On to Rugby

Sunday 15th September 2013
We didn't do much moving today.
After a nice lie in we struggled out of bed close to 9 o'clock. About 9.30 or so we decided that the weather didn't look too bad so we moved off, keeping an eye out for possible mooring places if it all turned nasty.
We hadn't been running more that about 30 minutes when the sky darkened and the wind got up. The first rain drops weren't far behind.
We were passing a good looking spot for a mooring so pulled in and tied up. The wind made it interesting, but it didn't cause too much trouble.
We then set about a bit of boat cleaning, the floors needed a bit of a birthday after having dirty boots through over the last few wet days.
This afternoon it was Davis Cup for Cath on tele, and Superbike and motoGP for me.
I've had word from a fellow Leeds moorer who is presently in Manchester and may be heading our way before returning to Leeds. It's possible we meet up and travel the Trent together.
I'll not bother with a position link here, we haven't moved much.

Monday 16th September 2013
Out of the blocks like a sprinter this morning. Once again 7.30 saw us chugging along towards Hillmorton Locks. This is the only flight of locks on the North Oxford, and apart from some on the Trent and Mersey Canal, the only dual flight we've aver come across.
The North Oxford is, in canal terms, fairly modern. It was updated in the 1920s. It was straightened using, banking and cutting, and the locks at Hillmorton were doubled up, that is two narrow locks side by side, so that there could be two boats, one going up and one coming down at the same time.
Vestiges of the old, winding route can still be found, some are in use as moorings, and even marinas.

Some of the new lock gates have sprouted wording. Seems a bit daft to me. I must be a grumpy old git.

At the locks we stopped to chuck a can. After a bit of a look around I couldn't see the elsan point anywhere, so I asked another boater. They told me where it was, and that the lack of signage was down to the local bistro, in who's car park it seems to be. Apparently they take the signs down, trying to hide it.  How true this is I don't know. The water point is below the bottom lock, so we called there last. A very slow tap! After about an hour we gave up, the tank was nearly full.

Next, to Rugby. All the official visitor mooring was full, so we moved slowly along looking far a likely spot. At the very last chance there was a hire boat who had just finished a shopping trip and was preparing to leave. We quickly slotted in as he was vacating.

After a raid on the fairly close Tesco I left Cath to sort it out and started to walk into town. It's a good hike, over a high footbridge which crosses the railway line. If by chance I get into town tomorrow I'll visit the Rugby Museum.

We're right under the trees in this link