23rd JAN.SHIFFORD LOCK to BLACKFORD FARM, nr Kempsford

Woke usual time,  usual routine.Away in damp melting snow at around 8. We had seen loads of deer tracks around this area but we thought we were to noisy to see anything but after about a mile on we saw two Roe deer who had obviously seen us and were making haste not to see us.
We got to Tadpole bridge then onto Rushey Lock where a crane was up grading the weir.
It was a day slog,  trudging almost mindlessly talking rubbish to each other, but it was a greyish day. We arrived at Radcot Lock where we stopped for some bics,  J offering a slice of plain bread to me and me saying that would be nice...pathetic but I really meant it...food!
What made this part enjoyable was seeing longtailed tits,  fieldfares, bullfinches flitting through hedgerows.
I gave a rendition of Paul Robsons ' Old Man River' with emphasis that it kept on going.
As we approached Radcot Bridge and we could see and passed by numerous boats on the dry next to the Thames. A kestrel fed, probably a shrew, on a fence post. Just the presence of man made things like boats gave us a connection with civilization before trudging on to Graffton lock. A Red Kite flew near Kelmscott.
Half the time I was lost in thought,  day dreaming in solitude. J listened to the radio in his own little world. After Buscot Weir ee walked into the metropolis of Lechlade on Thames.We walked straight into Monica's fish bar for chips and curry sauce and hot drinks,  eating in and dripping snow melt from boots and gaiters. Our hosts listened to Polish satellite tv.
We got a few supplies,  important things like biscuits...forgot tea though.
We had seen warnings in the guide book and by the last bridge that it was advised to take a taxi or bus for the next mile or so ...we did not walking the road which was not that bad.
At Upper Inglesham we walked farm track and land away from the river. Alot of the direction posts were covered in snow so we had to be vigilant. It was the fairly wet,  following hedge and ditch. We eventually came to a pool of water barring our way.
J explains :-
We came across a flooded path of land, ice covered and 8 " deep at the most 20 ft wide. At first we tried to find a way around,  no luck. We decided to make some kind of bridge rather than go back to thehostel road 2 miles back.We scoured the nearby wood for fallen branches long and thick enough to take our weight. We place our gatherings across the narrowest part. Ee made numetous journeys before we felt able to attempt a crossing. Using sticks as extra balance we eventually got across.
The connecting field was flat and vast snowy sheet eith large area of frozen sitting water. We spotted two foxes searching for small rodents,  one saw us and ran,  the other was to intent on something to notice our approach. Eventually it did and scarpered. The whiteness really is a great back ground for seeing these last sort of things.
The rest of the route was uneventful and we asked a chap gathering coal at Blackford Farm. A chap in his sixties, long grey hair,  colourful jumper and liverpool accent. He did not hesitate to find us a spot to pitch and give us water.
It was good to stop. We had had a long day,  or it felt like we had. Josh slept on my side but made it awkward doing porridge the next day so it will not be perminant.
Noodles,  last tea bag we shared. Blog and radio,  same old same old.