Back at the marina

We are now back at our berth after a very enjoyable trip, the first time we have ever been out this early in the year. We started the day with a quick cruise into Rugby where we turned the boat around in an official winding hole. It was a bit of a squeeze - we later discovered that the winding hole was only intended for boats up to 50 foot long. There was plenty of mooring space available a short walk from Tesco where we shopped for groceries. Then back to the boat and an hour later we arrived at the bottom of Hilmorton Locks where we stopped for lunch. Then in the afternoon we quickly ascended the locks and arrived back in the marina at 15:15. We were concerned that the gusty wind might make steering the boat into the narrow berth difficult but it the event the wind dropped and we moored without any problems. 8.54 miles, 3 locks, 3 hours 50 mins. Total journey statistics Time 12 hours: 25 mins Distance: 30.2 miles Locks: 6

Rugby nearly

Bridge 101 on the Grand Union near Flecknoe

 This morning there was a strong gusty wind when we set off at 10am with the aim of reaching Rugby if the Hilmorton locks were open. We stopped for lunch near our marina.  When we started up again the sun was shining and  the wind had abated which made for a more comfortable journey.

Descending Hillmorton middle lock, the top lock in th background

Approaching Hilmorton a moored boater confirmed that the locks were open.  The first presented no problems but when Denise  filled the third lock she was unable to open the gate.  Luckily a passing walker was able to help.  After leaving the locks we decided that there was little point  going into Rugbyfor the night as the moorings there are shaded and we had no wish to visit a pub or restaurant.  So we moored next to a golf course at Clifton Upon Dunsmoor on the outskirts of Rugby. 

10.65 miles,3 locks, 4 hours 20 mins

Napton Junction and back

 

Moored for the night on the Grand Union

We set off from our mooring on the North Oxford Canal near Braunston  at 10:35.  At Braunston Junction we turned right onto the Grand Union Canal, cruised for an hour and moored up for lunch just before 12:00.

After eating we set off again and turned around 3 miles later at Napton Junction to moor for the night near to where we had stopped for lunch. Our revised plan is to travel to Hilmorton aiming to arrive when the locks re-open after the maintenance closure tomorrow afternoon.  We may then have enought time to get to Rugby and back to the marina before we go home on Sunday.

Despite the weather being rather cold our cabin is now almost warm at 19 degC as we have had the smokeless fuel stove continuously alight since we started our journey yesterday and the centrak heating was set to come on first thing in the morning yesterday 

9.21 miles travelled in 3hrs 25mins cruising

Out for a few days after more work on Densie

 After returning from our eventful trip in September the boat was taken out of the water at our marina so the hull could be checked and repainted.  We  took the opportunity to have the the rudder chcked as the  tiller was vibrating excessively.  After a day's work by the marina engineering staff the problem was fixed but we were unable to check it because of the very cold weather before Christmas.  Now the weather has improved we will be out for a few days as a trial run for the long trips we hope to take later in the year.

Our plan was to travel to Rugby and beyond on the North Oxford Canal but we discovered at lunchtime that the locks at Hilmorton were closed for repairs so we will instead now be cruising south to join the Grand Union Canal at Braunston which will take us west towards Napton.

Cruiisng out of the marina in the early afternoon it was immediately obvious that the tiller vibration had been cured and the boat was now running more smoothly than it has for sveral years.  At 3pm after 40 minutes on the move we moored up in the countryside near Braunston as the light was fading and rain was forecast.

1.8M cruising in 40 minutes