A trip down the Basingstoke Canal

17 March 2010

I first attempted the Basingstoke Canal in 2005 but it had no water. In 2008 after attending the Bridge Barn Festival (Woking) over a snowy Easter got as far as Brookwood locks which were closed.

Hoping 2009 was going to be third time lucky I booked in for the Brookwood & Odiham festivals at the end of May. We left Limehouse on 22^nd bound for Teddington & the River Wey. With a crew of 6 we went upstream with the tide, past the Houses of Parliament and were going well when I noticed a police boat heading downstream.

Thinking nothing of it I was surprised when the next minute he was on my stern port side shouting across. Apparently they were on a terrorist alert and were checking river craft, even narrow boats out for a pleasure cruise.

 This was done under their stop & search powers although I wasn't stopped (being on the tideway) and wasn't searched - they seemed happy with the answers I gave re my details. Two of the crew popped up from below - "What's the matter Tony - been speeding?"

 Locking in through Teddington I was keen to buy my licence quickly so I could reach Thames lock at the entrance to the Wey before he shut at 6pm. Dropped five crew off at Kingston and reached Weybridge with an hour to spare.

 Overnighted on the Wey and reached the Brookwood rally site on the 23^rd. Enjoyed an evening BBQ and entertainment in the company of Stort and Byfleet boat clubs. On the 24^th a friend drove to meet us and we spent a warm afternoon at the RHS Wisley gardens.

 Monday 25th we rose at 6am and joined the queue of around 30 boats to tackle the Brookwood and Deepcut flights which had not been passable for the previous 2 years. Lock 10 on the Deepcut flight had mechanical failures on both top paddles. The ranger obtained some spares and fitted them whilst the boats waited in the lock. Time passed quickly as I cycled up and down the flight reporting progress to the other boats.

 All was going well until we arrived at the top lock. Six boats had already gone through and now it was our turn alongside Aqua Vitae of Byfleet. Lunch was being cooked on Y~?OT which was to be served after we exited the lock. After some time of filling the bottom gates were so leaky we could not get a level to open the top gates, being about a foot different. Call to the ranger who arrived with a JCB and attempted to force the nearside gate open. The beam started to separate from the gate so plan B was invoked. This entailed stuffing a tarpaulin against the bottom gates to stem the leaks. With some partial success the fill level only differed by six inches now.

Six of us heaved on the offside beam and managed to crack the gate open enough to let the water rush in to gain a level. The two boats set off one and a half hours later. So what of the lunch? My two crew took it whilst in the lock and I sat on the lock side with mine to the amusement of the onlookers.

We made Ash Vale station in time for one crew to catch her train back to London, and the two of us remaining on board overnighted just above the final lock – Ash Lock – at the start of the 14 mile Hampshire pound. Mooring assistance was provided by Colin and Rosemary Davis on Eleanor Rose.

 Tuesday saw us visit Fleet in the morning and just caught the pub at Winchfield as they ended the lunch serving slot. Arrived at Odiham later in the day and negotiated the lift bridge, just before the castle, in both directions. Collected my car from the nearby Swan pub and drove home.

Returning some days later to the Odiham festival I learned that we had been the last boats through the top lock, the remaining two dozen boats having spent a night on the flight whilst cill repairs were done. The return journey was uneventful, I had two crew to help me down the locks, and we ended the trip at Staines on the Thames.