Meandering gently upstream

A very short trip on Monday, just around the corner to Hampton Court moorings.   Plenty of space at our time of arrival although they were full by the evening.   Whilst they are in a very convenient place they are very uncomfortable moorings.   For a narrow boat the concrete quayside is just the wrong height. A lot of passing traffic going fast so despite the wide river here it creates a huge wash which bangs us against the side.   No amount of adjusting our warps provides any improvement.   

Barney is most unimpressed......just as he has settled himself along comes another boat jerking him awake!

Monday evening we had a very pleasant meal ashore with Gavin and Celia and Tuesday we made our first ever trip around Hampton Court Palace, thanks to Gavin.   I am not normally one for sightseeing but managed to spend most of the day there and found it fascinating.   I joined a tour of the gardens in the afternoon.  This was mainly about the history of the gardens through the reigns of the various monarchs.

Fantastic ceiling as you go up the grand staircase.

The privy Gardens

Nice cosy bed in William the thirds apartments.

Magnificient yew trees

An early start on Wednesday on a glorious sunny morning.....not many boats around at our time of the morning

Geoff working the lock as we are far too early for the lock keeper

We`ve passed a fair few floating houses but this one is rather opulent

Delightful mooring just beyond Shepperton lock for the evening followed by yet another early start.......when do I get a lie in???

The plan was to be in Staines and moor by the town Hall  so we could shop at Sainsburys and also the town.   Nothing wrong with the moorings apart from the fact that there were lots of groups of people gathering throughout the day and evening.   Unfortunately the chemist could not fill the whole of our prescriptions until the following day so we were forced into a night stop.   I was a little dubious about the situation but in fact there was no trouble much to my relief.

Another hop skip and a jump on Friday once again just round the corner to moor by a park where we have been before.   Barney in heaven here as there are lots of picnickers in the day so it is good scavenging ground!

Sadly no cafes close by serving our Saturday cooked breakfast.....so I had to do  it myself.   

After that it was a gentle trip up one lock and looking for shade...…….we were lucky just at the start of Runnymeade.    No facilities near here but a good park, lots of walking for Barney.