Walking in West Sussex and Realising it's Home.

It's been over two years since I last wrote and a lot has happened in that time (more about that in future posts) but I'm back. And because I'm entertaining the idea of writing a book at some point, I thought writing this blog would be good practice.  Jeremy (now my husband) and I have just spent a glorious week's holiday walking in West Sussex. We hired a cottage in Byworth - which is just outside Petworth - and with the help of Ordnance Survey Maps, went on some amazing walks along rivers, across the South Downs and through pretty West Sussex towns and villages including Burpham (The George is a great pub); West Dean  (where we had a delicious roast beef sandwich at The Dean and Ale Cider House) and Arundel. We saw thousands of wild daffodils in the West Dean Woods; had coffee and cake at the Aero Club Café in the Goodwood airfield whilst watching small planes land and take off into clear blue skies; and gave our muscles a good workout by climbing up to the Beacon Hill vista point.  At some point during the week it suddenly dawned on me that West Sussex is my home.  I always thought Brazil - and Sao Paulo in particular - was home. But the truth is I've lived in England for longer that I lived in Brazil (20 years in Brazil, 26 years in England). And as my parents settled in Sussex (mostly West Sussex) when they moved back here, it's where home has been ever since.  And still is. But I only realised it this week.

A frustrating start to the season...

We've been looking forward to getting back on the river for months! So we were very excited when we set off at 7pm on Friday night after a long and tiring week at work. The plan was to have dinner at the George and Dragon pub in Wargrave, overnight at the marina, and then head to Henley for our 'shake down' trip. The pub was fully booked and packed to the rafters (clealy a popular choice on a Friday night). So we drove to Henley and tried the Little Angel. Another very popular choice (judging by the car park). So we drove back to Wargrave and ate at the White Hart pub (not such a popular choice - we were the only ones eating - but a very friendly service). We were back on board by 10pm and asleep by 10.30pm. It was much colder than I expected (there's no heating) but lovely to be back on the river. Saturday morning was glorious. Warm sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. The perfect start to season. And it would have been ... if our engine hadn't konked out. And not just once. Four times in less than 10 minutes. Luckily we were just outside the marina so we managed to hobble back (or whatever the boating equivalent is) and moor up. As Dean the 'engine man' wasn't available to have a look at the problem, unfortunately there was nothing else we could do. So after a quick breakfast and stroll along the river in Henley, we headed home. Here's hoping that whatever's wrong with the engine can be sorted out this week - and that the glorious weather holds!

Last trip of the season: Wargrave to Wallingford & The Sweet Olive Restaurant

Our boating 'season' ended as it began - with clear blue skies and glorious sunshine. (Although somewhat colder. When we got up this morning there was ICE on the deck!) As it was our last weekend on the river, we decided to make the most of it: Sonning on Thursday night, up to Wallingford on Friday (a first for us), down to Goring on Saturday and then back to Wargrave on Sunday. The highlight of the weekend was a 14 miles walk around Goring on Saturday and the chance discovery of a gastro/gourmet pub tucked away in the village of Aston Tirrold: The Sweet Olive Restaurant at The Chequers Inn. It was superb. Great atmosphere, delicious food and a very impressive wine list. We'll definitely be back. That's the great thing about having a boat: you get to enjoy the river AND the countryside. It's what does it for us. Ok, so it's quite cold in October (we don't have heating on board). But on the plus side there's very little traffic on the river, you sail in and out of the locks in no time and when the sun breaks through it's divine.

Eating Along the River Thames: Richmond's Riverside Restaurant Reviews

I sometimes wonder whether I should change the name of this blog to 'Eating along the River Thames', because we do a lot of it! But there's a good reason for this. I see our weekends on the boat as a chance to get away from it all and relax. For me that means not having to cook, clean and wash up (in a tiny sink). So I take porridge & fruit for breakfast - and I make the porridge in advance by mixing it with apple juice and yogurt. Not only is it delicious, but it also eliminates the need to cook. And I take some cold cuts for lunch - although if we're going on long walk we often stop off at a country pub for a bite to eat instead. And in the evening we head to the nearest cafe or restaurant for dinner. Needless to say, as we've been spending quite a lot of time on the river since we got our boat last September, we've been to quite a few! La Bodega, the Green Olive, The Angel on the Bridge, Cafe Buendia and the Royal China in Henley; The Bull in Sonning; Ye Olde Dog & Badger in Medmenham; the Flower Pot in Aston; The Olde Bell in Hurley; The Ferry in Cookham; The Miller of Mansfield and the Pierrepont Cafe in Goring; the Ferryboat Inn in Whitchurch on Thames; Villa D'este in Marlow; the Stag & Huntsman in Hambleden ...and the list goes on. So you see, that's why I wonder whether I should rename this blog ' Eating Along the River Thames' and become a riverside restaurant reviewer! They say everyone has a book in them ... I have three: Richmond's Riverside Restaurant Reviews, How to Avoid Becoming a Boating Blob (I'll have to come up with some kind of exercise routine if I'm going to be eating out every weekend!) and Could you be a TV expert (a work book). I'll keep you posted!

A Family Affair

My sister, her husband and their 9 year old son came on board for the day on Sunday - and it was fantastic. They met us in Henley and we headed down the river to Hurley where we moored up, lit a BBQ and had bacon and sausage rolls for lunch. (We bought one of those £2.99 trays of coal and I have to say it was fantastic: small, easy to use and - most important of all when you have a small boat with no storage space - disposable!) Delicious food in an idyllic setting: boats coming and going through the lock, people milling around, glorious sunshine and lots of ducklings & goslings to feed. After a quick ice-cream from the local shop we went for a short walk through the village and along the river and then headed back to Henley for tea & biscuits and another walk: this time up to Marsh Lock and along the riverbank above it. Sunshine, good food, fresh air and brisk walks. A most perfect day.

Theatre, Country Walks & Good Food

It's amazing how much you can pack into a weekend when you have a boat. We set off from Wargrave at 4.30pm and moored up in Sonning where, after a glass of wine on board, we walked to The Mill at Sonning for dinner and an Agatha Christie play: Love From a Stranger. (It's £42 p/person including a two course dinner and your theatre ticket, which I think is very good value for money.) On Saturday morning we headed to Pangbourne for the first time. The stretch of the Thames between Sonning and Pangbourne is quite dull but, on the plus side, there's a Tesco by the river in Reading which allows you to moor up, shop and go. Fantastic! We arrived in Pangbourne around lunchtime and headed to the high street for lunch: a deliciously fresh & crunchy salad at The Ditty. We then decided to walk the 8 miles to and from Goring along the Thames Path. It's a really lovely walk - but be prepared for some steep climbs! After a much needed half a pint of cider at the historical Swan in Pangbourne we went back to the boat and got ready for dinner at The Ferryboat in Whitchurch (just over the toll bridge). Great food and great service. The perfect end to a perfect day.

The facts: it's 12 miles from Wargrave to Pangbourne. You go through 4 locks - Shiplake, Sonning, Caversham and Mapledurham - and it takes between 3.5/4 hours.