Poor pickings

Geograph Blog ::

Poor pickings

My travels of late have not been up to much and an update from Newbury parkway along with a short trip along the Upton cutting and some local photos near me only meant that I should get out again.
Sunday proved nice and sunny if with a hint of cold in the air. Time for another quick walk along the river Kennet. My next walk would take from Woolhampton for a couple of miles to Migeham Lock and find the next lot of remaining pillboxes.
A quick photocall round Woolhampton was first on the agenda which seemed a small village with quite a few old building and a rather nice Victorian water fountain
Once done it was off along the Kennet towpath following people out for a Sunday morning walk . Not far from Woolhampton Lock you come to Oxlease swing Bridge where I spotted a few canoeists coming under the bridge . This was well worth getting some photos of as they ducked under the bridge . On going round the other side to get more pictures I noticed more canoeists heading towards me this turned out to be a prequel for the Devizes to London race and they were not hanging about. From then until I finished my walk all the photos I took had canoeists in
The next lock along was a hive of activity with canoeists going round the lock
so keeping out of the way was a necessity. The lock itself was like many others along the Kennet and any sign of the pillboxes which were there had long been removed .
The next section was much like the last with people walking along the towpath and cyclists who were outriders for the canoeists giving them encouragement or just being there as back up. Cranwell swingbridge was next along where you crossed to the opposite bank which gave an opportunity to get some more photos of styles of people negotiating the bridge . At time the river seemed to clear only to have more canoeists come along then finally a bridge comes into view
with a lock beyond that the over to the right a pillbox .
The day had been worth the walk. More photos of the canoeists running under the bridge after bypassing the lock . A short walk on past there proved devoid of pillboxes so I set off back only to spot there was the base of a Type 28A beside the lock Some photos were taken and more of the pillbox the other side The road bridge over the railway proved devoid of benchmarks so after watching the canoeists who I had seen in the first place coming back I headed off back to the car .
On the way home I stopped off at Thatcham to bag the trig pillar and benchmark there
then off towards Hermitage to find Pinewood Halt. I drove past the place remembering it for a future visit then stopping off at a bridge for another benchmark and some photos of the rail cutting and bridge that took the Didcot to Newbury railway . That done it was off home to finish decorating the kitchen and to plan my next trek out.
My Geo trip and route can be seen here. Link