Overnight Moorings - Non Tidal Thames

[lockedout]

Hello Everyone,

 

Newbie to the forum here, I have been lurking for a while now but thought I would finally jump in with both feet and seek some advice.

 

I have tried searching the forum for this query and have found a few interesting posts, particularly about the Thames Locks, but nothing specific to this request.

 

We are planning a trip in a few weeks from our home location on the Wey Navigation up to the Oxford Canal by way of the Thames.

 

We have never done the Thames before, but having done a few other rivers over the years, we know that overnight morrings are less easy to find on rivers than they are on the average cut.

 

We will be trying to make the best possible time while on the river, so won't be dawdling, making good daily mileage will be important.

 

Does anyone have any hints, tips, clues, suggestions as to the general availability of moorings, where we should head for and, more importantly, where we should avoid?

 

Apologies if this has all been done before - a link to the relevant post would be fine.

 

Any useful information gratefully received...

 

Thanks very much,

 

Debby and Nigel

NB Charlotte

 

 

[Lady Muck]

When you get your visitors license you will get a booklet that lists the free 24 hours moorings.

It's best to boat early and moor up before 3, especially on sunny summer weekends.

If you don't mind paying there are plenty of paying moorings in lovely locations.

The Imray Thames guide is a lot better than the Nicholsons for identifying moorings, we've found that many of the ones in the Nicholsons guide don't even exist!

You are permitted to drop anchor for 24 hours as long as you're not in the navigation channel, we usually see people do this in the backwaters and away from houses.

The bankside is privately owned, so don't do obvious things like moor at the bottom of peoples gardens or where you see 'no mooring' signs.

[lockedout]

Brilliant,

 

Thanks Lady Muck. Some really useful stuff. Mooring mid-water isn't really an option for us as the mutts need to have their legs stretched.

 

We don't mind paying occasionally, as long as it isn't to extortionate. And we have some free nights at Tingdene Marinas which we may be able to use.

 

I am just about to hop on to Amazon and order the Imray Guide.

 

Thanks again.

[Lady Muck]

Mooring ranges from about £3 to £8 per night and it's not always collected, we've found.

[grahame r]

Staines free, Windsor £4.00, Maidenhead £8.00, Marlow £12.00, Henley £8.00, Wargrave free, Reading free, Goring free (you'll be lucky), Cleve free, Wallingford £4.00, Shillingford £20.00 (avoid), Abingdon free, Sandford free, Oxford (Christ Church Meadow) free, Oxford (Osney lock/brigde) free. These are all proper moorings, there's lots of others less formal, don't stop early, don't be afraid to ask if you can moor alongside, nobody ever had to drive all night because there were no moorings!

[Lady Muck]

Don't forget Runnymede and Cliveden - both not free (£6?) but the money collector often doesn't get there til 10.30 in the morning and the one at Cliveden often can't be bothered to collect at all.

 

I love mooring at Cliveden, it is gorgeous.

[by'eck]

Just done the Thames from Brentford to Reading. If your not too picky there are hundreds of unofficial mooring opportunities within the tree lined banks outside the main towns and especially around the back of the Eyot's and Ait's (small midstream islands). Watch out for the popular area's though particularly downstream of Henley as mooring fee's are charged for the most unlikely locations, although usually marked as such.

 

Not sure if its official but there is a good north side mooring with rings opposite the Swan pub just downstream of Staines bridge with a Sainsbury's the other side. The pub itself offers a long but flimsy mooring for customers.

 

Windsor also offers free moorings on south side downstream of by-pass bridge. Give the sharp bend just upstream of this area a wide berth though to avoid grounding. I didn't

 

 

Inside Bath island just upstream of Windsor next to the Hurricane on a stick looks good. I moored tied to tree just before bridge in main channel though.

Edited May 30, 2013 by by'eck

[oarfish]

Don't forget Runnymede and Cliveden - both not free (£6?) but the money collector often doesn't get there til 10.30 in the morning and the one at Cliveden often can't be bothered to collect at all.

 

I love mooring at Cliveden, it is gorgeous.

 

I was amazed, love the little islands. It all got a bit Swallows and Amazons.

 

 

 

There's a lovely square rigged humber keel near there 'Daybreak'.

 

Edited May 29, 2013 by oarfish

[lockedout]

Thanks Folks,

 

This is all good stuff, and really helpful for passage planning purposes.

 

Once my Imray comes from Amazon I need to get scribbling in the margins.

[Lady Muck]

Look up the island called The Lynch after Shiplake lock. Popular mooring spot. Absolutely beautiful.

[JV44]

Child Beale moorings just upstream of Pangbourne on right hand side esp the bits near the park entrance give some great views of the Goring gap ,Goring mooring on the wall below the bridge gives access to good pubs and the village but gets busy .

Few moorings just downstream of Cleve lock that still give walkable access to Goring via towpath and over bridge ...stunning bit of river .

There are some nice moorings above Days lock on the right going upstream with views over the clumps then some above Clifton Hampden bridge for the pub ,Abingdon lots of mooring but can be busy and the noise of the weir can do your head in if you moor to close to the that end Steve

[MtB]

Depends what you want in a mooring. There are generally formal places to moor when you can access the towpath and walk into a nearby village for shops/pub etc but these tend to get filled up by late afternoon in high season, and they often cost £5 or £10 a night.

 

If you don't want/need to get off the boat and really only want to tie up for the night, my fave method is to select a tree in the miles of farmland often found bounding the offside and tie to it with just my bowline. The current then keeps the stern in or if you are concerned, steer the stern in and get another line onto a second tree. The bankside scrub is usually so high the farmer won't even know you are there especially once you are above Henley, if he cared in the first place. I've never been challenged doing this.

 

MtB

[Semitrad]

Just past the Tingdene Marina at Reading there are free moorings for Tesco on the opposite bank. You always forget something!

[adam1uk]

The moorings at Runymede are National Trust and they came and collected the cash in the evening. As well as the Magna Carta and JFK memorials, it's well worth walking up to the top of the hill to the Air Forces memorial. You van see the top of the tower sticking up above the trees. Very atmospheric place, and fantastic views over London and Windsor.

 

We also linked the moorings above Day's Lock, and there are loads of places where there are boat shaped hollows in the bank and you can moor up away from everything. Ask the lock keepers, as they often know which moorings are charged and which are free.

Edited May 29, 2013 by adam1uk

[billS]

If you don't want/need to get off the boat and really only want to tie up for the night, my fave method is to select a tree in the miles of farmland often found bounding the offside and tie to it with just my bowline. The current then keeps the stern in or if you are concerned, steer the stern in and get another line onto a second tree. The bankside scrub is usually so high the farmer won't even know you are there especially once you are above Henley, if he cared in the first place. I've never been challenged doing this.

 

MtB

 

I carry a couple of small folding grapnel anchors - just for this purpose. They never go in the water, but they are great for securing to trees and bushes.

[benfordboy]

It seems that you like long days - Like us !!

 

On our last trip down the Thames (From Oxford to Brentford) We initally moored at Beale park for free - After that we avoided paying for moorings (Not intentionally) by starting early (7 am) we did pay at Teddington (Not on yr route) because we visited the lockie to book in for the morning - Many didnt by just being 'out' !

 

We found that the free 'town' moorings were not our thing (preferring more rural settings) IIRC we moored above Shepperton for free with no probs by a layby (I think this was the 3rd night on our trip from Oxford) This might be an option for you first night depending on how far you are down the Wey.

[Lady Muck]

I carry a couple of small folding grapnel anchors - just for this purpose. They never go in the water, but they are great for securing to trees and bushes.

We had a blissful day moored with the front end tied to a tree and the back end secured with a grapnel anchor, one August, in the backwater at Old Windsor. There was even a small beach there. I don't think anyone even knew we were there. Was wonderful, went swimming, had a barbecue.

 

Depends what you want in a mooring. There are generally formal places to moor when you can access the towpath and walk into a nearby village for shops/pub etc but these tend to get filled up by late afternoon in high season, and they often cost £5 or £10 a night.

 

If you don't want/need to get off the boat and really only want to tie up for the night, my fave method is to select a tree in the miles of farmland often found bounding the offside and tie to it with just my bowline. The current then keeps the stern in or if you are concerned, steer the stern in and get another line onto a second tree. The bankside scrub is usually so high the farmer won't even know you are there especially once you are above Henley, if he cared in the first place. I've never been challenged doing this.

 

MtB

We take our canoe so if we do need to access the bankside from an out-of-the-way mooring spot, then it's possible.

[mark99]

I think I know that beach spot in old Windsor. Is it near the weir?

[Lady Muck]

I think I know that beach spot in old Windsor. Is it near the weir?

Its on the island side, you just keep going until there are no houses overlooking you. It is near-ish to the weir yes.

[OldGoat]

Its on the island side, you just keep going until there are no houses overlooking you. It is near-ish to the weir yes.

 

Quite noisy, though. The Chentleman's train to Eton clatters past slowly - echoes across the valley; more intrusive than Heathrow.

[lockedout]

We had a blissful day moored with the front end tied to a tree and the back end secured with a grapnel anchor, one August, in the backwater at Old Windsor. There was even a small beach there. I don't think anyone even knew we were there. Was wonderful, went swimming, had a barbecue.

 

We take our canoe so if we do need to access the bankside from an out-of-the-way mooring spot, then it's possible.

 

Nice idea - do you think I would get an elderly Rottweiler and two young (slightly loony) Border Terriers in a canoe in one go??

[Lady Muck]

Nice idea - do you think I would get an elderly Rottweiler and two young (slightly loony) Border Terriers in a canoe in one go??

 

Nice idea - do you think I would get an elderly Rottweiler and two young (slightly loony) Border Terriers in a canoe in one go??

LOL I think you'd need to get them used to it first . Our dog loves the canoe and if it's in the water he will constantly jump into it and howl, because he wants us to take him somewhere.