Of Palaces, Pterodactyls, Parakeets & Pythons, or a Meander Down Our Wey
Sorry, still no digi camera, & phone camera won't talk to computer!
Aerial photo http://www.surreyproperty.com/photo....39&height=1060
Finally, the sun came out. Maybe summer has finally arrived? Anyway, with an afternoon free of Olympic TV viewing & after a bit of research with maps & Google it was time to head for one of the world’s great waterways – the River Wey Navigation.
Loading my craft onto my back (it is inflatable after all), I contemplated the jungle of nettles between me & the river, & my pale, shorts-clad legs & bravely winced my way to the bank-side path.
Emerging from the undergrowth, a suitable launch site for my vessel was quickly discovered. The sunshine had brought out the crowds, so soon an audience of puzzled onlookers was watching my fatigued attempts to pump up the Lilo. I have yet to achieve this feat without a minimum of 2 enquiries about how much was it & where can I get one...
Finally, with drinks & Tiffin fully loaded, it was time to leave the safety of land. Fortunately the crowds had moved on so there was nobody apart from a duck to watch my usual ungainly flop into the very comfortable seat of the Sevylor. At last I could put paddle to water, & wasted no time at all in dripping the water all over my feet.
Research had told me of the option of a snaking, meandering stretch of the old river shortly upstream which was crying out to be explored. Passing the hulking canal boats, & a few leisure craft whose pilots all seemed to be speaking foreign languages, I soon reached the junction, via a small diversion into a beautiful blind “oxbow” overhung by ancient trees.
Leaving the main stream behind, the natural river instantly turned into a different, older, world. Never was a straight stretch longer than a stone’s throw, & quickly the first greenery appeared in the moderately flowing, clear waters, the heads of reeds nodding gently just above the water.
Peace reigned throughout, even the distant aircraft didn’t seem to matter, they were from a different, modern world & would not disturb my mood. Dragonflies & damselflies danced by the river banks, & aggrieved ducks protested my presence by taking off with much quacking, only to land again further down & repeat the whole act a few minutes later.
Bend followed bend, only the presence of the sun giving me an idea of direction, as I paddled a little harder against the current. Passing a couple of sluice gates, the only man-made intrusion on the river bank I saw for a mile, there was suddenly a raucous squawking in the air. Bright green birds flashed amongst the taller trees, at least a dozen of them. Momentary confusion became delight as I identified them as a flock of parakeets, a number of which have colonised parts of Surrey since escaping sometime in the unknown past. Relatively tame, they sat in the trees & chattered at me. http://www.surreylife.co.uk/main-men...-escape--46952
A beautiful, shaded section appeared, with dappled sunlight breaking through the trees. Ahead was an odd sight, a tiny head moving across the stream not 2 boat lengths away. Amazed, I watched as the body of a swimming grass snake became visible as I glided silently by. In no apparent hurry, this miniature “python” slithered into the reeds & climbed up into the undergrowth. A truly fantastic sight, I felt humbled to be in this untouched wilderness, right in the middle of Surrey’s commuter belt, & which hardly any of the county’s residents are aware.
An ancient building appeared on the north bank, the remnants of Woking Palace. Woking Palace? Woking has a palace? Indeed, it looked little more than a barn, but the old stone & brickwork told a story & the wonderful world wide web has told me another one: http://www.woking-palace.org/index_files/thehistory.htm
Eventually I approached the village & bridge signifying time to return. Stunning properties with bank-side gardens appeared, & I started to feel like an interloper into a rich man’s world. A few old boats moored nearby were the first sign that other human’s had ever enjoyed the delights of the meandering Wey.
Turning round my trust craft, I could finally enjoy the current & rapidly built up speed to an amazing 4 miles an hour. Now less effort was required I could concentrate even more on watching for wildlife. A heron flapped lazily round me in circles like a giant pterodactyl, croaking loudly, reinforcing the feeling of being in a lost world.
The current took me downstream at twice the speed of my previous progress, & all too soon I was hearing voices & the gentle chug of a narrow boat. Back onto the Navigation, I wanted more. It wasn’t time to come back to the frantic pace of modern life. So I had some cake, & happiness returned!
Info
Put In – Bridge on the B367 near Newark Priory, between Pyrford & Ripley. Rough car park in trees to south of bridge, small nettly path brings you out near towpath. Larger open canoes may have to go along road at this point, but traffic is light controlled here & there are regular gaps.
The route – upstream for half a mile, until Papercourt lock is visible in the distance. At this point the old stream joins on the true left bank (i.e. on your right facing upstream). Shortly up this side stream take another right into the old river & continue for what is only a mile in a straight line, but a good 2 miles through the meanders. Turned round just before the A247 bridge in Old Woking, & returned the same way, with the addition of a quick explore down to the next lock
Distance – under 5 miles return. Took me 2 ˝ hours of gentle paddling.
Google Map satellite view of the meanders
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...dd2180826cca09
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Originally Posted by GarthT
Excellent blog.
May the gentleness of morning, greet your silent passage through endless waters...