Wednesday 7^th August 2019

First thing in the morning, the gouge on the cabin side was given a first coat of gloss. The dent is still very visible but the paint does do something to hide the damage. The boat is booked in to have the roof repainted in September and we will ask the yard if there is anything they can do to repair the damage. Until then, and possibly always, we will live with it. A constant reminder.

It was heads down today for passing through Reading. Again, people had warned about mooring here but, with the kids on board we were never intending to stay anyway and will keep a visit for another time.

Burghfield Bridge was interesting with its multiple arches accommodating the river and river navigation, with its old carved graffiti and rope marks at the corners of the bridge. It was not long after this that the outskirts of Reading began to encroach, first with the railway bridge and then the A33 road bridge.

Fobney Lock was interesting. Like all the locks of the Kennet Navigation, it was huge and would probably have taken six boats of our size. There was a big weir just beside the lock where the adjoining water works drew its water from. At the top of the weir was a semi-submerged, derelict cruiser.

     

Fobney Lock

     

The outflow from the water works flowed back into the river immediately after the accompanying lock bridge and was at right angles to the river making it extremely difficult to reach the short lock landing.

Once passing under the A33 road bridge, the housing of Reading was immediately in front of us, followed shortly after by County Lock.

County Lock was preceded by the wide Reading Inner Distribution Road Bridge and one of the only mooring sites in Reading where it would have taken somebody either brave or foolish to moor. The guide books advise to moor under the bridge to set the lock, we were only too glad to stop as it suddenly came on to rain heavily. We had a brew and waited for the rain to pass.

County Lock is set within an intricate set of watercourses, with a big weir on one side, a smaller waterway on the other, and an awkward turn into the lock. Immediately after the lock, on the landing, is a push button operated traffic light similar to any pedestrian crossing. The river through Reading is very narrow and fast flowing with some tight bends and is traffic light controlled. The button has to be pressed and a green light awaited before proceeding.

County Lock, Reading

     

The passage through Reading is very exciting and has to be a unique experience. The river follows a twisting course straight through the Oracle Shopping Centre with numerous footbridges and bars and cafes right beside.

Reading and the Oracle

     

Once beyond the Oracle and under Bridge Street Bridge, the surroundings change and the area felt intimidating. There is a loop off the river here, around the island that once housed the Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory. There are further moorings here, at Blake’s Quay, that were full of tinky boats but again, wouldn’t have been particularly safe to moor on.

We arrived at Blake’s Lock, the only lock maintained by the Environment Agency that is not actually on the Thames. The lock paddles were opened and closed by turning enormous ship-type wheels, a unique arrangement.

Shortly after Blake’s Lock, after passing an old disused gasometer and some railway bridges, we passed out onto the might Father Thames, very wide. It was a heady feeling. We had previously arranged for Prosecco for us all and, although neither of the kids particularly enjoyed it, they had a sip anyway.

  

    

                                                                                   River Thames Mooring

Within a few hundred yards, we moored beside a pontoon next to a large Tesco’s. There was quite a bit of confusion here amongst the boats moored around us. Apparently, there were mooring charges in effect of £9.50 per 24 hours, but the signage was not apparent. It transpired that the local “permanent moorers” repeatedly remove the signs and in the evening the kids saw some youths remove the last remaining sign.

On the sign was a website, that did not exist, and a telephone number that took an age to answer, to arrange payment. Boats were recorded on CCTV and those evading payment would be fined £100 per day. Pity those then, that do not know of the charges, or notice the signs, then face an unexpected and heavy fine. Surely the company to whom payment is made should arrange for more permanent signage rather than the flimsy, plastic signs we saw that were held by cable ties.

It was liberating to be off the K&A Canal. The scenery has been stunning, the towns and cities we have visited we have much enjoyed, Bristol, Bath, Bradford-on-Avon and Devizes and there is much to see along the canal, the aqueducts of Dundas and Avoncliffe, the pumping stations at Claverton and Crofton and Caen Hill Lock Flight amongst them. But we have been totally fed up and at times, depressed with long lines of tinky boats and permanent moorers that completely spoil the canal, a situation that, unfortunately, can only get worse, with people looking for cheaper accommodation or basic shelter, being one step away from homeless.

Weather: overcast with heavy rain showers, improved throughout the afternoon.

Day Total: 4 locks; 4 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 1.1

Overall Total: 653 locks; 1136 miles; 49 tunnels; 57 Swing Bridges; 6 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 728.8hrs