Kidlington Green Lock to Thrupp
We’d hoped to be able to find a handy sneak through to the main road in Kidlington by the lock. A big Sainsburys sits within half a mile (as the crow flies) from our mooring and we’d hoped to be able to do a big shop as well as have transport links. Mick had a walk around and could only find paths that led to locked gates from the lock. Following the canal northwards you can cross at Yarnton Road Bridge and then wiggle your way around the houses. This route however was more than a mile and a half away, not close enough for a big shop. So we decided to move on.
The two work boats moored in front of us were on the move this morning, heading down to Dukes Lock to start work on Monday. We moved off ourselves after our breakfast and made our way up the lock. Not far to Thrupp today where we hoped there would be space for us between the permanent moorings and the winter moorers.
Up high in a tree sat a bird of prey quite well hidden by it’s nest, it’s squawking gave away it’s location as we passed. Not sure what it was, maybe a Red Kite.
After Roundham Lock we pulled in near the water point at Langford Lane so that I could head up to the handy Co-op for a few bits and bobs. Then we carried onwards to Thrupp. A gap was waiting for us ideally positioned opposite a house for sale. This would mean we could get a delivery and spent much of the rest of the day thinking of things we wanted to buy. Possibly the biggest shop we’ve done, but then prices have gone up since we first started shopping this way and it is very convenient. Over the next week we will only see the occasional place to buy the odd thing, so we needed to stock up.
During the afternoon and evening I spent what felt like a life time weaving in ends and sewing seams on a large order of knitted items destined for foreign climes. I’ve been working on this order for ages but tomorrow we’d be near a post office and it really needed to be on it’s way. Another episode of Inspector Morse helped while away the time.
2 locks, 2.25 miles, 1 noisy bird, 2 bananas, 1 head brocolli, £4.62 spent on Black Friday, 2 ears, 1 ideal mooring, 6 boxes ordered, 6 pairs completed, 132 ends, 1 Morse, 0 shore leave!