Tag: taking a narrowboat on the thames

Bonnie goes to London – Day’s Lock to Henley on Thames

Moored up on the Thames at Henley, enjoying a few drinks at Angel on the Bridge.

Here I am, in Henley on Thames, currently moored here on the edge of ‘Marsh Meadows’.

There are many joggers and walkers by the promenade to the river.

Today

I’ve done as much boating as I possibly could. According to viewranger, I covered 32.21 miles today.

That was starting at 08:40 having 40 minutes for lunch, filling up with fuel at Better Boating, and carrying on until 18:25.

I suspect I could do a little more without the Tesco stop, (toilet paper and beer), and the fuel stop (20mins). But there isn’t a lot in it…. 40 minutes is not a long time.

30 miles is pretty much the limit of what I can expect to cover.

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Bonnie goes to London – Kings Lock (Oxford) to Days Lock (Dorchester)

1st day on the Thames.

Snuck on last night and overnighted at the moorings at Kings Lock.

The rain started just after I left Decathlon last night. By the time I cycled back to the boat, I was soaked, so another night drying my clothes out on the fire.

So what…. The boat felt really snug in the rain.

Had a shower with all the hot water, and went to bed.

Woke up around 5.

EA River Cruising Licence

Got things rolling about 9. By about half past, I was looking at setting off.

Just as I popped out to set the locks, the lock keeper arrived,

When you move from the canals onto the rivers in the UK, you move within a different jurisdiction. All powered vessels have to register with the EA (environment agency).

This isn’t a long process. I did it with my lock-keeper this morning. Took about 10 mins.

You just need to give some details of the

  • Length of vessel
  • Home address
  • Phone number
  • Number of nights staying on the Thames

For this and the fee, they issue you with a little sticker which you can put in your window. It’s got the expiry date and the number of nights you’re valid on the Thames for.

If you don’t get this, it’s likely you’ll make it to the next manned lock before you’ll have to get one.

Like the buoyancy aid, it’s one of the requirements of navigating on the Thames.

They also issue you with a paper licence, like the one below.

EA Navigation licence
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Bonnie in London – Tackley to Kings Lock on the Thames

Starting at 10.10, it was quite a full day, didn’t manage to stop for a lunch break until 2pm.

The rain had abated pretty much, for most of the journey. Wind was up though and the draft, (canal depth beneath the boat), was shallow making it laborious travel in parts.

I managed to stop to get water. 17 miles seems like a lot in a day.

Last time I came down this way, I made it all the way from Aynho to here in one day!

Shocking. I’ve no idea how I did that.

That’s a lot of boating in one day.

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Taking a narrowboat on the Thames

The Thames is regulated by locks right up to London.

It’s pondlike for the duration.

These are the major considerations for taking a narrowboat on the Thames.

  1. Mooring: Despite what people tell you or you may have read elsewhere, mooring is going to be your number 1 consideration.
    Your boat’s draft, (the amount of the boat underwater), is going to restrict your access and ability to moor ad-hoc. Most of Thames bankside being private property is also a restricting factor. The lack of free mooring except at selected towns or locks all adds up to the fact that this is something you want to be planning, or if you’re planning on travelling in high season, booking ahead.
    If you don’t, you may find yourself not having a mooring at all, and travelling along the Thames at night is not permitted.
  2. Licence: You are going to need an environment agency licence. These come in 2 day, 7 day and one month chunks.
    You can break it down further, but you’ll pay the same price as one of these chunk increments.
    You can pick up a licence at any manned lock on the Thames.
    You can pick them up sooner, but if you’re not displaying one at a manned lock, of which there are plenty, it’s the lock keepers job to issue you with one.
  3. Additional gear: By definition, you’re obliged to have buoyancy aids and an anchor. This is a requirement for travelling in all river and tidal waters in the UK in a narrowboat.
Map of moorings on the River Thames
Map of moorings on the River Thames

Map of moorings on the Thames

This is a map of moorings you’re going to find along the length of the Thames.

Most of the major towns have public moorings, which are free for the first night, then incur an expense for each additional night. Usually £5.

The website specifically helps you find moorings on the Thames, including free moorings, which are issued on a first come, first serve basis through the website.

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