The kindness of strangers
Well, he’s not a stranger any more but one of the reasons for the trip was to drop off a couple of cameras he no longer uses and has rashly left here on loan. My old camera died a few months back and although Martyn has one, he’s out and about with it so often I very rarely get the chance to use it so it was an absolute joy to get on the road first thing this morning, camera in hand, to take a long walk along the Kennet river. I’ve put some up on Flickr but I was a little too distracted by the thought of lunch at a pub called the Rowbarge Inn in Woolhampton.
Set in lovely surroundings with a river to one side and a canal to the other, the Rowbarge Inn can be found at the end of the village of Woolhampton next to the railway station. This beautiful old 18th Century fronted building was often visited by Douglas Bader and owned in the 70’s by actor Larry Naismith when it was frequented by such famous names as Lawrence Olivier and Cary Grant.
We sat in the garden with other dog owners (a beautiful ridgeback and a wire-haired dachshund to name but a few) enjoying the warm September sunshine and watching the narrow barges go by. Blissful.
September 17th, 2006 22:09
Did he, perchance, give you the rugby programme I gave him to give you, oh, some time last year?
September 17th, 2006 22:36
Rowbarge Inn, eh? Dogs welcome! That is marvelous. Great outing, lots of fun, food, ale.
September 17th, 2006 22:55
Oh he did! I’ve been so tied up playing with the camera I forgot to have a proper read - thank you!
Mary, as I sat there in the sunshine I made a mental note to add Woolhampton to the “List of places to take Mary when she comes over for a visit” ;-)
September 19th, 2006 14:48
Heh, I’ve also got a “list of places to take Mary when she comes over”!
Lucky you, finally meeting your compatriot. I’ve missed out twice now, but next year, I’m definitely going to manage it …