Another National Trust House.

Leaving Kinver on Thursday morning we did 10 locks plus a 2 lock staircase. This brought us to Wombourne, we moored at the visitor mooring for the night. On Friday morning we arrived at Bratch locks, Not a staircase but very similar. I emptied the first of the 3 locks, that was my big mistake the lock keeper was not impressed as there were two boats on thier way down. I went back to Marlene and moored the boat to wait. When the two boats cleared the bottom lock it was our turn to go up.
I will try and explain the way these locks work,if I can. Each lock has a top and bottom gate but between the top of one and the bottom of the next is just enough space to open the gates. You then have blue paddles which allow the water to go sideways into a side pound when you empty the lock above with the red paddles. Then when you need the water to refill the lock the water is retrieved from the side pound. when you get to the top lock it is just the same as a normal lock. That may seem very complicated but when the lock keeper shows you how it works it is simple. We moored at Wightwick where we were meeting Pamela and Archie who were coming for the weekend.
On Saturday we all visited Wightwick Manor(National Trust)which has some lovely gardens. In the evening we went to the Mermaid Inn for a meal which was great. After a quiet morning we walked to the nearby locks so Archie could see the boats come through and help with the gates,then Pamela and Archie went home.
Moving a short distance to Compton we moored so we could find a doctors, our three month prescriptions were running out. While Marlene did some washing I found a surgery and made an appointment for 8-45am Tuesday for us both to see a doctor for a new prescription.
Up early Tuesday we kept our appointments then Marlene went for her hair cutting while I took the new prescriptions to the chemist to be filled. Today we left Compton after queueing at the lock,Then in very heavy rain made our way to Autherley Junction where we turned left through the stop lock onto the Shropshire Union canal. We only travelled to bridge five then we turned round and moored for the night.