River Thames Moorings

[Alan Wheeler]

Hi All,

 

We (the family), are moving our 60' narrow boat from Cropredy to Newbury soon. Can anyone recommend places to moor along the River Thames and whether it is advantageous to book/who with. We are planning to moor at Abingdon and Pangbourne, but appreciate this may need to change subject to moorings and availability. I note moorings are defined by the Vale of White House District Council in Abingdon.

 

We've been given plenty of advise, e.g. turn upstream to moor, take shears to cut back the overgrown bank at a mooring, all moorings along towpaths are 24 hours unless stated otherwise. However, as we are so used to the ease of mooring on the canals, the River Thames is a bit of an unknown, i.e. ease of mooring, private land, etc. We are ideally looking to moor near pubs and shops for provisions for the evening. The https://www.thamesvisitormoorings.co.uk/ doesn't allow to book moorings at locks.

 

Also, what are people's best guess at how long it will take from King's Lock to Kennet Mouth? I'm estimating two days.

 

Any help, advise and recommendations would be gratefully appreciated.

 

Alan

[Scholar Gypsy]

Two days is fine for that trip. My best advice re river moorings is to start early, moor up early, and then enjoy the glorious summer weather.  

 

There are a number of places where you can just tie to a tree, and/or drop the anchor/mud weight, if you are not bothered about getting ashore.  For example in the backwaters below some locks (Clifton Hampden is a good example). 

 

Speaking personally, I would do your shopping in Oxford and not plan to buy anything on the way. 

[Lily Rose]

Alan,

 

I've re-posted my answer from your earlier thread to keep it all in one place. 

 

Also, as you are in a hurry, you might as well moor at the EA moorings at East Street in Oxford, just after the extremely low Osney Bridge, walk back up Botley Road (walk back to the bridge and go left) and do your shopping. Waitrose is about half a mile, Aldi about 1 mile. There is also a pub right by the canal there.

 

Don't stop in Abingdon, you may be tempted to stay longer than is necessary for quick passage to Reading!

 

Personally, if you have the time, I would say get a one week licence and enjoy the river for a leisurely week.

 

 

I can tell you about Abingdon as I live there. Above the lock there are 3 or 4 EA moorings, often full but you might be in luck. These are free for night 1, £5 per night for nights 2 and 3.

 

Below the lock are a number of moorings on the left, free for up to 3 nights as are the following:

 

Further on before the bridge on both the left hand and right hand side.

Through the bridge on the left.

 

Waitrose is about 1/2 to 2/3 mile from the moorings near the lock (cross over the lock) or near the bridge (cross over the bridge). Slightly less at the moorings on the right near the lido.

 

The moorings near the bridge are closest to the the town centre.

 

It is probably fair to say that Abingdon is the most user-friendly place on the Thames, nowhere else gives you 3 free nights (apart from wild moorings out in the sticks).

 

[OldGoat]

The Thames is quiet most of the time - except summer weekends. If you're coming down after the August BH it's virtually dead.

I'm not a fan of Oxford's shopping for provisions, but it's a great place to visit - especially if you keep to the side streets avoiding all the shoppers and visitors. Inexpensive chinese food at lunchtime in Hythe Bridge Street. The Tesco and sainsbury's are not up to much.

Thre is a market at the city end of HBS - but what's on offer varies from day to day. Worth an overnight stop.

 

Abingdon has a fraffly nice Waitrose as does Wallingford but not much else shopping wise.

 

It's essential to leave the canal at Duke's Cut - which I note you are doing - the view of Oxenford is magnificent - but nowhere to moor as it's very shallow at the sides.

King's is the only 'proper' lock - the rest are electric. If there's no one on dutiy when you pass through, they're easy to operate. Most of the instructions have been removed / defaced - but quite logical for a canal user. However DO NOT hold the sluices button (just press it until you hear a click Max: ten seconds or less) - because the mechanism will throw a hissy fit and shut the system down COMPLETLY and you'll need to call thye emergency line.

 

You didn't ask for this - so I'll stop now - come back if you want more details.

[Lily Rose]

1 hour ago, OldGoat said:

 

 

Abingdon has a fraffly nice Waitrose as does Wallingford but not much else shopping wise

 

 

Oi!

 

There's a Poundland... OK, fair point.

Also a small Co-op with Post Office.

 

There is a massive Tesco Extra as well but it's a helluva long trek to the edge of town from the river (Argos, B&Q, Screwfix and Toolstation near Tesco as well if anyone is interested).

 

I think the Waitrose near East Street is probably equally fraffly nice as the one in Abingdon ?

 

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by Lily Rose

[Dave123]

I don't bother turning to moor facing upstream. Unless the flow is really strong you can more easily hop off with a stern line anyway...and it isn't necessarily as easy turning as it seems if it's windy or narrow or shallow...

[OldGoat]

14 hours ago, Dave123 said:

I don't bother turning to moor facing upstream. Unless the flow is really strong you can more easily hop off with a stern line anyway...and it isn't necessarily as easy turning as it seems if it's windy or narrow or shallow...

"Each to his own" - it all depends on where you moor.

If it's on a layby with loads of room - then mebe OK.

There's something satisfying about gracefully, gently gliding into a space that's just about the size of you boat without any revving of your engine...

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, OldGoat said:

"Each to his own" - it all depends on where you moor.

If it's on a layby with loads of room - then mebe OK.

There's something satisfying about gracefully, gently gliding into a space that's just about the size of you boat without any revving of your engine...

But with most river flows that narrowboaters boat in its just as gracefully in reverse

[OldGoat]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But with most river flows that narrowboaters boat in its just as gracefully in reverse

Agreed,

but the subject was the Thames and there's always about a 1 m.p.h and there are many wide beamed boats of various hues - mostly Large Whites on the moorings which your stern will hang out into the flow....  

[Mike on the Wey]

There is free mooring space on the meadow at Pangbourne, below Whitchurch Lock. Equally pleasant is Beale Park or just below Clifton Hampden. But there are many free spots in open countryside ... certainly not as "free and easy" as the canals though.

[MtB]

There is a HUGE difference between wanting somewhere to moor overnight and stay on the boat, moor overnight and be able to get off the boat, and wanting somewhere to moor and buzz off for a few days like you can on a canal. This last one can slightly catch out canal people on the river for the first time as can levels change so moor with loose lines, and you'll generally be charged, often a tenner a night as the majority over riverside land is privately owned.

 

For just making the dash from Oxford to Reading you'll only need to moor one night and this can be done for free simply by tying to a tree and swinging in the flow.  You'll see endless opportinuties to do this. Tie the stern on first as you're going downstream. Usually you can reach another tree to tie the bow in if you wish, or I sometimes chuck my small grappling hook into the undergrowth to get a second line ashore if I can't reach a second tree. 

 

Edit to add:

 

One further thing is on the river there is no 'draw' effect from passing boats when you are moored up, so the concept of slowing down to pass moored boats is unheard of on the river. Don't expect passing boats to slow down and don't be alarmed when they don't. The worst that happens is the waves from their wash will slap against your hull. Equally you don't need to slow down when passing moored boats either. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by Mike the Boilerman

[Peter X]

I don't think it's been mentioned, but Oxford to Reading can be done in two quite long days, which means you could just buy a "one day" ticket from EA, because you get the day you buy it plus the whole of the next day (up to midnight, but few would want to navigate at night, especially on an unfamiliar river!).

However, it doesn't cost much more to buy a whole week, and if you have the time that's got to be worth considering.

These temporary tickets, which are "registration" not a licence to be precise, are bought at the first manned lock you come to. Most of the locks are manned roughly 9 to 5.

[Peter X]

Oops, MtB did just mention that it can be done in two days! Good point too about not needing to slow down past moored boats, the river's so deep and wide that someone passing at the full 8kph speed limit produces little effect.