Time to get the blog up to date - A short day to Kirtlington

We had a really lazy day, we didn't move till gone 10. a short cruise today as we had made up so much time, it is a holiday after all.

A total of four locks to do today, and due mainly to our late start queues were formed at each lock, the boat behind us seemed to think he'd be able to hurry everyone along, it didn't work. It was good chatting to other boaters and helping them through locks before it was our turn.

At pigeons lock our last for the day another boat had got in front of us, with four crew on board I held back and stayed with our boat thinking they would be able to help the crew of two going down in front of the, it was not to be they just stood there. 

I walked on to see what the mooring situation was like below the lock, and was very pleased to see it was empty.  On my way back to Sonia Louise I helped at the lock by closing the top gate for the boat that had been in front of us till this point, we made comment about the lack of willing helpers from the boat behind, and wished each other a good onward journey.

We spent some time Blackberrying once we'd tied up below the lock, and soon put the boat hook to good use.

I want the blackberries at the top please!

After lunch we walked back to the bridge over the tail of pigeon lock and turned right and followed the track along past the quarry and Janes enchanted tea garden and into Kirtlington, a very well kept village, it has a village store, a pub (the Oxford Arms) and the Dashwood a hotel that is popular for food alfresco eating.  We had a drink in the pub and then on our return at the Dashwood. both would warrant a further visit if I didn't fancy cooking.

On our walk back down the track we sought shelter from a big chestnut tree, the outer edge of a thunder storm was passing, and dumped a sudden heavy shower, but the tree provided us with the shelter required to keep us bone dry.