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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour
Tours 2000, The Lee and Stort October Trip
4 - Hertford to Spellbrook Lock, Lee and Stort Navigation
Tuesday 24th October
Black threatening clouds all day but only a few showers, a bit colder
God! an even later start (10.20) This was prompted by stirrings on Kaydee the nb behind us. We both being skilled in the art of quick get always cast
off in formation. We couple aboard Kaydee were just coming back to their moorings at Sawbridgeworth after three months out. They decided to go up the
Lee before getting back as there had been a lot of water in the Stort. We said good bye to them at Ware visitor moorings as the captain said his wife
had a fixation about Tesco's and could not pass one within walking distance of a river or canal!
We got to Feildes Weir at 12.35 and started up the Stort. The flow was nothing special. At Brick Lock we met a couple coming down in what we think
was a green and red nb. It had been moored under a tree and was covered in green mould. They said that the Stort was alright through Roydon Rail bridge,
BUT last Sunday it was really up and a boat got stuck coming back through the rail bridge. Earnest is still somewhat lower than the average
"modern" nb, so they thought we would have no trouble. We cleared the bridge with
miles to spare. Linda took some bank sightings just below Roydon Lock for the return journey. God knows why BW do not at least fit air draught gauges
down stream of Roydon Road bridge and just below Roydon Lock, as there is no where to stop in between.
The water meadows above Roydon Lock were not flooded, like they were last time we were here in Easter 1997. There were a
load of kids out in canoes from the activities centre below Burnt Mill Lock. We were nearly up in Burnt Mill Lock, when round the corner came a bloody
great barge. The two guys on it could not get over to the far side visitor moorings as it was full up with anglers ignoring the No Fishing Signs. They
managed to lasso the bollard on a moored BW workboat and vaguely pull themselves over. At this point Neil saw his chance and shot out of the lock,
just missing the line of keep nets! Thank God we did not meet this craft on some of the bends round here.
From now on most of the locks were empty. Coming out of Sheering Mill Lock (small rain shower in progress) we met the classic hire boat (May - Adelaide
Marine) bad practise of allowing a bunch of kids to do the steering. Fortunately Linda stopped in time for them to run up the wrong side bank.
They managed to grind off this and carry on their way. No signs of adults appearing!
The people who we met in Brick Lock said that there was one boat ahead of us, Rusty Nail. This we passed in the half light above
Sawbridgeworth Lock. The level was still up in this length and Kelsey's Rail bridge was an aerial twanger, about 4 inches off the cratch. With the light
closing in, not helped by the threatening black clouds we pushed on to Three Legged Dog Lock (Spellbrook). We have re-named this lock, as last time
through a three legged Jack Russell came up to us and kept begging for it's stick to be thrown. At18.15 we moored above the lock, in darkness. Tonight
it was an eat in, jar curry with a couple of bottles of Black Sheep Ale. Tomorrow Neil wants to get up to Bishops Stortford and back to on the Lee,
in case of any more rain.
 Starting up the River Stort. Feilde's Weir in background. |
 Lower Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Brick Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Brick Lock Cottage. River Stort Navigation. |
 Pete the Paddle. |
 Brick Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 About to pass under Roydon Mill Bridge. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon Mill Bridge, looking up mill stream to Roydon Mill. River Stort Navigation. |
 Linda smiling. |
 Roydon Station. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon Bridge showing posts protecting curvature. River Stort Navigation. |
 Leaving Roydon Bridge. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon. River Stort Navigation. |
 The infamous, low Roydon Rail Bridge. River Stort Navigation. |
 Leaving Roydon Rail Bridge. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Roydon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Leaving Roydon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Hunsdon Mead to left and Roydon Mead to right. River Stort Navigation. |
 Hunsdon Mill Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Hunsdon Mill Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Hunsdon Mill Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Hunsdon Mill Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Eastwick Mead to right. River Stort Navigation. |
 Parndon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Parndon Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Burnt Mill Lock, Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Burnt Mill Lock, Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Burnt Mill Lock, Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Pete now has no trouble shifting these heavy old gates. Burnt Mill Lock, Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Bloody great barge appears above Burnt Mill Lock, Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 The Moorhen pub / restaurant. Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Moorhen Marina Bogmaster Station. Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Moorhen Marina. Harlow. River Stort Navigation. |
 Harlow new town is only just to right of this secluded spot. River Stort Navigation. |
 Latton Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 The sluice above Latton Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Harlow Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Harlow Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
 Harlow Lock. River Stort Navigation. |
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