Wombourne to Greensforge Services

 Saturday July 3 A Family Breakfast and on to Greensforge (3.5 miles, 5 locks)

Liana’s brother David and wife Ashleigh came for breakfast bearing bacon and bread, despite the rain! When you haven’t seen each other for nearly a year due to COVID, there is plenty to catch up on. 

John showed them both around Annie, while Liana started cooking bacon and egg for sandwiches.  It was good to get together around the breakfast table. 

After waving them off, we moved Annie past the Round Oak, the mile to ringed moorings by the Waggon and Horses pub and Sainsbury’s, where we did a quick shop.

 John had a pleasant chat with the gentleman who maintains a canalside garden there, before moving on gently to the two Botterham staircase locks. 

The green corridor hereabouts is often tree lined, on a terrace above Smestow Brook, with Rocky outcrops on the uphill side.

We were following a boat, we think, as the three locks past Swindon village were all against us, but we weren’t rushing, despite the occasional light shower.

Reaching Greensforge , we moored on the visitor mooring just before the services, to fill with water and use the Elsan, plus get rid of rubbish. As it was past 4pm we checked the tv signal and watched Federer at Wimbledon, then the Euro football. Yes, England beat Ukraine 4-0 and fans could relax and enjoy it!