We had to stop at Dapdune Wharf, as tucked behind it is the main office for the Wey and Godalming Navigation, on which we had been floating for nearly a week without a licence. The paperwork completed, the wharf itself was unoccupied, so we were cleared to stay there overnight: a good job, as we were expecting friends to join us there the next morning! (When the book says there’s overnight moorings, they normally mean for more than one boat).

Another of those places with an entrance that we’ve driven past hundreds of times but never visited, the wharf is rather fine, and although literally in the middle of Guildford, it’s tucked away behind the Surrey Cricket Club ground, five minutes walk from the main shopping streets. Again, seemingly remote and cut-off from the world, apart from the trains crossing Dapdune Viaduct, which are strangely noisy.

Reliance the wooden Wey barge looked very big “dry docked”, and was still in use until it collided with Cannon Street Bridge in 1968, and sank.

Biggles was very taken with the wharf and environs, particularly once the day-trippers had departed and we had the place to ourselves.

Less impressed were the young magpies who clearly regarded the Captain as a threat, and spent every minute he was ashore flapping around and making a serious racket, until he got bored and wandered back onto the boat. (If you click on the picture and look carefully, you can see one of them “gi’in it laldy” trying to scare him off). Still, at least there were two magpies, so a reason to be joyful.

Said friends duly arrived half-an-hour early on the Saturday morning, which caused some initial panic amongst the cleaning staff, but the sun was warm and bright, and set fair for boating.