Teddington

Runnymead to Teddington, where we await the tide to Brentford, is only about 5 hours, so we had plenty of time.   Leaving our moorings at a leisurely 8 am we self worked Bell Weir Lock  with the intention of making for Walton on Thames for lunch and perhaps more provision shopping.  There was virtually no other traffic until we reached Shepperton Lock and a clutch of plastic boats and a rowing boat emerged going upstream.  Fortunately there was a mooring for us immediately outside the Anglers pub and we shot off to Sainsbury's in the town centre.   A couple of quick pints of Marston's Pedigree were enjoyed before setting off again, reaching the new moorings at Teddington at 16:10.    We could have taken the tide tonight, but we will leave early in the morning instead - a 6.30 departure.  The intention then is to carry straight on to Bulls Bridge and Little Venice to await our trip down the Regent's Canal on Saturday.

Travelling with the two ageing labradors, as we do, brings with it some extra difficulties as well as pleasures.  They are both used to the boat, but because of arthritis are not so keen on jumping off the boat if there is a level difference or a large gap. The Thames is additionally a problem because unlike the canals, the towpath is not immediately accessible and so getting them to do wees and poos at the right time is not so easy.  Lock keepers do not seem to like dogs running around and mostly specifically ask that they be kept on the boat.  So we like it when we have to wait in a queue as this gives us time to give them a bit of "exercise".   Today, however, no traffic and no queues, so when we arrived at Sunbury Lock and found the gates closed with traffic coming up, there was an opportunity, but the lock landing is on a curve and it took a while to get them to summon up enough courage to make the leap.  As the lock gates opened, so did their bowels, so there was Pat running all over the grass with her Sainsbury freezer bags trying to remember where the deposits were and get the dogs back on, while the lock keeper went off to tend his garden.