The whole journey

Thursday, 03 December 2009 08:00

Summary of the cruise from The Bratch to our evening mooring

So you have "done" The Bratch Locks with us - now come with me on the rest of our journey that day!

Over the years we have been amused by a tree that rather towers above its neighbours. it also looks rather artificial doesn't it?

Mobile phone mast disguised as a tree

About five minutes later we approached The Bratch. The Georgian architecture is very attractive. The Locks were originally built as a staircase by James Brindley. They were then engineered into three separate locks and raise the canal about 30 feet.

Waiting above The Bratch

We took 36 minutes to go down the three locks and then not long after we were at Bumblehole Lock. I love the name! The bridge across the bottom is also unusual.

In Bumblehole Lock

The Round Oak is a Marstons pub; it is beside Houndel Bridge (45). As we began to go under the bridge we realised that is is very low. We both had to duck!

Pub and Bridge

After Giggetty Wharf and Bridge (44) we called in at a garden mooring. Some of you may know that we have leather recliner chairs - the larger of the two (now who sits in that one I wonder?) has suffered a "subsidence". A "fellow Clergyman" has been keeping an eye on us for a while as we are in his area and he kindly offered to repair it for us, using his engineering experience.

Stephen has friends who own Nb Chyandour so suggested we moor alongside. We did, gratefully. The chair was duly dismantled and the offending part disembarked with Stephen! We hope to see it again, repaired, in a few days time.

Leaving Nb Chyandour

Botterham Staircase (a staircase of two locks) is another Staffs and Worcs "special". The top lock empties into the bottom lock, so before starting John checked that it was empty. If a boat had just come up it would be full. As both locks were empty, the last boat went down

Waiting for the top lock to fill

More photos here!

So our last lock was to be Marsh Lock, we thought - if not we could always go on to Swindon Lock! On investigation there was a 24 hour mooring between the two locks so we decided to call it a day there.

Bottom of Marsh Lock

Below Marsh Lock is an housing estate (Swindon) and boaters are greeted by this large kennel with a fisherman sitting on the roof. The kennel is home to a Bull Mastiff, but there was no sign of it.

Kennel and "fisherman"

We moored - and then realised we were in "dog city!". All the dogs started barking - was this a residents ploy to discourage mooring? If so it didn't work as we stayed put and they gradually quietened down!

Staffs and Worcs Canal, The Bratch to Marsh Lock, Swindon - 2 hours 46 minutes, 2.53 miles, 7 locks