Thames non-tidal Moorings

[Martin Megson]

Hi,

I'm planning on using the Thames from Brentford to join the K&A in spring. Never having been on the river here I was wondering about visitor moorings. Are they easy to find or do I need to plan ahead and book them. I'm mainly looking for overnight stops but would like to spend unto 48 hrs at some spots.

 

Martin

Edited January 18, 2012 by Martin Megson

[MikeV]

There's quite a few places you can moor although depending on the time of day you might have to be flexible. You should make sure you have some cash as well as quite a few places charge a mooring fee, typically £5-8.00. Off the top of my head there's good mooring around Windsor, Maidenhead and Marlow, and lots at Henley.

[drunkensailor]

^^beat me to it!^^

 

Lots of moorings, just stop earlyish if it's busy.

Edited January 18, 2012 by drunkensailor

[blackrose]

In spring you'll be fine. It does tend to get a bit busy in summer.

[cereal tiller]

Hi,

I'm planning on using the Thames from Brentford to join the K&A in spring. Never having been on the river here I was wondering about visitor moorings. Are they easy to find or do I need to pal ahead and book them. I'm mainly looking for overnight stops but would like to spend unto 48 hrs at some spots.

 

Martin

Hi martin

the first good mooring above teddington is HAMPTON COURT.

 

not many good moorings till you reach WINDSOR, you can moor close to the town only 4 pounds for each 24 hours.

the free 24 hour moorings above BOVENEY LOCK might be limited due to the olympic preparations.

 

the CLIVEDEN reach,above BOULTERS LOCK is beautiful,6 pounds per day.

 

free 24 hour mooring at POUND MEADOW just below MARLOW LOCK.

 

free 24 hour mooring above MARSH LOCK ,just beyond HENLEY,8 pounds per 24 hours.

 

there is a TESCO'S in reading just before CAVERSHAM LOCK,has been plaqued by continuous moorers in the past,but i think it is still free for 24 hours.

 

 

hope this helps.

 

have a good trip.

 

4

[Martin Megson]

Thanks for the helpful tips. Will make planning much easier.

[blackrose]

Teddington above the lock (fiver?), Kingston opposite the town (free for the first 24 hours), Molesey above the lock on the right (free), Shepperton on Desborough island (£?), Chertsey before the lock (£?), Laleham (£?), Bell Weir about 500 yards past the lock (free for 24 hours), Runnymede along the park (6 quid to national trust if they bother to come) and past French Brothers boatyard (free). They're all good moorings.

Edited January 18, 2012 by blackrose

[Dekazer]

We like Teddington, also Kingston for shopping and pubs. Some good restaurants too. Hampton Court's great for the sheer grandeur of it. We've stayed at Laleham, didn't have to pay anything, nice pub in the village. Er, we have stopped at Cock Marsh which was really nice. Abingdon's nice. Not too fussed about Oxford but there are lots of moorings.

 

We travelled Brentford to Oxford over Easter - including the two busy bank holiday weekends, and we never had a problem. We didn't stop at midday every day either, unless we reached a place we specifically wanted to visit. I started a thread here where some kind folks recommended some guides - I'll try and hunt it out

 

Oh, one tip is to carry binoculars with you - very handy for reading signs from a distance - the river's so much bigger than the canal and sometimes it's hard to see whether you can moor in time...

[AJLintern]

Can you anchor up for free on a wide bit...?

[Dekazer]

Just quickly to add some links to threads on similar topics..

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=37141&hl=teddington&st=0

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=38081&st=0&p=686829entry686829

 

Enjoy

[Catrin]

To add:

We've moored at Cliveden Reach a couple of times at Easter and no one has come to collect a fee. Some boats moor on the small islands here - where they can't collect a fee - but then you can't go for a walk.

 

We've moored in a couple of other places further upstream that say that they collect a fee, but then no-one has come to collect it. I think that it depends when you do it, in summer you are probably more likely to be charged than in spring.

Cheers

Cath.

[adam1uk]

Last September we moored at Teddington Lock, where the lockie said he didn't feel he could charge us the £8 fee, as he'd just taken over £100 for the licence.

 

At Runnymede, a National Trust man came along in a Land Rover early evening to collect the £6 fee. If you stop here, I recommend climbing the hill to the Air Forces Memorial, which is a very moving place and has fantastic views across London.

 

At Bourne End we moored by a little park, and someone came along to collect the fee, which I think was about £4.

 

Henley moorings are quite pricey, although you can stop there during the day without charge. We went on to moor above Sonning Lock, where there are some free EA moorings.

 

The moorings outside Tesco in Reading are also quite good, and you would hardly know you were outside a supermarket.

[JDR]

Be aware Nicholson's guide is very inaccurate-doesnt show existing moorings and many listed moorings don't exist.You'll have no trouble with 24hr moorings but 48hrs will involve payment.Teddington is £7 a night(ish). Free moorings: Kingston, past the 2nd bridge on right .Then Hampton Ct (may be chargeable now),above Desborough cut although may be shallow,above Sheppington lock,on the right past Staines bridge, past Bell Weir on left in front of houses, opposite Windsor Castle,Maidenhead before Boulters,below Marlow lock,a mile above Marsh lock on left,before Sonning Bridge on right.Reading-Kennet mouth just before turn to K&A, Tescos on other side of Kennet mouth or behind the jail.

[MtB]

A quick word of warning should you choose to moor on The Brocas at Windsor, (big public park on the Eton side, just upstream of Windsor Bridge). Its a popular place for hire boats to moor but it's shallow by the bank, and overnight the lockies often allow the water level in that pound to drop by about 12". This leads to about 50 panicking hire boaters each morning in summer until the locky comes back on on duty in the morning and restores the levels!

[Martin Megson]

A quick word of warning should you choose to moor on The Brocas at Windsor, (big public park on the Eton side, just upstream of Windsor Bridge). Its a popular place for hire boats to moor but it's shallow by the bank, and overnight the lockies often allow the water level in that pound to drop by about 12". This leads to about 50 panicking hire boaters each morning in summer until the locky comes back on on duty in the morning and restores the levels!

 

Sounds worth mooring just to watch the fun

[OldGoat]

Here's a list of official moorings - recently posted on the Thames forum -

EA moorings list

 

 

If it's a fee ay mooring many of them don't start collecting until Easter / May, 'cos it's not worth the bother.

If mooring in Henley below the bridge (all the way along, either side until Temple Island) is £6 per night - Steve operates them in rain, storm or snow all the year round 'ish.

 

There are plenty of places for NBers to moor - if you can get into the bank - just avoid those with notices.

[Martin Megson]

Here's a list of official moorings - recently posted on the Thames forum -

EA moorings list

 

 

If it's a fee ay mooring many of them don't start collecting until Easter / May, 'cos it's not worth the bother.

If mooring in Henley below the bridge (all the way along, either side until Temple Island) is £6 per night - Steve operates them in rain, storm or snow all the year round 'ish.

 

There are plenty of places for NBers to moor - if you can get into the bank - just avoid those with notices.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the link - very helpful. Also looked at the link in your signature which should help too.

[OldGoat]

Hi,

Thanks for the link - very helpful. Also looked at the link in your signature which should help too.

 

 

Thanks for noticing and hopefully using the link. All boaters are welcome on the Thames, the challenge is keeping up with the information!

[dmr]

and when you get to the K&A remember that there is occasionaly a bit of "troublesome yoof" on the first bit, especially at Fobney lock.

Try to time your arrival to do Fobney early and get the all way up to the Cunning Man at Burghfield for the first overnight stop.

Blakes lock is no longer manned, so you can be a bit naughty and moor above Sonning lock for the night, next morning get up early, avoid paying the last day's Thames licence!!!!, and get up to the Cunning Man for lunchtme.

After the rough (in parts) start, the K&A just gets better and better.

Very little flow on the Kennet right now so you will not need any adrenalin to get through Woolhampton lock.

 

..........Dave

[Martin Megson]

and when you get to the K&A remember that there is occasionaly a bit of "troublesome yoof" on the first bit, especially at Fobney lock.

Try to time your arrival to do Fobney early and get the all way up to the Cunning Man at Burghfield for the first overnight stop.

Blakes lock is no longer manned, so you can be a bit naughty and moor above Sonning lock for the night, next morning get up early, avoid paying the last day's Thames licence!!!!, and get up to the Cunning Man for lunchtme.

After the rough (in parts) start, the K&A just gets better and better.

Very little flow on the Kennet right now so you will not need any adrenalin to get through Woolhampton lock.

 

..........Dave

 

Thanks for the tip - I'll build that into the plans

[Seagull]

The National Trust have some free moorings at Pangbourne on a field. The bank is a bit high but quite a good location. There are several pubs in town and two worth a visit over the toll bridge (free to pedestrians). There is a Co-Op in town and a really good chippie and an excellent butchers and a bank. Well worth a stop.

 

The towpath above Sonning lock is a pleasant mooring with a good hard bank. However, you will not get any morning sunshine on this mooring. A walk through the churchyard near the lock leads you to an excellent pub serving good food and Arkells ales. Just upsrteam is "Tesco on Thames" where you can moor up and replenish food stocks and get a reasonable cooked breakfast. If you want to stock up on diesel there is a boatyard on the right hand side upstream of Tesco that will give you any tax split you want on red diesel. I have been told that most other boatyards on the Thames will not do a tax split. I cannot say this for certain as my boat runs on petrol.

 

There are pleasant moorings on the North bank in the park at Reading. I belive the first three hours are free and a reasonable fee overnight.

 

This information is correct as at July 2011.

 

 

Hope you find this info helpfull

 

 

Seagull.

Edited February 20, 2012 by Seagull

[WJM]

K&A, Reading - good free overnight moorings at the pub/restaurant immediately above Blakes Lock (No 1) Weir, at the bottom of the Jail loop - if you eat or drink at the establishment.

[Lady Muck]

The National Trust have some free moorings at Pangbourne on a field. The bank is a bit high but quite a good location. There are several pubs in town and two worth a visit over the toll bridge (free to pedestrians). There is a Co-Op in town and a really good chippie and an excellent butchers and a bank. Well worth a stop.

 

The towpath above Sonning lock is a pleasant mooring with a good hard bank. However, you will not get any morning sunshine on this mooring. A walk through the churchyard near the lock leads you to an excellent pub serving good food and Arkells ales. Just upsrteam is "Tesco on Thames" where you can moor up and replenish food stocks and get a reasonable cooked breakfast. If you want to stock up on diesel there is a boatyard on the right hand side upstream of Tesco that will give you any tax split you want on red diesel. I have been told that most other boatyards on the Thames will not do a tax split. I cannot say this for certain as my boat runs on petrol.

 

There are pleasant moorings on the North bank in the park at Reading. I belive the first three hours are free and a reasonable fee overnight.

 

This information is correct as at July 2011.

 

 

Hope you find this info helpfull

 

 

Seagull.

 

The Pangbourne ones are no longer free ( thanks, overstayers ) . Never been charged in Reading.

[Seagull]

The Pangbourne ones are no longer free ( thanks, overstayers ) . Never been charged in Reading.

 

Thanks Lady Muck. I will update my records.

 

Kind regards.

 

 

Seagull.