There may be an outdoor theme to my posts recently, but the weather in the UK has turned out with ample sunshine, which means I need to take advantage of every moment.
Having said this, right now I still leave early, (around 8.00am) so that I can beat the crowds and get home in time for my coffee and mid morning relax. The sun is so bright this time of the morning, it’s the perfect time to enjoy our small family unit – mum, boy and dog. I’m glad we did arrive early, as by 10.30am there were bundles of families arriving to settle in for picnics, canoeing, and other water frivolities. Whilst my young son loves to socialise, right now is not the time to encourage his social side, as he does not understand distancing and I feel satisfied that we’ve had our fun and tranquility without the crowds before heading off home.
Hurley Lock was a find I stumbled upon when walking with a friend, and I noted it as a place to return to. With a dog and a young child it has open green spaces, a lovely waterside trail beside the lock itself (leading right to Marlowe) and then the bonus, a natural swimming area (about knee deep up to a point) where you can paddle in the sunshine.
For me personally, we drove about 30 minutes to reach the lock. It was an easy journey, and my young son was immediately fascinated by the walk, the bridges, the canal boats and then I struggled to get him out of the water when it was time to leave. Our little dog (a King Charles Cavalier) loves being off-lead, meeting other canines, sniffing various smells, and paddling in the fresh water along the water’s edge. In normal circumstances I would have brought a picnic basket or wandered to the nearby pub, The Olde Bell, on the high street (which is about 1000 years old), but this just isn’t the time for such treats.
Whilst in some ways I look forward to things going back to normal, I also know that I wouldn’t have found these amazing little scenic gems had Covid-19 never existed. Sometimes I feel like it is important to find the good in a situation. As we drove home, my son’s own words told me that the morning was ‘awesome’ and he couldn’t wait to tell all his friends about his swimming adventure. This made my entire day!
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