Day 11 - Medmenham to Reading Late night + big meal = lie-in [again]. With Adam enthusiastic to resume steering duties, however, we unhitched from a tree an a couple of pins at 10:25 and resumed our upward course. Stopped at 11:55 for coffee & pain au chocolat on the left bank moorings below Henley Bridge and also topped up the fridge from Waitrose. Timed it wrong, though, as we were caught for the £6 mooring fee - by the same bloke who was rounding up fivers at Medmenham last night. Seems he has a contract. Only after we left an hour later did I see that the right bank moorings above the bridge are free from 10:00 to 15:30 [but then £8.50/night]. Low level flypast by a Lancaster bomber at Poplar Eyot. Paused for a dunny dump at the very effective EA pumpout above Shiplake Lock [£8.00 this year] then continued up to Reading, turned onto the K&A, into the loop and at 16:30 parked on one of the pontoons outside the 'Bel and the Dragon' which promises free moorings for 24hrs if you patronise their establishment. The longest pontoon is only about 40' and boats over about 55' might be judged to be fouling the fairway. They would certainly be subject to a pull from the weir if the river got in a mood. Menu is slightly pretentious pub grub and the service, early on a Sunday evening, distinctly unenthusiastic. Main courses mostly in the £16/£20 zone but drinks not outrageous. Waved goodbye to the extra crew - poor lad has to work tomorrow - and settled down to see how noisy the area becomes on a Sunday evening. So far, not very.
12mi, 0fl; 5 Locks; 3.90 engine hours Baz
