Continuing our journey along the Wey, we come to St Catherine's lock - the shallowest on the navigations

If the Wey is in flood, it really races along like mad. This is a view of the weir at St Catherines with all boards raised to maximum. Normally a two foot six difference in levels here, both the Broadford and Millmead pounds are at a level as evidenced by the water flowing under the sluices

    
At such times the navigation is closed and the locks are secured with chains and warning notices. The right hand picture shows the river in the centre of Guildford almost two feet above normal

Shalford railway bridge. It carries the Reading - Redhill/Gatwick route. It is currently undergoing a major refurbishment

Broadford - lovely early morning summer scene

Stonebridge Wharf. This was regularly serviced by barges off the nearby Wey and Arun Junction canal

Above Stonebrigde Wharf is the entrance to the Wey and Arun. The junction is known also as Guns Mouth. The former route to Arundel and Portsmouth has been disused for nearly 130 years but an active society has restored several sections and no doubt one day boats could travel at least as far as Arundel or even Littlehampton, on the Sussex coast. Any new route from the junction would have to take the course of the Bramley Stream for a considerable distance as the old route is not possible to use. Here's a link to the feature on the Wey and Arun Junction Canal

10 minutes after the Thames & Chiltern hotel boat passed the pic was up on the website! Seen at Peashmarsh railway bridge 18 May

Between the Wey & Arun junction and Unstead lock is the bridge carrying the Wey South footpath. This follows in large the old Guildford - Horsham railway line for a good bit of the route until the Wey & Arun itself is attained on the far side of Linnersh Wood. A walk along this path will reveal bits of the old canal and also give a look at the Bramley Stream which is proposed as an alternative. Mind you, things like the old Gosenden aquduct and the lock keepers house at Bramley will need a bit of searching for. The aqueduct one can walk over without realising they are on it!

A good walk off the Wey and Arun/old railway line route at (either tannery or lock cottage) is the climb to the top of Chinthurst Hill, where good views can be had to the south and east of the country. There is an old folly (above) built in the 1930's and known as Chinthurst Hill Tower, which must have given even more spectacular views but nowadays it is boarded up and inaccessible. The land once belonged to Maggie Guthrie, whilst the nearby house belonged to Aemilia Guthrie and was built by Lutyens in the 1890's

The approach to Unstead Lock

Guildford Princess at Unstead

Moo-ing and mooring in the peaceful meadows above Unstead. From Unstead to Godalming the river narrows

The Manor Inn, Farncombe

Trowers bridge. Its also known as Perry bridge and is marked as such on maps

Farncombe Boat House. Straight through the bridgehole is Cateshall, the last lock en route to Godalming

Godalming Wharf with horse drawn boat Iona leaving for a round trip to Unstead

Godalming Wharf with Iona and boat horse. The wharf is very close to the town centre and is adjacent to Sainsbury's and Waitrose supermarkets

Plaque on the wharf buildings - self descriptive

By the Lammas lands, Godalming. The navigation finishes where the narrowboat is moored. It is possible to venture up almost to the Town bridge - with care

Town bridge, Godalming. Though the river is quite deep right up to the bridge, its small arches of the bridge will only accomodate a canoe or rowing boat

Plaque at Town Bridge

Godalming is an attractive country town, and has been used for quite a number of period set films. It also has a interesting history - it as the first town in Britian to use electricity, and Peter the Great of Russia stayed at the Kings Arms in 1698, as the plaque commoreates

Godalming

Above Town Bridge the Wey passes the Burys and parkland, where a memorial to John Phillips, the Chief Wireless Telegraphist on the Titanic, is imortalised. The scene shows the Phillips Memorial

The road bridge up here is known as the Lunatic bridge because of its rather excessive dimensions needed for crossing what is a relatively minor waterway. Even the Town bridge at the head of the Wey Navigation didnt need such grand proportions

Old footbridge and in the distance railway bridge carrying the important Guildford - Havant/Portsmouth route

Railway over the Wey at Godalming

Weir feeding Hells Ditch, whose waters eventually reenter the Wey near Trowers bridge

The Wey a short distance above the Hells Ditch weir

Beyond the river continunes to Tilford where it splits into two branches, both known as the River Wey! One rises from the foothills of the 'Alps' near Alton in Hampshire and the other rises near Haslemere in Wset Sussex

Ockham Mill & Weybridge to Byfleet    Byfleet Junction to Papercourt    Send - Guildford    Onto the Godalming Navigation     Godalming & beyond