So today was a strange day. Having had a very negative day at work, I decided that I would not spend the day at my desk. So I put some gear into a backpack and headed off to Burford.

The target today was Roger Deakin’s iconic Oxbow on the river Windrush, from his seminal book Waterlog. The start of the footpath wasn’t too welcoming:

Well I had come this far so thought it was worth another look. When I got to the appropriate area it also did not look too welcoming.

The advantage with the weather being somewhat suspect was that there was nobody else around. So I ducked under the fence, and headed around the oxbow.

I thought that Roger’s swim around the oxbow with a little dash across the land to do it again might be a bit indiscreet. So I wandered to the end of the oxbow. There was a small slope down to the water, with almost a beach. And the slope down allowed me to change with some dignity and shielded me from the path so as not to have to worry about passing walkers.

What a fantastic spot! It is a shame that the Windrush, like most of the local rivers, is discoloured, And the water was not warm. But the air was so mild. Certainly worth getting changed for.

So a short dip and small swim, then out and back to Burford. Worth the effort to get out there!