Basingstoke Canal

[roggie]

We are off to the Basingstoke Canal next week for 7 days, anyone any thoughts/recommendations? Coming out at Brentford Monday morning and plan to moor near to the Wey/Basingstoke junction that evening, £10 EA transit and £15 Wey transit. We will phone the people on the Basingstoke on the Monday so they know to expect us. Tide times are favourable both in and out which is good, although coming back we will have to request someone at Brentford around 1930hrs.

 

Hopefully we will have enough rain this week to get those water levels up.

[The Boater]

Mooring close to the junction is very noisy because of the railway and the M25. There are quiet moorings between Town and Coxes locks, or maybe ask to stop overnight when having a meal at The Pelican on their mooring.

[mark99]

We are off to the Basingstoke Canal next week for 7 days, anyone any thoughts/recommendations? Coming out at Brentford Monday morning and plan to moor near to the Wey/Basingstoke junction that evening, £10 EA transit and £15 Wey transit. We will phone the people on the Basingstoke on the Monday so they know to expect us. Tide times are favourable both in and out which is good, although coming back we will have to request someone at Brentford around 1930hrs.

 

Hopefully we will have enough rain this week to get those water levels up.

 

 

Let me know how you get on as we will be up there soon. We left Brentford 10.40am and did not get to Wey until after 5pm when the lock into the Wey was closed.

 

Luckily the very nice lockie on the Wey let us into the bit between the Thames Lock and the stop lock to overnight.

Edited May 11, 2016 by mark99

[Martin Megson]

Much of the Thames has gone onto yellow boards today. Certainly a noticeable increase in flow above Windsor.

[roggie]

I just noticed the Thames warnings on the EA site. Guess it would be Sod's law that all tides are for us but water situation (too much rather than too little on the Basingstoke). Hoping that entering the Thames at 9.45 would be enough time to get to the Wey. What will be will be.

[mark99]

We entered Thames 10.40 ish - it's only me steering and I stopped for a break at Teddington. We got held up at Sunbury lock too. So you should make it by 5pm @ Wey if you go steady.

[mark99]

Notice some bits of the Wey Nav are in flood today and are closed. (The river sections).

 

NB this is the "no mans land" between stop lock (behind us) and the main Thames Lock on the Nav (which is just in front of our bote).

 

Edited May 11, 2016 by mark99

[Martin Megson]

I just noticed the Thames warnings on the EA site. Guess it would be Sod's law that all tides are for us but water situation (too much rather than too little on the Basingstoke). Hoping that entering the Thames at 9.45 would be enough time to get to the Wey. What will be will be.

 

I wouldn't think you'll have a problem. Although the flow has increased I was still making good headway between Windsor and Marlow.

[MtB]

 

I wouldn't think you'll have a problem. Although the flow has increased I was still making good headway between Windsor and Marlow.

 

 

I agree. Yellow boards on The Thames are really pointless. Might just as well ignore them as the river will be perfectly navigable.

[leolady too]

The Basingstoke is very beautiful in places. In many places the water is crystal clear and we saw many huge carp casually swimming up and down. There are places where you turn a corner and seem to have entered a lake. It is very wooded and there isn't much traffic and it's well worth a visit.

 

Many of the locks are in poor repair. We had trouble getting in to quite a few, some gates wouldn't open properly and some had rubbish and obstructions which had to be cleared before we could enter. The rangers are really very helpful. If the weather is kind you'll have a good time. I expect you'll find yourself once or twice in the weed hatch clearing rubbish though.

[roggie]

Not forgetting the section of the Wey between Thames lock and Town lock. Today's conditions state:-

 

"09.40hrs Dangerous conditions to navigation exist from Bowers Lock to Worsfold Gates, Papercourt Lock to Walsham Gates and Town Lock to Thames Lock and it is not safe to proceed along the waterway at this time in this area.

 

You can also check the latest river conditions by calling Thames Lock 01932 843106 or the Navigations office 01483 561389 (recorded message not updated at weekends)"

 

At least no rain forecast between now and next Monday.

[mark99]

I'm looking to be on Wey again weekend........ hopefully it'll be back in order. Not sure where to go - Gaddammit or Bassy.

[mark99]

Looks like the flood slug of water is almost out of the Wey.

[Leo No2]

Looks like the flood slug of water is almost out of the Wey.

My experience of a number of years of mooring my boat on the Wey is that the river sections come in to flood very quickly (as the Wey has two branches that feed it it above Godalming) but in the same vein it comes out of flood just as quickly - see https://riverweyconditionsnt.wordpress.com

[mark99]

My experience of a number of years of mooring my boat on the Wey is that the river sections come in to flood very quickly (as the Wey has two branches that feed it it above Godalming) but in the same vein it comes out of flood just as quickly - see https://riverweyconditionsnt.wordpress.com

 

 

Where the south and north arm of the Wey meet is a nice place (Tilford). The North Arm is virtually a pure chalkstream. The South Arm runs mainly through sand strata and is turbid.

 

Any tips for mooring spots?

 

Ta!

Edited May 12, 2016 by mark99

[Leo No2]

Where the south and north arm of the Wey meet is a nice place (Tilford). The North Arm is virtually a pure chalkstream. The South Arm runs mainly through sand strata and is turbid.

 

Any tips for mooring spots?

 

Ta!

Yes - There's a really nice mooring just below Stoke Lock on the towpath side - it's very obvious as it's 'mown' to identify it - 70' I seem to remember. Dapdune Wharf - National Trust offices - water, rubbish disposal etc etc and the two Wey barges, the meadows above Guildford Rowing club - just beyond the footbridge after Millmead Lock, the weir stream at St Catherine's Lock - lovely and quiet with owls hunting on the river flats there. Godalming outside Sainsburys - turn by the horse boat Iona (formerly Bellerophon) and reverse into the corner.

 

Be careful of Broadford Bridge - just before the Wey and Arun junction at the Gun's Mouth - it is much lower than it looks but there are air draft markers each side - be especially careful if the water level is up a little.

 

If Thames Lock didn't give you a guide have a look at their on line one here - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/river-wey-and-godalming-navigations-and-dapdune-wharf/documents/download-our-guidance-for-boat-users.pdf

Edited May 12, 2016 by Leo No2

[Dave123]

 

 

Where the south and north arm of the Wey meet is a nice place (Tilford). The North Arm is virtually a pure chalkstream. The South Arm runs mainly through sand strata and is turbid.

 

Any tips for mooring spots?

 

Ta!

 

Another great mooring spot is the meadow below papercourt lock. Always plenty of space there and it seemed pretty deep, and you can walk down to the ruined priory!

[mark99]

 

Another great mooring spot is the meadow below papercourt lock. Always plenty of space there and it seemed pretty deep, and you can walk down to the ruined priory!

 

 

Yes not bad!

 

[Dave123]

 

 

Yes not bad!

 

Lovely! Although last time we were there we got mobbed by a herd of cows, all part of the fun!