When we arrived at Hampton Court last Tuesday there was no difficulty in finding a spot at the free moorings right against the Palace grounds where we remained happily for two nights. But instead of visiting the palace on this occasion, on the day in between, we walked across Bushey park, back into Kingston-upon-Thames. I needed my phone to be repaired and the nearest shop was at that place. It was a lovely sunny day and the walk wonderful, in that we enjoyed close company for a lot of the time with the royal deer.
Tame deer in Bushey Park
On Thursday morning in a light rain, we let go and after a couple of hours quietly cruising, we tied up next at Sunbury at the quiet village moorings, below the weir, right behind the lock island.
This village though pretty, is small and after a short walk across a park and a thoughtfully and well designed garden we returned to the ships the same evening ready to leave the following day.
Good moorings at Sunbury
We went to bed early and in the morning blessed with fair weather once more we quietly slipped our bow and stern lines and set off en route for Staines. We went round to the lock, careful to dodge all the plastic cruisers moored midstream beneath the weir and once clear of the lock set off northwards.
The moorings at Staines, conveniently right at the end of the High Street, were again free of charge and we took advantage of this by remaining for two nights. On the day in between, Saturday, we caught a bus back to Hampton Court to spend glorious time at the Palace.
An heraldic beast on guard at Hampton Court Palace
William III’s palace designed by Sir Christopher Wren
Guilded gate at the bottom of the Palace Gardens
When we had been there the first time we had seen an advertisement for a Royal Joust during the bank holiday weekend and had decided to return there from Windsor when we arrived, to take advantage of this extra entertainment. However on Saturday it rained all day and the jousting had to be cancelled. So we stayed in the palace instead and were still there five hours later. The time had flown past but we slept well that night after returning to the ships on our bus.
So we arrived here at Windsor yesterday afternoon again in perfect sunshine and in the middle of the bank holiday weekend. It’s a good thing that most of the town is pedestrianised now as many people were there and they were everywhere. But we have still managed to find a good mooring, so far free of charge, in the lock cutting just above it.
It is good to be here. Windsor is a lovely town.
Windsor Castle as we approached from the south
One of the entrances to Windsor Castle
The crooked house of Windsor
HM making a telephone call (only a painted GPO phone box)
At the beginning of the season I had been looking forward to visiting the River Wey again while we were in southern regions. But now due to dry docking commitments in Banbury in just over a month we have had to curtail this plan and make straight for Oxford instead.
So yesterday I was sad as we passed the entrance to the river in that I shan’t be seeing either it or my friends Ann, Charlotte and James, which I had been greatly looking forward to. However there is always next time I suppose and time passes very quickly.
Janis and Sharon are very fit and while I sit and write this blog today they have chosen to undertake another long walk. But the weather being fine means we should all make the best of it. So maybe, now I have finished, I’ll set out to find them.
On the other hand maybe I’ll just sit down and relax with a cup of tea; a much better idea.
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