Prestwood to Hinksford to The Bratch

Prestwood is a lovely spot although no internet or telly signal and very little in the way of phone too, but this hadn't bothered us until Super Saturday. The final of the Rugby Six Nations could not be missed so early Saturday we set off in search of a telly signal, think this is the first time we have done that! So after 2.5 miles and 3 locks we arrived at a nice open spot at Hinksford, managed to get a signal on the satellite and settled down for the afternoon.

On Sunday we were going to get on the bikes and ride up to Bratch locks but the towpath was like the M25, very busy with walkers, cyclists, fishing match and people who were in a hurry and should have left earlier (joggers). So instead we went for a short stroll to the village of Swindon where there is a handy little shop/post office, fish and chip shop, hairdressers and a couple of pubs.

Today the towpath was much quieter so we did our cycle to Bratch to check out our next mooring spot, we decided to move on in afternoon, James had seen a weather forecast of high winds for the next few days and we didn't fancy moving in that but we wanted a change of scenery. 

Nearly at the top

There are these lovely circular weirs at the locks here

Tut tut, fishing on the lock landing, glad we didn't need to stop on it

After 3 locks we came to the Botterham staircase locks, there is bridge across the middle of them to a canalside cottage , this means when filling the bottom lock, which James and LJ are in, with the water from the top one I couldn't see what was going on, so slowly did it with lots of crossing the bridge check all was OK in the bottom lock. 

Entering the bottom of the staircase

That's a very long way down, I'm stood on the bridge at the top of the staircase

There is a very handy Sainburys right by the canal at Wombourne so we stopped of for a quick top up on supplies before heading up our final lock of the day and mooring up in The Batch just below the lock flight. So another 3.2 miles and 6 locks to add to the counter. 

Nice sunny spot again

Total 36.1 miles and 38 locks