Through The Bratch

 Thursday July 1 Through The Branch and Bumblehole locks to the Round Oak Inn at Wombourne (4 locks, 2 miles)

Well, we moved forward to The Bratch top lock after breakfast to find them out of action, being repaired. The two boats in front of us had gone down very early, before the Canal and River Trust (CRT) team arrived. They had drained all the locks and pounds to work on the top cill of the middle lock, which had been leaking badly, apparently. Most interesting!!

It was 10.15 by the time we descended the three locks, so Liana rang our lovely niece Rebecca, who gave her a lift to our car, so Liana could drive to see our daughter Jo in Wales.

John carried on the short distance to Bumble Hole lock, still in a time warp, untouched by modernity, with beehives in the rather neglected garden. John operated the lock by himself and bow hauled Annie out with the centre rope.

I moored Annie a short distance beyond, just before the Round Oak Inn, where we will be meeting our three Black Country nieces with some of their families, tonight and tomorrow, after a long COVID time apart. Hoorah!!

John visited Sainsbury’s using his wobbly folding bike, then had a lovely evening on our Annie and at the Round Oak with our niece Rebecca and John, plus Annie and wee Dougie!