Sunday 5 June 2016

A wey we go

 

IMG_5022This is the first Kingfisher we have seen on The River Wey as we have a sit still and chill out day after yesterdays marathon 12 hour cruise . We have a lovely mooring under the trees and with cloud overhead we are not that worried about getting no solar where we are.

IMG_5028The following day we pulled pins at 08.10 with the intention of having a 2 or 3 hour cruise. The next lock above our mooring was Newark lock which is next to the remains of Newark Priory. Newark Priory was founded at the end of the twelfth century by Ruald de Clane and his wife Beatrice of Send and dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Thomas a Beckett. It was a "novo loco" - a new place for monks from nearby, the name changing over the years to Newstead and then finally Newark. King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1539. At Newark, the prior was pensioned off, valuables sent to the Tower of London and the land given to the Master of the Kings Horse. It has been said that a canon was employed from the top of Church Hill to bombard or demolish, what were, the then extensive buildings!

IMG_5033There are some very interesting locks on The Wey and a couple have side weirs like this one. As you enter the lock the flow pushes you over and into the wall.

IMG_5040Being a river there are loads of No Mooring signs all over the place. There are not that many moorings on the river and a lot of moorings where very shallow which often meant using the plank to get on and off. Having said that the moorings are nowhere near as bad as on The Kennet and Avon canal which we cruised on last year.

IMG_5085The River is looked after by The National Trust and I must say that they seem to do a very good job looking after it. All the locks and banks are very well maintained.(Take note Canal and River Trust)

IMG_5056After a 3 hour cruise and an overcast day we ended up with this beautiful sunset over the Surrey countryside . Tomorrow we will push on to the end of the navigation at Godalming which is about another 6 miles.

 

                                                                                            Happy Days

5 comments:

  1. You were very lucky to see that drawing of a kingfisher on the River Wey. Well done! x

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    1. Hi Carol , Yes it was the only one we saw. Not one on the Thames or the Wey, we will keep looking....

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  2. hi guys first enjoy the river. if you are going back up the thames to oxford, ask at shepperton lock for a free booklet called a users guide to the river thames

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    1. Hi , Certainly enjoying the Wey and the Thames , We will look out for the booklet ...thanks.

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