Parking & Boating from Civil Service Boathouse at Dukes Meadows

Parking & Boating from Civil Service Boathouse at Dukes Meadows

Approach Dukes Meadows by turning off A316 at traffic lights opposite cemetery, up Riverside Drive.

Do not approach from the other end of Riverside Drive past Tideway Scullers ie. From the lights at the bottom of Chiswick Bridge. (There’s a low bridge on a tight bend – you won’t make it.)

Continue up Riverside Drive, straight on past playing fields. Do not fork right at tennis courts. Continue on until Bandstand. Only trailer and towing vehicle beyond this point. All other vehicles park before bandstand.

Park trailer on grass verge opposite logged area. Park at angle with towing bar towards road for easy exit. Park towing vehicle next to trailer.

Do not park in wide area in front of boathouses – this area is reserved for ambulances and boat access.

Boats are to be assembled on the wide grass area bordered by logs opposite. Assemble boats bows either towards river or boathouses.

Make sure your oars are on the hard before bringing your boat to the boating area.

There will be a safety inspectionbefore entering the boating area. Bows first! – there is no room to turn boats beyond this point. Any crew failing the safety inspection or not arriving bows first will be turned back and may miss their boating slot.

Make sure you have someone to take away your boots and other stuff. The marshals will not do this for you.

There will be lots of traffic on the river so take a good look when you leave the hard.

There are strong currents just off the hard that will push bows out. Do not go out with bow side paddling on. Stroke side must be ready to keep the bows into the bank.

Do not hang around off the hard – get going and give others space to get out.

If you are marshalling on Surrey ie. on the other side of the river, do not just head across. To cross over the river go up through Barnes Bridge, and continue for at least 100 metres. Manoeuvre towards centre of river, turn into the stream making sure there are no craft coming down. Continue down stream a little and then turn out of the stream onto Surrey.