Windsor to Bourne End.

We left Windsor just about mid day and journeyed upstream in lovely sunshine and good river conditions (lets hope it stays that way!)

There are quite a few pics here of very expensive houses which we’ve passed by today – this one though is probably the best!

Hotels can be very swish as well.

Some boats are just a tad too big for comfort.

Bray Lock is probably one of the prettiest on the river ……….

…… and Bray itself is probably one the most “well-healed” places there are.  There are some stunning homes next to the river – the one straight ahead belongs to someone who’s been in the headlines very recently.  Here are a few more prize examples:-

Someone was at home at Rolf’s

The lock at Maidenhead seems to be prime viewing for tourists and  ‘gongoozelers’.  The terraces were filling up nicely when we passed through.

Just another “Des Res” – and to finish …….

….. this is Cliveden (now a hotel), the ancestral home of the Astor family which sits high above the Thames upstream of Maidenhead.

Getting to Cookham Lock,where we had to wait a little while to pass through, we were visited by this lovely Adder which swam between the boat and the landing stage.

Just after Cookham Lock we decided to call it a day and try to get a mooring at Bourne End.  It’s an old stamping ground of ours as we broke down here in our first boat “Spirit” a few years ago and had to spend a fortnight here.  We managed to breast up to another narrow boat outside one of our favourite pubs, The Bounty, on the opposite side of the river to Bourne End and which can only be reached by footbridge or boat.

That doesn’t stop the world and his brother enjoying its pleasures!  We’re moored here for the night now, having just had some very late lunch at 4:30.  This is a very good place to be.