July 7th 2020
‘Moochy Mondays‘ with Phil Christ – regular outings organised by Phil and his wife Tara through their Paddleboard Maidenhead website
We jumped on the Thames at ‘Boulter’s Lock’ (there is a car park opposite – SL6 8JN – £1 evening charge) and headed upstream passing Cliveden Manor House – home to the Profumo Scandal Affair. 5.86 miles.
If you do this route note you cannot get past Hedsor weir just left of point, 3 but you can portage Cookham weir at point 4 – and then go to the Ferry pub on the river bank by the bridge of Ferry Lane 🙂
Anyone is welcome to join Moochy Monday’s trips – no charge – paddlers need to be able to self rescue and have appropriate SUP skills to join as this is not a lesson outing. Must have a licence and a leash.
The white house Spring Cottage at Cliveden – Lord Astor used to rent it to Stephen Ward for a £1 a year; now it fetches £2500 a night complete with a butler!
Hedsor Water iruns to the north of Sashes Island. Hedsor Water was once the main navigation of the Thames but was by-passed by the construction of Cookham Lock in 1830.
Cookham Lock opened in 1830, but no weir was built at this time. In 1837 a weir was found necessary and built across Hedsor Water, leading to further litigation from Lord Boston for loss of trade to the wharf he owned there.
Hedsor Wharf, on the upper reach of Hedsor Water had been an important trading post. The paper made at nearby Cookham Paper Mill was shipped from there and the stone used to build Shardeloes was brought from Oxford to Hedsor Wharf. This was removed when the lock was rebuilt in 1869, as Lord Boston had built eel bucks in the stream in the meantime.
Hopefully I will get some better photos going forward – my first blog!
Cheers
John Lloyd
