Day 1 - Start in Lechlade

(Vicky here). 

Gotta get to the pub on time…


It’s been a long day. We have been looking forward to supper in the Trout Pub, 4 locks plus 10.5 miles from our starting point and we made it, just later than expected. We left Christchurch with our boat on the car roof at 9am and stopped at Swindon Station to pick up my Uncle who had kindly agreed to take Dad’s car to his home in Weybridge (thanks Doug).  We were on the water in Lechlade Marina at 3pm.

It was a hard row. The river was quite narrow with continuous twists and turns, so navigating our way using mirrors was quite difficult. (we row facing backwards). We took turns in coxing the boat (sitting in the back, facing forward and giving the rower directions, but rowing a heavily loaded boat as a single was harder than we expected. When we rowed together as a double, we flew along but this made it difficult to avoid reeds and trees growing out into the river.

We made it to the pub in the end.

 

The river was stunning, the lock keepers were lovely and the weather was almost perfect except for a cold wind. Dinner at the pub (we arrived 2 hours late) was delicious. We are now exhausted but looking forward to tomorrow’s row.

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