Runnymead

There had been quite a lot of rain overnight, but this morning was bright but with a chill wind.  We set off at 7:45.  There were a lot of cyclists on the towpath bearing numbered labels.  At Kingston Bridge they were still passing and still at Hampton Court as we arrived at Molesley Lock just before the lock-keeper.  A narrowboat had turned up 5 minutes before us and the skipper was already working the lock, so we were first in.  The lock-keeper saw us out and he thought it was part of some "Stroke Association" event.  There must have been hundreds.   Pat wanted to visit a shop for milk and paper and the first opportunity that we know was Staines, but the public moorings near the bridge are rather limited and in part totally overgrown, so we stopped on the pub moorings for the Swan.  Pat shot off and I had a pint of "Seafarer's Ale" (£3.80).  It's a popular Olde Worlde type pub, but in the shade outside and not really pleasant in the chilly wind.   We have 5 days in total to get to Oxford from Teddingtonwhere we need to stop to return home briefly, so one of our favourite moorings at Runnymead would put us on course.  We are expecting the weather to deteriorate.