As forecast, it was raining when we woke and did so all morning. We had a very leisurely start after wrestling with a particularly stubborn Killer Sudoku. After coffee, I picked a slightly less wet interval and dashed up to the Sainsbury's for more nice bread and one or two other bits that had occurred to us.
In the afternoon, it actually almost stopped, so we went for a walk to stretch our legs and collect some more kindling. It looks like we shall still be using the Squirrel for a while, especially as the rumoured heat wave in May has been pooh-poohed by the Met Office. It's likely to be a fairly typical May, mixed warm and cool, damp and dry periods.
We tried the Nature Reserve again and found a way onto the South Staffordshire Railway walk, an old line converted into a very pleasant walking route, much like the Middlewood Way. It made an excellent source of fallen sticks and we gathered up two carrier bags-full to bring back to the boat to dry off.
The best way onto it from the canal is to cross Compton bridge, pass the Tiger Wok and find the access marked with the Smestow Brook Nature Reserve sign, just by where the Railway crosses the main road on an iron bridge. Once up there, turn left for Tettenhall and right for Wombourne.
Two things about this mooring. Firstly, the restaurant by the bridge, the Fiume, broadcasts its Muzak through an external speaker so if you don't appreciate rap in the afternoon or lachrymose Italian songs in the evening, tie a bit further along the moorings!
Secondly, whilst still not very good, there are better mobile signals here now, especially on Vodafone. We've noticed that mobile coverage is in general slowly getting better all along the cut.
Tomorrow, on to the top of the Bratch.
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