. £10 to moor at Shillingford including more electricity than you can use.
 
Thanks all,will get out my "Guide to the Thames for Gentlemen and Steam Launches" 1838. 2nd edition and find out which bit of the river we are talking about.

Might be an improvement on previous thoughts of Canvey Island Refinery at Dawn.
 
I'm with Brayman, the upper reaches past Pangbourne are achingly pretty, although that bank opposite the B&W is a bit ropey, and there are a couple of 'Swans' worth eating at too!

The rest has it's attractions, but really, the bit between Pangbourne and the Beetle and Wedge are so jaw droppingly beautiful, they nearly made me stay at T&K Marina.

I miss them to this day /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Thinking hotel and your likely cruising time how about basing their visit around the Runnymede Hotel or The Castle Hotel in Windsor. Both have decent car parks so motor taken care of. From Runnymede you can do the run up to Windsor thru Old WIndsor and New Romney Locks easily in a day. Wander round Windsor and Eton etc.
From Windsor you could push up thru Bray and Maidenhead and maybe get them to shout for lunch at Cliveden or BBQ on the islands where we stopped a few years ago. Maybe even make Cookham?
 
Yes,remember that bit,believe it was there that I decided to give the 2008 Olympics a miss in order to give other less talented swimmers a chance of glory.
 
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I'm with Brayman, the upper reaches past Pangbourne are achingly pretty, although that bank opposite the B&W is a bit ropey, and there are a couple of 'Swans' worth eating at too!

The rest has it's attractions, but really, the bit between Pangbourne and the Beetle and Wedge are so jaw droppingly beautiful, they nearly made me stay at T&K Marina.

I miss them to this day /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

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Lucky escape for F pontoon T&K then /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif, The Beech woods of the Goring Gap in late Autumn on a calm day take some beating Steve.
 
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Ah yes, F pontoon. Such riff raff /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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You must mean all the others that left! Cant poss be us its just because most of F pontoon have left /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif, Thought it may have been us but obviously that cant be true /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif.
Saw your old boat again the other day with the new owner looking very smug sat on the back,She is moored next to a Freeman /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif .
Glad to see you have settled into your new home Steve.
 
I think its all great, each bit has its own charm, but for the most to look at per nm, its has to be from Windsor up through Bray, Cliveden, Bourne End to Marlow, finishing at Henley where there is plenty of choice of Hotels.
 
Yes think we agree and slap bang in the middle of the bit we will be risking our lives on /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Head for Reading and moor at Tesco's lots of hotels in town and places to nosh,

But I joke.

Book into Cliveden and moor at their boathouse. I spent a new year there many moons ago 1994 and had a fantastic time and sailed down the Thames on Lazy Days to Wraysbury, a year later I bought her.

There are so many stretches that I like that it's difficult to have a favorite.
 
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