Thames trip

[Roadie]

I've just been watching Ray Mears canoeing on the upper reaches of the Thames and thought what a good idea it would be to do it in a Sib. Question is, can you just camp anywhere on the banks in the country or do you have to stick to camp sites. Has anyone done this? Any tips?

[CJL]

You can camp at some locks - https://www.gov.uk/river-thames-brid...es-for-boaters.

CJL

[Trimix]

Cheeky camping - leave nothing, set up and get up in the dark - no one will know.

Or do it using a bivy. Way less noticeable and not really camping. I do a lot of it on bike rides and its pretty low on impact. No one will notice you.

You could sleep in the boat thought with a tarp over the top.

[whisper]

I live near by the upper Thames if you need any help.

Here's a link to the camping:

http://www.explorerowing.org/sites/b...ver_thames.pdf

The upper Thames, above Lechlade will be quite overgrown, me and Nos were going to do it a while back in sibs.

A group of guys were going to cross the english channel on SUP boards for Macmillan Local but chose to do a river on the south coast instead, sounds easy? Have a look at this video...

Source to Sea on the Stour for Macmillan Caring Locally on Vimeo

[212]

You can get almost as far as Cricklade up stream in a SIB Lechlade to Inglesham is straightforward. Then at Inglesham you have a right bend and it gets narrow for about 75 yards but opens up again.
If you fancy a beer along the way you can moor up in the beer garden at the Red Lion at Castle Eaton and the campsite "Second Chance" is ten mins up the river from here.
It's a nice site with the river going through it
But if your wild camping there are loads of little places you can spend the night without being noticed from Inglesham up

[whisper]

When me and Nos were going to do it we were going to get dropped off in Cricklade by Mrs Nos at the slip in the pic and then picked up later from Lechlade.

[212]

I've always turned round before Cricklade in my SIB there's a lot of debris just before you go under the A419, It's okay in Kayaking but I worry about my soft bottom in a SIB

[whisper]

Yeah, I get what you mean, the slip isn't far from the bridge though so it would mean game over if we hit a problem...

Both me and Nos are in Swindon so never say never

[212]

Lol, it could do with it.
I'm in Swindon too and know Nos from years back it's a small world for sure

Hope to meet up soon

[whisper]

Small world for sure, here's a better pic regarding the slip and bridge...

I've no sib at the moment but I'm sure Nos has

[Landlockedpirate]

As mentioned you can camp along the Thames, but the official places are few are far between. Sites at locks are Ok, but are basic. There is only 2 sites that I know on the upper Thames with full facilities, Benson and Hurley. Further up you can camp at the Trout Inn, Lechlade, but its very very basic.

We took the motorhome and a sib there earlier in the year.

We launched at the back of the Trout Inn in Lechlade, there is a large camping field with a fairly new looking concrete slip. The slip is great and I think you could launch up to about 20ft, but the access cut is very shallow with lots of over hanging trees to get out into the channel, punting was the order of the day.

We headed downstream first after buying a 24hr licence from St Johns lock, and after about 90 mins and a couple of locks arrived at the Swan Hotel, Brampton for lunch. This is the furthest we have previously been upstream in the main boat. After a relaxed roast and a few cold ones, we set off back to Lechlade to see how far we could get.

Approach to St Johns lock through the arched road bridge.



The lock is shallow and unpowered, but with 2 lock keepers on duty we were through quickly. Another couple of hundread meters brings you to the Riverside Pub, it was packed outside most of the weekend.



The river is really quiet up here, a few kayaks and the odd rowing boat but mostly we had it to ourselves.



The lastboat on the river, looks a bit sad with a fallen tree nearly on its bow.



The vegetation really starts to encroach on the stream, but depths are good with a steady 4ft for most of the way.



I think we managed about 2 miles before we were stopped, not by trees, weed or water depth but by a couple of reed (?) beds growing from each bank and blocking the river.



It was a really nice and relaxing day, and it now means we have covered the entire Thames from the barrier to above Inglesham.

[212]

A nice read and pictures

[camelgas]

I am hoping that the canal trust get the thames and severn canal open again, as severn bridge to london bridge via the sapperton tunnel is on my "to-do" list if they do.

[inthezone]

Out of interest what did the 24 hour pass cost and can you buy them from any lock?


Sent from my iPad using RIB Net

[Landlockedpirate]

Originally Posted by inthezone

Out of interest what did the 24 hour pass cost and can you buy them from any lock?


Sent from my iPad using RIB Net

You can buy them from any lock where you can officially enter the Thames (by water or slipway), dont worry, if you cant get one at the 1st lock you come to, they will direct you straight onto where you can.

Cost is based on area of the boat with the minmum being £11 , which covers you up to 10 sq metres.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...452_e083da.pdf

[inthezone]

Thanks great news I always thought that you had to buy a yearly one
Waiting to buy new motor then onto the Thames closest point to me is wargrave near Henley😄

[inthezone]

Thanks great news I always thought that you had to buy a yearly one
Waiting to buy new motor then onto the Thames closest point to me is wargrave near Henley😄

[Landlockedpirate]

Originally Posted by inthezone

Thanks great news I always thought that you had to buy a yearly one
Waiting to buy new motor then onto the Thames closest point to me is wargrave near Henley😄

We really like the St George & Dragon, but they dont let you moor overnight .Not good when you have had a scoop or 2.

Mooring in Henley is difficult, there are a couple of spaces outside the Angel and the rest of the mooring is up by the rowing museum.

[John Kennett]

Or the whole of the reach below the bridge on both sides of the river, although with a SIB you could pretty much get away with mooring anywhere within reason.

Another lock side camp site to add to the list is at Cookham. It's basic, but nice and quiet with no vehicle access, and it's at the head of the most beautiful reach on the whole river. There's a slipway at the Ferry Inn above the lock, and Cookham would make a good base for trips to Marlow (preferred) or Maidenhead, visiting Cliveden, playing pirates on the islands or looking for kingfishers up Hedsor Water (which isn't private, despite what it says in some out of date guides).

[Roadie]

Thanks for all the info guys, interesting reading, may well do a trip next year.