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medium term (14-day) mooring on the river wey? (and VMs)


sassan

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Hi folks,

 

Never been on the Wey before, but after continually hearing great things we've decided to visit.

 

Due to other commitments, we need to travel by train twice, about a week apart at around this time. This leaves a few options:

 

A: try to find somewhere to moor around Guildford for just over a week.

B: plod along a series of 48hour (or local equivalent) moorings in the intervening time to end up back at Guildford.

C: slowly plod to within reach of another nearby station (such as Woking on the Basingstoke).

D: rush up to London and take a longer train journey (I dislike and distrust London, don't particularly want to leave my boat there).

E: rush harder up to Oxford and take an even longer train journey.

 

So, the questions:

1. How easy is it to moor somewhere walking/short bus distance from Guildford station for 8-9 days.

2. Are there other nearby stations walkable from the river?

3. How are VM and other moorings on the river in general? I gather there's canal sections, like the Kennet, is there lots of 14-day mooring on these?

 

Thanks!

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We did the Wey and Basingstoke last year. Racking my brains but can't remember where we moored, however I don't think it was easy.

You need to book the Basingstoke and I may have read that it was closed, it is a struggle to keep it in water.

On the Wey you may find you are more constrained by the period of your licence. Monitored closely and not cheap. They have a website with the details, as does the Basingstoke.

 

Val

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Just finishing 3 weeks on the Wey. As far as I can tell looking at Wey registered boats the NT does not seem to be so hard on checking as CaRT. I have seen no "timed" mooring signs and almost all the moorings are informal ones on the towpath. The NT advise against leaving your boat unattended in Guildford, both on the NT town moorings and GBC Town wharf. However there are some nice "meadow" moorings just upstream of Guildford and the rowing club. My wife walked to the station from there. Shalford station and Godalming station are a bit longer walk from the nearest moorings, with West Byfleet a little further away again. Maybe talk to Byfleet Boat Club to see if they can help with mooring advice.

 

When we left the Baisingstoke on 21st June the Wey was very quiet and away from Pyreford had the pick of any moorings. It is now getting busier. I am fairly certain a boat has been on Godalming wharf for over a week now bit it is not unattended.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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Came of the Wey a couple of weeks ago. As a Visitor (21 day max visitor licence) you are not allowed to moor on the towpath over night and leave your boat unattended. So you will need to book into a marina. Unless of course you break down and have to go home for spares??? Thats not in the rules but must happen. We had a great time, stayed for three weeks.

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Just looked in the NT River Wey book we were issued.

 

The only place with a 24 hour restriction is Dapdune Wharf.

 

The words re leaving boats unattended on the towpath are "Craft should not be left unattended overnight or for longer periods on the towpath." Note the word "should", not "must". This sentence is accurate in that this is a river navigation so subject to changes in level, especially after torrential rain over its catchment. However I have seen Wey registered boats left on the towpath unattended for at least a week and the local charity boats are left unattended for several days. I have seen no evidence of checkers, paid or voluntary, and spent 3 and then 5 days in Godaming without being challenged.

 

I feel that the above is the NT covering their backs against a rapid rise in levels and a boat breaking free. If I were to want to leave the boat for a few days I would try to attach a secure food line in addition to the usual mooring lines, probably from high up a tree. I would also accept that if I came back and found the boat on a weir or on the bank it was my fault.

 

OP, try phoning Farncombe Boathouse re temporary moorings but it seems a lot to waste 14 days of a 21 day license moored up. What about looking at the Brentford end of the GU and then going up the tideway after you have left the boat. As long as you get the timing right Brentford to Teddington is no worse than the upper Thames with a bit of fresh flowing. That would open the possibility of mooring at Packet Boat or Denham Yacht Station and more I have not thought of..

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Thanks for all the info. I now only need to be away for one night while in Guildford, so shouldn't be such a problem.

 

All of this is great stuff to know. And naturally I'll keep a close eye on the weather forecast before leaving the boat on the river!

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You can book in at Dapdune for more than one night but it is at their discretion and £5 a night after the first night, you can telephone them in advance . We have had 4 nights there 2 weeks ago and another last sunday . Would suggest Pryford marina and taxi . We intended to cruise the Basingstoke this week and next but when we telephoned to book yesterday for today we were told they are getting visiting boats to to leave by Friday as the canal will be closing due to lack of water. Bunny

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Just above Guildford rowing club there are two towpaths. The one on the right going upstream is the main one but there is another one running under weeping willows where there is piling. The path takes you to the main Horsham Road about a15 minute walk from the station and a bit less to the town. This is where the charity boats moor and so did I when my wife caught a train. It felt perfectly safe. If you could find a tree where you can tie a line high up (above head height) so much the better but I doubt it will be needed.

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Just above Guildford rowing club there are two towpaths. The one on the right going upstream is the main one but there is another one running under weeping willows where there is piling. The path takes you to the main Horsham Road about a15 minute walk from the station and a bit less to the town. This is where the charity boats moor and so did I when my wife caught a train. It felt perfectly safe. If you could find a tree where you can tie a line high up (above head height) so much the better but I doubt it will be needed.

Yes, as Tony says, the Meadows are a good place, just past the rowing club. but pins are better as some of the footpath comes river side of the trees. I have never had a problem there and have been there for nearly a week at times!

 

To my mind, your a visitor, and are expected to do what visitors do, thats moor up anywhere they want to as long as your not in the wey! blush.png

 

But be aware that the most time I have been there the levels drop down a tad overnight and the boat is aground, but by 10ish in the morning levels are up again.

 

It takes quite a bit of rain to raise the river levels as The river Wey is a well sorted canalized river!

 

I'll be up there in the comming week, thats if i can get to Brentford at the weekend , now that i have learned that The Limehouse lock is working on Spring tides only!

 

Nipper

 

edited for muppetry!

Edited by nipper
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