Tuesday 15th May
It’s been wet again today (yawn) with rain until mid morning then showers for the rest of the day. The temperature hasn’t been exactly toasty either. Despite this Ken and I walked the 2 miles in to West Byfleet in search of a shop as certain supplies were required (not necessarily wine!) and the small local shop we visited yesterday at Stoke Mill was a bit lacking.
We tried to go via Pyrford Marina to make enquiries about getting gas, diesel, coal and water etc, when we leave here, but they do not open on Tuesdays so we couldn’t. Barbara is going to phone them tomorrow. We took about 40 minutes to walk to West Byfleet along Lock lane and Pyrford Rd and found Waitrose which was useful. There are a huge amount of estate agents, hair dressers and restaurants in the town and all the major banks but a serious lack of pubs. In fact we only found the Harvester which had to do!
Instead of returning via the road we turned down Dodd’s Lane which came to the river at Dodd’s Footbridge (funnily enough) and did the rest of the journey along the towpath. Here we met Barbara walking Kizzy and discussed the plans for our onward journey tomorrow. Although most of the Thames is in the amber and decreasing or has no stream warnings at all, it is still in the amber and increasing between Chertsey Lock and Penton Hook Lock, so things are still somewhat curtailed. In light of this fact, if things are still the same tomorrow, we are probably going to come off the Wey and go to Shepperton and wait there.
I’m afraid this trip along the Wey has been a bit of a disappointment really. Due to circumstances beyond our control (ie rain) we have been unable to get to Godalming which is probably the nicest place on here. Due to a lack of suitable moorings we have had to moor up outside one or other of two pubs, one in not a particularly nice area. The rest of the time we have mostly been travelling or walking in the pouring rain! And we have had to pay £68 for the privilege.
I’m a right whinger today I’ll probably be better tomorrow!
