Dapdune Wharf, Guildford

River Wey at Dapdune Wharf, Guildford

 Dapdune Wharf is run by the National Trust, the only waterway they have responsibility for, apparently. It is a pretty little place set on the River Wey & Godalming Navigation System, a little outside Guildford. The day I was there with my son was warm and sunny and it was an ideal place to sit and watch river craft moving up and down the river.

On site there are various buildings with information and lots of interactive displays on the wharf and the owners of the past. You can read the history and see a display of tools (some of those took me back to my dad's shed!). Activities take part for schools groups and there are even a couple of table tennis tables in the sheds. My son and I go! 

The boat shed

The Smithy

There is also an excellent cafe and a huge book shed selling second-hand books. I was in my element! A short walk takes you to what is known as 'the island'. There are plenty of picnic benches dotted around. We stopped for lunch at the cafe and sat outside on the raised patio area in the sunshine. 

The boat in the boat shed

Here you see the edge of the cafe area to the right

View from 'the island'

The gunpowder shed

The navigation system is one of the oldest and created between 1651 and 1653. It meanders almost twenty miles between Godalming and Weybridge where it reaches the River Thames. I have previously walked in the other direction from Guildford town to Godalming, and some time I would like to walk towards the Thames.

The Edwards and Stevens family were very important to the wharf and you can read all about them here. A barge still exists from the Stevens' time. Now on dry land, you can go inside it.

The Stevens barge

The book shed!"

We were lucky enough to book seats on the little boat out of the wharf towards Guildford where it turned around before the lock. The boat runs on batteries, which last around two days. This means the trip was noiseless and with none of that awful diesel smell you usually get with boats. It was peaceful. The trip into Guildford and back takes around forty minutes. Sometimes the boat goes the other way. The skipper gave us the choice, and the majority vote was towards Guildford.

Going out on the water

Coming into Guildford

Coming back into the wharf

Dapdune Wharf is a lovely place to spend a few hours, particularly on a lovely sunny day. It is free to enter, but for non-members of the NT you pay for parking. However, you could walk it from Guildford.