Rugby to Onley

We had said we would get up early to shop at Tesco’s seeing as we are using awake and drinking tea in bed by about 6:00am. Not this morning though. But we still managed to get in there fairly early before the crowds. This will be our last major shop for the Christmas period, but if we can get a mooring in Braunston for Christmas then we can top up from the Londis village stores and the Braunston Family Butcher.

Shopping done we emptied the toilets whilst we could, disposed of rubbish and then set off. We pulled into the water point below Hillmorton locks, well as close as we could get, which was about a foot out from the bank, due to the sloping stone walls of the Oxford Canal. Whilst we were filling up a lady came along with her water container on a trolley, to the other water tap, turned the tap on and our water disappeared! Still it didn’t take long for her to fill it up. We set off up through Hillmorton locks following a training boat out from Willow Wren. Well not that closely, they were at the bottom lock when we had arrived, and were taking a long time to start up through the first lock, but then again I do know that Willow Wren are very thorough with their Helmsman’s certificates. However we did catch them up by the time they were leaving the top lock.

Whilst coming up through the top lock, Nick off of Aldgate came down the towpath, and we had a quick natter whilst the lock filled. We then carried on to the moorings close to HM Prison Onley, between Bridge No.80-81. We moored up with our galley doors opposite a bird table on the towpath, which delighted Jo who added a few more hooks to hang fat balls and feeds from. The birds have been tucking into the food supply already, a Robin, Blue Tits and Great Tits having been fighting over the food, and hopefully Jo will be able to get some nice photos over the weekend.

Keith.