Sunday & Monday: turn around in Rugby and return to the marina

 No diary yesterday as we did not have internet connectivity.  Everythig now working OK.

On Sunday we travelled up the North Oxford Canal to Rugby.  We turned the boat around as this was the last opportunity to do so as the canal is blocked by the collapse of a cutting a few miles further on at Brinklow. We moored for the night just after climbing Hilmorton Locks which we had descended on Saturday.

5.23 miles, 3 locks, 2 hours 40 mins

Returning to our marina behind a slow hire boat

Today we awoke to heavy rain but it had stopped by the time we set off at 9:45  The weather was cold and windy so we decided to return to the marina at 11:35, a day earlier than originally planned.  But there were no problems on the journey so our objective was achieved.

4.05 miles 0 locks, 1 hour 50 mins

Densie repaired - shakedown cruise

 Densie was repaired at the end of last year and so now the weather has improved we are taking her out for a short journey to check all is OK.

But we discovered a serious problem before we set out.  The back of our smokeless fuel stove has developed a bad crack and so the stove cannot be used.  This is a common fault.  The engineers at our marina told us they had repaired 14 stoves with similar probems.  Fortunately for this journey our diesel central heating will be sufficient to keep the boat warm.

Moored for the night near Rugby

After booking a repair we set off at 10:20 stopping for lunch just before Hilmorton Locks.  After cruising for a further 1.5 miles in the afternoon we stopped for the night at Clifton Upon Dunsmore in the countryside on the edge of Rugby.

5.74 miles, 3 locks, 2 hours 50 mins