Most scenic day's cruise -nominations

Whilst readers wait with bated breath for the result of the Herbie Award for Best Overnight Mooring we now turn to nominations for this year's Most Scenic day's Cruise. I checked back to last year to see what my criteria were when the award was won by Linslade to Fenny Stratford on the GU. Umm, well I didn't seem to have any criteria then! I suppose Most Scenic is self explanatory, although I should say I will include urban scenery alongside rural.

So the nominations are:

1. The Thames from Brentford to Weybridge - lots and lots to see, and from stately mansions to fascinating bridges to quirky boats and boathouses to channels around the numerous islands. We enjoyed it a lot.

Our first glimse of the Thames after entering at Brentford

Bridges at Richmond

The Desborough Cut between Walton and Weybridge

2. The Wey navigation from Send to Godalming. At times this looked like a Constable painting, with lush watermeadows and distant church spires. Even the centre of Guildford was a pleasant surprise. Some of the bridges too on this stretch are wonderfully rustic. No surprise it is all managed by the National Trust.

Near Godalming

Lush greenery everywhere on the Wey

The meadows at Guildford

3. The river Stort from Roydon to Bishops Stortford. Narrow, snakey, and largely rural, enhanced by its new sculpture trail, and marred only by the unattractive last mile into Bishops Stortford.

Breakfast time on the Stort near Harlow

Another bend on the Stort slalom!

Interesting that all three nominations this year are on rivers rather than canals.