TRIP REPORTS

THE RIVERS LEE & STORT

June & July 2006

Part 3 : Bishop's Stortford to Hertford via the Ware Festival

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We were surprised to wake up to pouring rain, but I'd committed us to being at the Ware Festival, so we had to set off at 8:30. Almost immediately we stopped at the facilities point and took on water. The weather later eased off, but there was still a lack of sunshine which, with overhanging trees and very green reflections made it hard at times to see where the navigation really went, especially in the twisty bits. Not an ideal situation in which to meet a wide boat coming the other way, especially one whose steerer disarmingly said "These boats go where they want to." Above Burnt Mill lock at 13:40 we found a mooring space with bollards, just above the water-point mooring , with good depth and bank-height and conveniently close to Harlow Town station. Nb Fulbourne was moored just below the lock. I went off to London for a few days.

Wendy found a very big Sainsbury's a short bus-ride from the station — it had recycling bins in its car park. Eric & Sally on Chérie moored below the lock on Monday, and Eric said hello while walking a dog, Alfie, that they're looking after. Alfie has since become a permanent member of their household. They went up to Stortford and moored again outboard of us overnight on Wednesday on their way back. I returned on Thursday evening.

We took on water (from a slow tap) before starting, and while doing so we were hailed over the fence from the station by Martin Ludgate, who was changing trains there on his way to work. We moved off at 09:25. Burnt Mill Lock was in our favour, but after that it was a bad road all the way, with many boats, like us, heading to the Ware Festival. We had a nice chat with Steve Pickford at Roydon Lock, and again made use of a BW rubbish lighter. Some of the lower lock-landings have quite high banks for a boat with as little freeboard as FC3. We reached Fieldes Weir junction at 12:42 and turned north on the Lee Navigation.

I had a nice chat at Stanstead Lock with John Milton, who was texting through to Craig Haslam the names and lengths of boats heading for the Festival so that the latter could work out where to put them. We reached Ware at 15:10 and were given a nice shady mooring outboard of Marc & Margaret on Knot Normal, a couple of boats before the footbridge. Other boats & people here that we know include Eric & Sally on Chérie, Craig (who is harbourmaster) on China, Dave Harris on Lucy, Bob & Sue Dunkley on Dunkleys of the Folly and John Shacklock (but not on Jay's Nest, which is up-country somewhere). We'd passed Coal Boy in Stanstead Abbots, so also expected Ron & Olive to arrive. We later leaned that they had sold the boat. I was too tired to go to the barbecue in the evening, but Wendy went and enjoyed it.

At the Ware Festival

It was a sweltering hot day, so we didn't do very much. I went to photograph the parade of boats coming under the town bridge. Wendy went to look at the stalls on the Priory Island, and bought a top. I went to London in the evening for museum duty plus a walk the next day.

Wendy went to the farmers' market and found some organic goodies. It was a friendly rally. I returned in the evening.

Four views in Hertdord

We made a late start (12:10) because Wendy was feeling flu-ish. Above Ware lock we met Adrian Stott on Onx, who'd moored there to do some painting. The river above Hertford lock was shallow in places - we were stirring up mud in mid-channel - and Wendy ran aground while crossing Marc & Margaret on Knot Normal. We winded at the Town Mill in Hertford and came back to moor at the Old Barge at 13:55 in great heat. Our original plan was to stay here just for some shopping and then head back downstream, but we decided it was too hot to go any further. Wendy shopped for a few things at Waitrose. I went to the pub and then walked round the town and managed to buy a folding picnic table for the well-deck and some plastic wine goblets - we'd been breaking too many glasses. Just as we were finishing dinner on the front deck, Adrian arrived and came aboard for wine, strawberries & chat.