Delayed by Rain

Waiting for Awbridge lock to fill

Passing from the top to middle locks at Bratch

View of Bratch middle lock showing the hexagonal lock keepers office (and Denise's head)

After a very good meal and beers at the Mermaid, Wightwick, part of the Vintage Inns chain, we awoke late to hear the rain pattering on the roof. Looking blearily through the window - yes it was heavy rain. Boating in the rain is not fun, so as we have at least a day in hand to meet our appointment in Worcester on Thursday (more on this in a later posting) we stayed at our mooring until after lunch when the rain stopped.

We were then able to get a good 3 hour cruise in before the rain started again. During this time we travelled the 5.5 miles to Swindon (no not that one, another one) dropping down through 8 locks. We have been going downhill since we passed through the summit pound around Autherley/Aldersley junctions yesterday. Overall in this section of the S&W canal there are 31 locks that drop 294 feet to the Severn at Stourport.

The scenery continues to be a pleasure and the locks interesting. Particular so are those at Bratch where 3 locks are each separated by pounds of about the width of the foot bridges. Clearly there is not enough water in such a space to fill a lock - this little problem is solved by having large side-pounds which are connected to the main canal by underground culverts. There is a permanent lock keeper on duty during the summer as the arrangement can be very confusing to both novice and not so novice boaters.