You have to admit, it’s a great name.

I’ve already discussed the commercial possibilities inherent in this name, but I just had to share it with you one more time. Here’s what Botterham Bottom Lock and Botterham Top Lock look like from the bottom.

Here’s one of the little walkways that get you from one side of the lock to the other when you are working the gates.

The hand rail on one side was a later addition. It may look precarious, but it’s actually a lot easier than the ledges on the side of the lock gates that you otherwise have to use. The hand rail on one side was a later addition.

It rained nearly all morning again today, so we set off just before lunchtime and continued north on the Staffs and Worcester. The locks were a bit closer together today, with one staircase (what was it called again?) and the strange flight of three that is the Bratch Locks.

The length of water between two locks is referred to as a pound. In this case the pounds have been shrunk to about 10p. There is only a few feet between one set of gates and the next, but there are strange invisible side pools that keep them at the same level with much churning and swirling, and staircases that lead down into the water.

I must admit, I don’t fully understand how Bratch Locks manage to work. I suspect magic has something to do with it, especially as you can see Hogwarts lurking in the trees.

I know the sign on it says Bratch Pumping Station, but that is clearly just to fool the muggles. Nobody would put that much effort into a mere industrial building.

Careful study of the National Trust opening times reveals that Moseley Old Hall is closed tomorrow, so we are going to visit Wightwick (pronounced Wittick) one more time and go on to Moseley on Friday, if we haven’t died of pre-Raphaelite boredom in the mean time. If you don’t hear from us again, blame the Rossettis.