Retracing our steps ...

Thursday (12th) dawned a bit chilly ...

as the sun came over the houses at 7:15 ...

and I was pleased to see that the swan had survived another night.

By 8 o'clock we'd pulled away from Runnymede visitor moorings, winded and set off upstream.

We could see this chap in the distance but he hadn't seen us ... he's kneeling on a paddle board taking on the phone ... we were fairly close before he realised that he was drifting mid channel and moved out of the way.

An hour after setting off we're through Old Windsor Lock which was on self service.

Old Windsor Cut and Lock were built in 1822 by the Thames Navigation Commissioners and

the first lock keeper was dismissed after demeanours which included digging through the bank of the lock cut causing the new lock cut bridge.  What is now called the Old Windsor Lock Cut Bridge  has two very distinctive pillars and must have looked quite impressive rather than it does today with the iron crossing.

The lawns along the riverside of Windsor Crown Estate are being scarified and probably fed at the same time.

I love the avenues of trees ...

along the Crown Estate lands.

Lovely barge Lente built in 1912 has a very distinctive cabin entrance ... is this a tjalk?

This very pretty cottage stands on the Crown Estate and has this crest on the frontage.

All I can find for VRPC is Volunteer Rifle and Pistol Club but feel fairly sure that that's incorrect in this instance ...

Any ideas anyone?

A slightly larger residence on the Crown Estate!

Just past Albert Bridge there is a residence for sale ...

this houseboat is current under offer with riverhomes with a guide price of £350,000.  It has amazing views both river and land side but is not a full-time residence.  It is licensed by the Environment Agency for the Crown Estate.  Worth a look at the link above.

Not noticed this offshoot of the Thames before as we turn left into Romney Lock Cut. It's the Jubilee River and looks like it's been there forever but is actually a hydraulic channel constructed in the late 1990s and early 2000s to take the overflow of water from the Thames to alleviate flooding. It isn't navigable though.  Click the link above for more information.

Romney Lock was manned and we were soon inside and rising.  This lock is one of just a few that fills from the sides and the gate sluices.  The force of the water coming in pushes the boat out into the middle of lock ... 

ok if there is only the one boat inside but if a metal boat is roped up next to a plastic cruiser a lot of effort is needed to keep the boats close to the side and away from other boats. Fortunately today we were on our own.

Views of Windsor Castle as we cruise the lock cut into town

I had hoped to be able to moor here on the free 24-hour and do a quick trip to M&S but it wasn't to be ... not enough space for a 62 footer ...  so after using the services below Boveney Lock and ascending the lock we're soon moored up in the same place as we were last Monday.

Anyone know what this flag is please?

We do like it here and will stay for the weekend which is forecast to be dry and sunny with temperatures in the mid-twenties!

It wasn't long before this little family of Egyptian Geese came to visit.  The chicks were still very fluffy and really cute!