Downstream

The weather forecast lied, as it's been grey and pizzly.

Yesterday, we cruised down to the Cliveden estate to give Sumo a nice run around. The autumn colours of the trees were spectaular in the late afternoon sunshine. Then, we spent the night on 'Goose Poo Island', because we can get good satellite reception TV there. Shame about the goose poo. But a free mooring is a free mooring.

This morning, on our way down through Maidenhead, Boulter's lock was on 'Self Service'. So Sheena operated it, while an expensive cruiser with 4 posh and grumpy gits onboard, didn't even bother to say thankyou.

We noticed that a lot of overstaying boats had been moved on. And were saddened to see the dissapearance of the EA 24 free moorings, which have been replaced with a lot of new white signs saying the local council want £8 for you to moor there (or anywhere else in Maidenhead). Even the awful moorings, by the main road. £8 ?!!

Whether this is as a result of the council's greed, and their need to squeeze somebody to make up their deficit, or the overstaying boaters scuzzing up the place, and causing a nuisance, we don't know. But we do know that we won't be bothering to stop in Maidenhead ever again, if that is their attitude.

The rest of today's journey went fine. No problems going through Bray lock, and there was very little traffic on the river. Mostly hireboats again, or large plastic cruisers fully buttoned up inside their canopies.

We've stopped at a nice spot, just before Dorney lake. The towpath has recently been strimmed back, and is closed off to the general public, so we'll most likely have a nice peaceful night. Probably off down to Windsor, tomorrow.