So, Windsor, Again!!!

Did I say Maidenhead? Well, we didn't make it, we're in Windsor again, despite my remarks from our visit here on the way down.

I woke early, again, and after coffee and granola got the boat under way just before 7, yes, I said 7!! I actually enjoy cruising at this time of day, not many other boats on the move, mist on the water, looking very enviously at the queues of cars on the roads in the morning rush hour, very calming and peaceful.

We trundled along past Runnymede, Magna Carta and all that - remember? I'd wanted to stop here on the return to take a look, but circumstances prevent this, so we look from the centre of the river. Old Windsor comes next, along with Old Windsor lock.

The Magna Carta thing:

The well signed lock, doubling up with today's wildlife shot:

We'd already met a narrowboat coming down, right earlybirds us narrowboaters!! Only to find a largish plastic descending Old Windsor lock, most unexpected, these guys are rarely seen on the move outside of lock opening hours!! Up we went and on past the neverending Crown estate (see comments about this on our downstream trip!!)

Crown estate and some old castle thing:

Then Datchet on the right, Home Park on the left and Romney lock. Two plastics on the way down in this one!! But they're rentals so that's ok. It's 9.00 when it's our turn and bang on time the lockie arrives and does all the buttons for us. Along the lock cut and into Windsor. I'd been having a discussion with Penny as we trundled along about the best way to get to my eye appointment (in the mobile unit at the Meadows) and after running through trains from Maidenhead (plan A) renting a car for the afternoon (plan B) we settled for plan C, getting the train from Windsor!!

So, indecisive as ever, I tried to moor on the Eton side and gave up (too shallow) then on the outside of tyhe island, (didn't look nice enough) and settled for a spot on the inside of the island just before the railway bridge, turns out to be a great spot, completely restoring my faith in Windsor, helps that it's not the weekend too!! Not bad eh? Day's cruise done by 10.00.

Sat around for a bit, gathered my gear, had to pop home to do some things for Natasha's upcoming visit to Tanzania while I was in the area and walked up to the station. Had an early lunch in Costa coffee and caught the 12.20 to Slough. While waiting for the Reading train a steam engine (Brittania I think) comes through the station smoking us all to death, what an unusual sight!! 3 trains later I was in Blackwater. Did the stuff, had the eye appointment, got run over in the Tesco car park, yes, I actually stepped into the path of an oncoming vehicle, all my fault for not looking, very lucky not to get badly hurt, only damage was the guys wing mirror. Anyway, no eye injection this time, and back to Blackwater for the 4.02 to Reading. You've got it now!! - 3 trains later I was back in Windsor. Penny was sat on the grass by the boat, we drank our remaining stock of white wine, ate Waitrose paprika crisp things and whiled the evening away, even found time for a bit of dinner. See you tomorrow.