Friday 6th April
Today we caught the bus into Rugby town centre and came back with a rucksack full of shopping from B&M, Asda and the market.
Saturday 7th April
This morning we had intended to fill up with water and move to the moorings on the other side of the canal (where the mooring limit is longer). But by the time we had filled with water, we thought that perhaps we would go as far as top of Hilmorton locks and we got there in just an hour with only a little drizzle.
On the way, at Clifton, we noticed work was going on with preparations to build a new bridge which will serve a large housing development on the site of what the map shows as Rugby Radio Station.
At Hilmorton, a volunteer lock-keeper was on duty at the first lock to help us through and the other locks were in our favour, so we changed our mind again and headed on for Braunston.
The new marina, Dunchurch Pools had a lot of boats in already although it looked nowhere near finished and a little further on I thought I saw a dog appear from some woodland, but in turned out to be Larry the Lamb who bleated and trotted alongside us for a while before seeing some walkers approaching and heading back into the woodland.
We arrived at Braunston at about quarter past one and tied up on the concrete bollards there. After a spot of brunch I washed one side of the roof and fitted a piece of old tyre, turned inside out to present less friction, over the front fender (easier said than done!) to protect the rope-work which is wearing away from contact with lockgates.
I finished the job by buying some new chain, ‘quick links’ and ‘rigging screw’ adjusters from Midland Chandlers, just across the canal, to replace the rusty old kit that was on there.
Meanwhile Joy was knitting a Teddy Bear with assistance from Linda, back at our mooring by phone and text!
nb wrens-nest 