Kennet and Avon Canal:Woolhampton

We left Reading aware of “yellow boards” indicating a strong stream in the river.   The next section where the flow is fast and winding is protected for one way traffic by a traffic light.  Press the button, if it turns green, good to go.  Sure progress was slow, but the boat coped perfectly, so that was one unknown resolved.  Shortly after the next lock (County Lock) there is a side stream with a strong flow entering the river.  After this things quietened down a bit.  Fobney Lock has a powerful culvert entering at right angles under the landing stage.  It was perfectly possible to stop short of this.  The lock itself is larger than usual and like others further on has gate paddles, so it is advisable to rope up well.  I have travelled this canal before but had no recognition of the many river sections previously.  Now with the strong flow coming downstream the river sections were very evident.  The most contentious was on the bend after Theale moorings, where passage slowed markedly.   However the boat goes better in deeper water and throttle settings were not unusually high.   We planned to stop at Padworth, but could find no suitable moorings and once past Padworth Lock the very busy boatyard with three abreast moored boats precluded mooring before the big lift bridge and the lock.   We eventually found some decent sheet piling on the offside after the private moorings and stopped there but then realised that we were cut off.   There was yet one major concern and we needed to be able to investigate.   That was the river cross flow before Woolhampton Lock.   A boater coming downstream had told us that the experience was exciting.  Another, perhaps more knowledgable had said that it was perfectly passable upstream but advised to keep in the stream  and turn at the last minute.   You can see the lock entrance in the photo and on the right the towpath river bridge.  The turbulence can be seen, so the trick is, coming through the swing bridge (not visible in the distance) keep to the right in the stream (right to left in the picture background), swing round to port, then coming left to right in the foreground pointing towards the river bridge before the turn.   I turned slightly too early and just glanced the downstream corner of the lock entrance but was very happy with the arrival.   We found our moorings!