# Cruising the Thames in/near Berkshire? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611 "2004-04-18T01:46:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611/1 "2004-04-18T01:46:08Z")
I’m going to be along the Reading-up-to-Oxford stretch of the Thames for a few days in early June. I was thinking about some sort of boating trip along the river. It has to be appropriate for the sedentary - my mother will be with me and she’s 72. We have family roots in the village of Moulsford, between Cholsey and Streatley. I understand that to be one of the nicest stretches. Are there others? Any suggestions from local Brits or others who have visited the area would be most welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611/2 "2004-04-18T03:57:01Z")
> [@tpayne](#): > > I’m going to be along the Reading-up-to-Oxford stretch of the Thames for a few days in early June. I was thinking about some sort of boating trip along the river. It has to be appropriate for the sedentary - my mother will be with me and she’s 72. > > We have family roots in the village of Moulsford, between Cholsey and Streatley. I understand that to be one of the nicest stretches. Are there others? > > Any suggestions from local Brits or others who have visited the area would be most welcome. Went on a barge (okay, riverboat) trip for a week with my mother and brother along that stretch when I was a young’un. You don’t have to be particularly strong to pull the boat up with the mooring lines; I did it by myself (although the river wasn’t flowing fast at all). Driving a riverboat is extremely easy. I did it by myself for hours at a time. Locks can be tricky; I’d advise you to have two other able-bodied souls with you for them, although IIRC they aren’t _necessary._ Winding holes (open areas on the river which you can turn around in) can be tricky too; I got us beached in one, and it took almost a half-hour of poling to get the boat moving again. Of course, if you were planning of a cabin cruiser, disregard. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611/3 "2004-04-18T10:44:03Z")
This looks like a good place to start: [http://www.waterscape.com/waterwaysguide/regions/SouthernEngland.html?hp=24](http://www.waterscape.com/waterwaysguide/regions/SouthernEngland.html?hp=24) I’ve done a similar day-long trip on the Norfolk Broads - it’s highly recommended for a sedentary relative 😃 You should be able to plan a trip around the Thames that doesn’t involved locks, if that seems like a problem. ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611/4 "2004-04-18T13:32:09Z")
There were (I assume still are) organised boat trips from Caversham (Reading) along the Thames. The ones I used had refreshments and were eminently suitable for all ages. There are others, and here’s a site giving some useful links. [http://www.riverthames.co.uk/boat/cruise.htm](http://www.riverthames.co.uk/boat/cruise.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611/5 "2004-04-18T14:49:26Z")
If you want a (very expensive) treat, you can have dinner on [Rosamund the Fair](http://www.rosamundthefair.co.uk/). It’s a combo restaurant/3 hour cruise that’s in Banbury. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cruising-the-thames-in-near-berkshire/240611/6 "2004-04-18T15:27:42Z")
These have been very helpful links, folks… thank you for the information.