Hillmorton to near Charity Dock, near Bedworth.

Hi Folks.

Another fabulous day weather and cruising wise.

The back cabin stove was lit first thing to get the heat up ready for me to cook dinner and to boil the kettle for our first coffee of the day.
We left our over night mooring at 8.50 am to head for the top lock at Hillmorton, where Andrew the volunteer lock keeper was on duty.

We had a nice chat and he was very helpful.

Lock 5 was due to be re-opened after repairs.

At the bottom lock, volunteers were setting up a Macmillan Coffee morning with cake, which could be purchased for a donation. I bought two pieces of bread cake, which would be consumed along the way. I hope they did well. Apparently last year they made over £200.

We arrived at Clifton Cruisers to find a canal jam. It seems the gentleman ahead had moored there over night only to wake up this morning to find he was blocking the canal, because some of the holiday boats had come in whilst he was sleeping and had moored up. So he had to swiftly move his boat.

We were surprised to see the offside visitor moorings in Rugby completely empty and there were only four boats on the towpath side.

Not a good look. The Rose Narrowboats day boat were getting in a real pickle. They were on the wrong side of the cut when we met them, so the steerer panicked and slammed the boat into forward, hitting the towpath bank. it then bounced off, did a pirouette and then slammed into the offside bank. I think they were in for an adventurous day.

Sad to see the building next to the stop lock at Hawkesbury Junction has fallen or been knocked down.

Time to make the turn.

One day we will drink in the Greyhound.

Our cruising day ended at 3.20 pm, when we moored up near Charity Dock, Bedworth.