Author: admin

As the river level was still high and the rail bridge low we went to Bishop Stortford by rail even though it was the rail bridge that stopped our progress!!!!

The winding hole  (where you turn around pronounced wind as in breeze not wind as in clock)

We walked from the station to the river, but passing by the bus station Tony was accosted by a hat wearing lady who admired his Tilly hat. (Check out their website). She was wearing a chinese made £22.50 hat!  I wasn’t wearing my Charleston Market hat today!

We walked along the river to the visitor moorings and upto he Tourist Information Centre (TIC) that  furnished us with two, yes two, town walks.  The first one went by M& S so we bought a “Dine in for two for £10” and that lead us to the (Hilary, you will like this)  Methodist Chapel where we had coffee & real homemade cake and an Abba CD & Bernard Cornwell novel. I was surprised at the cost 60p for both. Needless to say I added a bit more!

Did a bit more shopping at Gerry Weber (on sale) and then we visited the Museum featuring Cecil Rhodes (of Rhodesia fame for those of you able to recall earlier British colonies in Africa) and local personages and history.

I liked the embroidered tapestry of the town.

 

Note Stanstead Airport is close by.

All in all a most interesting place!  Then to the Motte in the pretty park, and finally Coopers where we bought odd bits and chocolates to celebrate Matilda’s birthday.

As we pulled out of the station to return to Roydon who should be sitting on the platform but the lady in the hat!!!

On our return to Roydon we measured the river level. it had gone down by 6 inches in 36 hours so we could now go by boat!!!!

 

 

Matilda is celebrating her first birthday today on the River Stour in Essex. The champagne is cooling……… Last year in Liverpool

 

 

Well here we are waiting……….

We came into the Marina on Monday for diesel, laundry etc knowing heavy rain was forecast for Tuesday and as you will have gathered by now I don’t do locks in the rain.

 

It rained so heavily the river level has risen (4-6 inches said a local) and having measured the very low rail bridge we are at the moment unable to continue towards Bishop Stortford, Tony has just checked and the level has reduced by one inch in two and a half hours!

 

An easy journey from Ware to Hertford just two locks but two very low bridges.  Managed to find a far from ideal mooring but as usual all the visitor moorings were full! However this time there were some real visitors.

The town is busy but has a Tourist Information Centre with keen staff, a good number of independent shops as well as Waitrose and Sainsburys (this one in particular was tidy) and a tiny but very interesting Museum. If as a child you had a Wisdom toothbrush then it was manufactured in Hertford by Addis.

The next three photos will interest Hilary.

 

 An interesting Inn

And here are photos that should interest Gliding instructors John and daughter Amy

The Castle now Council Offices

We met some very friendly locals and in particular an elderly gent on a scooter who  without doubt is the best ambassador for the town. Our thanks to the lady who gave us courgettes: in return I gave her my baked courgette recipe which she promised to make for her son. Overnight fishermen did well. A carp weighing in at 10lbs and a later one at 12lbs

This morning we discovered that overnight  a willow tree had fallen across the canal which meant we couldn’t leave!   We phoned the CRT and the company who run the trip boats to warn them not to do their normal weekend run as they would be unable to reach Hertford town to turn around for the return journey.

Well, the CRT did arrive about 11am with cutting equipment and helped by other boaters and us managed to clear the blockage. Thank you Dan and Greg.

So off we set to return to Ware.

We were in the first lock when a lady runner told us two trees were down across the river on the edge of Ware!  So another call to CRT and we set off thinking we would meet the CRT guys at the obstacle.

Once through Ware lock we met a narrow boat coming towards us that had managed to pass the fallen trees but the skipper doubted that we would make it.  But once around the bend we could see that we would not be able to continue. A call from the CRT said they could get someone out “late tomorrow”. What to do?

So, armed with long loppers, a saw, boat hooks and secutuars we started to hack away watched by a large towpath audience. We did have an offer of help but they had no equipment to move two trees!  After much hacking and moving the boat to & fro we managed to force a passage through the greenery.

And within five minutes had found a quiet shady mooring. What a relief!

The it was off to see Scotts Grotto.

and then we just in time to purchase the last Strawberry tarts from Simmons!

This morning after a leisurely breakfast we set out to take our recycling  but saw a poster advertising a talk on Ware that was due to start at 11.30. The time was 11.25 so with our recycling bags we went straight to The Place to hear an excellent talk!

 

This memorial is on the wall

 

 

 

 

 

And finally a little stroll up the canal to find the tree had been dealt with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The journey began in style…….

Across from the station and bus station is the entrance

The amazing fountain where the gold ball rises and submerges.

 

 

 

 

 

The hall

The portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1

 The gold ceiling

 The gardens and old palace

  

Hedge trimming takes 8 to 9 weeks.

This painting of the Queens Jubilee was commissioned by Lord Salisbury as he organised the proceedings on the day.

 

As we left Waltham Tony got into conversation with a gent walking along the towpath  who was very interested in boating.  This turned out to be Gary, a charming London Cab driver who lives locally. He came aboard for a short journey and gave us walking directions to the local retail park in Cheshunt. (M & S had a “Dine in for £10” offer that we wanted to take advantage of!). Thank you Gary.

The was a car parts dealer close to M & S, and we went in to ask for a particular fuse that we need for the bow thruster. (We always like to carry a spare just in case. We got caught out on the Leeds and Liverpool last year). The two gents who worked there could not have been more helpful. Although they did not have this fuse they rang a company that they deal with and arranged to have the fuse posted to the shop. Then Graham  offered to deliver it deliver to Matilda on his way home. What excellent service. Bennetts deserve a nomination for retailer of the year.  Our very grateful thanks to them.

In the afternoon we continued up river losing sight of the power lines and it became wooded and very pretty. The water is lovely and clear and can see the weeds and fish below.

At the very scruffy Feilde’s lock this was the mess we saw at the water point. Why do people do this? It’s a water point and elsan disposal, not rubbish and hence no skips.

A lovely steam yacht at Lee Valley Marina.

We carried on and just squeezed into a 60 foot space at Stanstead Abbots/St Margarets

We took a walk along the pretty High Street of good variety of mainly independent shops and eating places, and found this notice. It pleased me enormously.

Alongside the mooring was open space, grass but including cobbled areas with quotations within, and a stone monument, but we couldn’t find a plaque explaining the background.

 

What an interesting stop on our journey!

We are moored adjacent to Lee Valley water Centre where they held the Olympic Canoe slaloms. This afternoon we watched Kent Firemen jump into the fast flowing water and learn how to get out and then young teenage canoeists practising their skills..

 The winner!

We called into the Tourist Information Centre first thing this morning and were greeted by a very enthusiastic Volunteer who gave us lots of information and suggested eating places too.

Of course we did the Abbey and its gardens first and saw where King Harold was buried after the Battle of Hastings.

The Abbey has a fine Rose window designed by pre-raphaelite artist  Burne-Jones and a highly decorated ceiling.

The Denny tomb is beautifully crafted and shows all their children which amused me!

Also displayed in the church was this notice which I think should be given to every child (and adult?)

We discovered that Waltham Abbey sits on the Greenwich Meridian and there is an ornamental gate to mark this in the Abbey grounds.

 

On the pedestrian Sun Street is also a decorative mosaic celebrating this fact and here is Tony astride the world..

The Museum was well organised and you could look through a window into the storage and conservation area. An excellent idea. I wasn’t too sure about the local heroes room where William Shakespeare featured!!!

We then walked to the entrance of the Royal Gunpowder Mill to find it is only open on Sundays! Gunpowder and other explosives have been made here since the 16th century. Lawrence of Arabia obtained explosives from here.

 

We have really enjoyed these last few days Close to transport links & M & S Food!  We did not venture into Patisserir Valerie even though it was open till late!

We are sheltered from al the noise and bustle in this tranquil oasis.

 

Looking back from Matilda

Every Wednesday and Friday at noon (and Saturday 2pm) the Rolling Bridge and the Fan bridge are actioned and are so interesting to see.

 

  

 

 

 

 

We are in very good company: adjacent apartments (not flats!) are selling or renting at ridiculous prices…….

Tuesday, a rainy day,  was spent at the Imperial War Museum and from arrival just after opening, we were thrown out before we had completed floor five!

Wednesday we took the train to the Port of London Authority at Gravesend to collect charts of the River Thames, after some very helpful staff there encouraged our journey, even with train and visitor information. Train reaching 140mph at times was a change, and resulting in just over 20 minutes all the way out to an interesting area on the Thames.

 

We saw the statue of Pocahontas in the churchyard.

Then we spent the afternoon at Westminster Abbey as I had never been there before. I was delighted to see the memorial stone to mathematician Mr Green of Greens Windmill, Sneinton, in the company of Darwin and Faraday. So sad that the feet of so many visitors are destroying the commemoration stones, lacking any protection. Even at an off peak time it was so crowded we didn’t really appreciate it all and at  £17.00 entrance fee each, plus tea and cake to recover………

We waked back seeing……

Yesterday we visited the Army Museum in Chelsea.where we spent hours in their research area trying to find more detail about my Fathers Normandy exploits. I now think he was in the 5 Royal Tank Regiment part of the 7th Royal Armoured Corps commonly known as the “Desert Rats.” But there are yet more unanswered questions that will keep me busy next winter. We  ended the day by seeing the Carole King musical “Beautiful”  We really enjoyed it as being of our era we knew all the songs. We were too polite to sing along!

Today has been less active, although we notched up over 14,000 steps by walking from Little Venice through Camden to Regents Park.

Tomorrow we set sail again with quite a few locks as we go to the Lee & Stort Navigations.

Thanks to fellow boaters leaving as we arrived we have a 7 day mooring in the Paddington Arm outside St Mary’s hospital and next to Paddington Station (but beyond train noise) surrounded by smart offices and restaurants.

Thia afternoon we walked back to Little Venice (most disappointing and rather scruffy) and then to Kensington Gardens and up to the Serpentine.

Now relaxed after supper with a few glasses of Merlot!

We plan to spend tomorrow at The Imperial War Museum tomorrow (Did my Father drive a Sherman or Cromwell tank on D Day?)  and hopefully take in a show later in the week.

So if you are this way drop in and see us.

Our second day at Bletchley Park proved as interesting as our first and then we moved on to Leighton Buzzard/Linslade where we met up with the charming Alan Partridge from Vancouver. As he put it the only partridge not to fly!

Thanks to Ian on Kiskadee who helped us through so may locks and the volunteers at Soulbury locks.

View of Whipsnade Zoos Lion

We cruised on to Cow Roast Yes, it is a real place!   Notice the sunbathing heron!

As the temperature rose we moved on to Berkhampstead and moored in the shade opposite the park. Our neighbour had this amazing mermaid at the bow and an octopus at the stern!

 

It has a castle motte & bailey and classic high street with wonderfully sinful strawberry tarts from Simmons the baker.

We stayed three days and fitted in a train trip to St Albans. Did you know Alban was the first english saint?  That day we walked 10,840 steps 3.92 miles. At 20.04 the temperature was 27.7degrees.  Alan Partridge caught up with us.

The 21st we explored Hemel Hempstead and the old town is very pleasant. We had tea at a cafe called “Elbows off the table.” The name amused me.  The new part of the town is like any other recent shopping centre- very dull. They have taken limited advantage of a river flowing through, but with large trout surviving! At 4.40 it was 31 degrees and at 9.59 was just getting dark.

An unusual vessel!

This is the M25 supported by scaffolding near Maple Cross. It inspires you with confidence…..

This is the path from the mooring to Sainsburys store at Apsley Mills. I complained at Customer Services, and was told it was the councils responsibilty. If I was the manager I’d have it cleared up.  It doesn’t encourage me to shop there. Inside they have a huge wall poster about all their volunteering efforts  – a pity they don’t volunteer to litter pick this path.

From Abbots Langley the water level was very low and the first lock had so little water we were unable to proceed. We informed the CRT but tired of waiting (rang back after 1.7 hours) we dealt with it ourselves, as just above the lock water was escaping over the weir. Other boats were approaching to below the next lock.

We moored just below Springwell lock 83 and took on 118 litres of diesel from a passing fuel boat. On Saturday 24 we moored in Uxbridge – the end of the tube line! We walked into the town to find the underground station facade unchanged from when Tony worked in Uxbridge 40 years ago. A lot of new shops and Malls adjacent now.

Turning into the Paddington branch, with signpost, unfortunately Braunston removed. Just beyond is where Tony moored briefly in Blue Samba when starting work in Yiewsley, approx 42 years ago.

Immediately to the left of this picture is yellow notice saying do not leave any food waste or litter. See the gulls on the house roof just waiting………

On our journey today we encountered a sewage farm, walkers and cyclists doing a charity event, a fight between cormorant, moorhens and coots, increasing amounts of rubbish, rats (encoraged by rubbish on the bank) and a gasometer! Never a dull moment!

Now we are moored up for the night in Greenford and thinking of Lionel as a young boy living here with his mother and siblings, approx 84 years ago.