CSCC Reports 2016: Upper Thames -April 2016
Kirsten and Richard jackson joined me in paddling on the upper thames between Cricklade and Lechlade on Saturday 30 April. This is a really pretty stretch of the river with clear water and no motor boats. We spotted several kingfishers and a deer as well as some mega cute newly hatched ducklings. It turned out to be fairly hard work for us, because of numerous tree blockages in the first third which we had to bump over. Downstream of one of the blockages the water was a bit tricky, but nothing we couldn't handle.
I found it really incredible when Richard and Kirsten told me that they first did this trip many years ago as childhood sweet hearts. They were encouraged onto the river by richard's maths teacher, who sounded like an inspirational character & canoe coach.
Our get-in this time was at Abingdon court lane in cricklade (free parking and a good slip). We stopped for lunch at the friendly Red Lion pub in Castle Eaton, where members of another club kindly helped us clamber out of our boats and up the steep bank. We finished at the trout inn in St. John's in lechlade, which again had a good slip just beyond the lock. I enjoyed my post-paddle pint and steak and kidney pie in the pub as we warmed up in front of the real fire.
It was great to be out on the water again after a break from paddling.
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