Monday 19th August
We have done rather more today than we usually do, travelling 7.5 miles and 13 locks from Swindon to Compton. This took 5.5 hours and we are moored just below Compton Lock, opposite Limekiln Chandlers.
Included in the 13 locks we have done today was a staircase of 2 at Botterham and the Bratch Locks which are interesting because they used to be a staircase but when they had busy periods the pound above used to be drained so they were made into 3 separate locks. This involved putting in extra gates, obviously and three side pounds to help fill them because the distance between them is so small there wouldn’t be enough water to operate them.
There is a lock keeper at Bratch Locks to make sure everyone knows what they are doing. It is not that difficult actually but it does seem so when you first turn up. The temptation is to treat these locks like a staircase but the only thing you need to do which is the same as doing a staircase is not to start them if someone else is already coming the other way. Other than that you treat them as 3 normal separate locks.
Getting up Bratch Locks took quite some time because we had to wait for 2 boats to come down first, then follow one up. At busy times they operate a 3 boats up, 3 boats down policy. After this it was plain sailing (and another 5 locks) to Compton.
We made an abortive attempt to get into a space downstream of Compton Bridge but it was a bout 2 ft too short. While we were doing this we were gazumped to a space we would have fitted into but we carried on and found plenty of space a bit further on, through the bridge. Since we moored here the other boat that was here already and the ones that have subsequently moored here during the afternoon have all disappeared, something we said? So, we are Billy No Mates tonight!
From the mooring we walked up to the main road, about 50 yds and discovered Sainsbury’s, a fish and chip shop (which we have taken advantage of this evening) and The Oddfellows, a Marston’s pub where we had a couple of well earned pints of Cocker Hoop.
Tomorrow we will take a detour from the Staffs and Worcester canal and go up the Shroppie to Wheaton Aston.
