Trip on the Lee and Stort

[Canalwatcher]

We are intending to take a return trip from Uxbridge to Bishops Stortford, starting the end of next week. It will be our first time on the Lee and the Stort. Any advice or tips concerning these two rivers would be much appreciated - navigation - moorings - good and to be avoided - likewise pubs and other things you could help us out with.

 

Oops! From the posts below you'll see I was silly enough to not check stoppages thoroughly, so the trip is postponed till later in the year maybe around Easter

 

Your tips will help build confidence (I hope) before we head off into the unknown!

 

 

Mick

Edited February 4, 2009 by zodiak

[bottle]

Hi Mick

 

Do not know the area but have you checked stoppages?

 

http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/stoppages

 

There may not be any, fingers crossed.

[alan_fincher]

Hi Mick

 

Do not know the area but have you checked stoppages?

 

http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/boating/stoppages

 

There may not be any, fingers crossed.

 

Apart from any others, you'd have to be back through central London before 16th Feb, or this stoppage on the Regents will have you....

 

16 Feb 2009 - 13 Mar 2009

 

Stoppage: Whitmore Road Bridge

Associated Regional Office: BW London

 

*Up-date 28th January 2009*

 

This stoppage is now due to commence on the 16th February 2009.

The end of the stoppage date will remain as originally published for 13th March 2009.

 

Repairs to bridge abutments and canal walls.

Winding at Wenlock Basin above the lock and at Kingsland Basin ( near Kingsland Road Bridge ) below the lock. Sturts Lock will be closed for the duration of the works.

 

(Enquiries: 020 7985 7200)

 

(Unless you go round the Thames via Brentford and Limehouse, but you'll need a lot more nerve, and VHF radio, for that!).

 

I've not looked for other stoppages.

[Canalwatcher]

Thanks Keith and Alan

 

How embarassing! I had checked for stoppages but somehow missed the Regents and also there is a stoppage on the Stort at Sheering Mill Lock.

 

This trip will have to be later in the year!

 

Mick

[WJM]

Bypass the Regents stoppage by going Thames instead - a brilliant trip.

 

Bishops Stortford riverside is a dump. Moor up one lock out, downstream of the canoe club, and walk into town. Hertford is stunning, beautiful worth a few days stop.

 

Very low bridges - clear your roof!

Edited February 4, 2009 by WJM

[alan_fincher]

When you do get there, research the latest situation on the so-called mechanised locks on the lower Lee.

 

Several are twinned, with the idea that one is fully mechanised, but the other not. Unfortunately, when we did it, at least one, (Stonebridge, I think), has the mechanised one turned off. The "back up" one in this case is not a conventional lock, but has everything hydraulic, and the hydraulic gear was largely knackered. I think it took over 200 turns to hand crank one top gate against the slipping mechanism. Added to which, hydraulic paddles when laboriously raised, then sank down again. Fortunately our son has a lot more stamina than us, and relishes a challenge!

 

They may have improved the situation by now, but that lock was the hardest we ever worked. Other places, (Ponders End ?), the manual lock is entirely conventional, and we chose to work it instead of the mechanised one, (so much for progress).

 

Agree with WJM about some of the bridges - a chimney off, slow crawl for us.

 

ThE Stort is delightful, although we only got as far as Sawbridgeworth. By all accounts we didn't miss much by not seeing Bishop's Stortford.

 

One oddity of both navigations is no proper way of crossing top gates, so if you want to wind both top gate paddles, you have to walk right round via the lower gates. (Unless you are my oldest son, who put the fear of god in us by keep just walking the top of the gates, despite no proper walkway and no handrails! ).

[Canalwatcher]

Bypass the Regents stoppage by going Thames instead - a brilliant trip.

 

Agree Thames from/to Limehouse would be brilliant and it is certainly on our list.

 

Mick

[Lady Muck]

When you do get there, research the latest situation on the so-called mechanised locks on the lower Lee.

 

Several are twinned, with the idea that one is fully mechanised, but the other not. Unfortunately, when we did it, at least one, (Stonebridge, I think), has the mechanised one turned off. The "back up" one in this case is not a conventional lock, but has everything hydraulic, and the hydraulic gear was largely knackered. I think it took over 200 turns to hand crank one top gate against the slipping mechanism. Added to which, hydraulic paddles when laboriously raised, then sank down again. Fortunately our son has a lot more stamina than us, and relishes a challenge!

 

They may have improved the situation by now, but that lock was the hardest we ever worked. Other places, (Ponders End ?), the manual lock is entirely conventional, and we chose to work it instead of the mechanised one, (so much for progress).

 

Agree with WJM about some of the bridges - a chimney off, slow crawl for us.

 

ThE Stort is delightful, although we only got as far as Sawbridgeworth. By all accounts we didn't miss much by not seeing Bishop's Stortford.

 

One oddity of both navigations is no proper way of crossing top gates, so if you want to wind both top gate paddles, you have to walk right round via the lower gates. (Unless you are my oldest son, who put the fear of god in us by keep just walking the top of the gates, despite no proper walkway and no handrails! ).

 

Stonebridge is switched on again, now - they had it switched off for most of last summer because it would leak horribly should anyone leave a gate open. That hydraulic one is awful and takes 40 minutes to work. Ponders end was broken last summer, but afaik they're all working again, now. BUT, we still see alot of boaters using the manual locks, thinking the electric locks broken - they usually aren't, they need a few seconds to 'warm up' especially this time of year, the control panel freezes up a bit. So be patient, it will be worth it.

Edited February 4, 2009 by Lady Muck

[nbtafelberg]

Dont forget if you go on the Thames and your boat is more than 46 feet long you will need to have a UHF radio + License

[Ray]

The itinerary from CanalPlan AC for our trip at the end of next month puts us somewhere in the region of Edmonton and the North Circular Road bridge overnight. This looks a bit urban.

 

Is there anywhere a little bit either side of this that might be a bit more rural? We're not too worried about being close to a pub.

 

Thanks

[alan_fincher]

Ray,

 

If you push on about a couple more miles and one more lock, we moored on the stretch between Pickett's Lock and Ponder's End locks.

 

This was very quiet.

 

Unless they have sorted out Stonebridge Lock since we were there, allow a good half an hour to get throgh though. One of the crappiest I have ever done, (at least it was then).

[Richard T]

When we worked through Stonebridge last summer a family with 8 children were watching - it wasn't long before father and the older kids were twirling windlasses and saved my muscles. The sanitary station was not brilliant and the rats around the rubbish point were nearly as big as cats. One had got stuck in a bin - it got a headache with a well aimed bottle. The landscaping in the area looks good but I suspect that it provides good cover for the rats.

WJM was also on the Lee.

[Tim Lewis]

The itinerary from CanalPlan AC for our trip at the end of next month puts us somewhere in the region of Edmonton and the North Circular Road bridge overnight. This looks a bit urban.

 

Is there anywhere a little bit either side of this that might be a bit more rural? We're not too worried about being close to a pub.

 

Thanks

 

Note that Islington Tunnel is shut in the mornings (0800 - 1100) every weekday morning between 13 and 27th March.

 

Tim

Edited February 25, 2009 by Tim Lewis

[Ray]

Note that Islington Tunnel is shut in the mornings (0800 - 1100) every weekday morning between 13 and 27th March.

 

Tim

 

That one piece of advice is much appreciated as we planning to overnight at Paddington and set off from there about 09.00 heading east during the last week of that restriction.

 

Having just looked at Nicholson's I'd guess we probably would be edging up to the tunnel as it re-opens but at least we're warned not to bother setting off too early.

 

Thanks

[Neil Corbett]

If you get the time, do go up to Ware and Hertford. Hertford is much nicer than B Stortford, both in terms of waterway and town. Hertford also has excellent moorings and a very good pub - the Old Barge nearby.

 

Stonebridge lock is OK now. We went up when it was broken and back when it was fixed. I know which I prefer!!

 

Not too many overnight mooring spots on the Stort unless you just pull in to the bushes.

 

On the Lee, good overnight stops to be had at 1/2 mile beyond Enfield Lock, Waltham, Broxbourne, Stanstead Abbots, Ware and Hertford.

 

The Lee is a much maligned navigation in our opinion. There are some grotty bits, but a lot is nice.

 

If you want you could download and print a free copy of my LeeOmeter cruising calculator from http://sites.google.com/site/theherbiefiles

 

Also one for through London. They make it easy to see how long to cruise between any two places.

 

Enjoy your trip

 

Neil

Edited February 25, 2009 by Neil Corbett

[Tim Lewis]

That one piece of advice is much appreciated as we planning to overnight at Paddington and set off from there about 09.00 heading east during the last week of that restriction.

 

Having just looked at Nicholson's I'd guess we probably would be edging up to the tunnel as it re-opens but at least we're warned not to bother setting off too early.

 

Thanks

 

If you can find the time feel free to visit the London Canal Museum at Kings Cross. If you phone ahead (020 7713 0836) we might even find you a mooring for your visit, we do charge for overnight stays though.

 

Details:

 

http://www.canalmuseum.org.uk

 

Tim

[Canalwatcher]

Well we had a really enjoyable trip. Hertford was lovely and a good pint of Woodforde Wherrey at the Old Barge. Enjoyed the nature reserve area upstream of Stanstead Lock and made use of the hides there looking over the water ares adjacent to the canal. Bishops Stortford may have had some recent improvements as although not scenic from the canal the visitor moorings in the town looked fairly new/refurbished. 3 pics attached

 

Bishops Stortford

From the Old Barge at Hertford

Limehouse basin

 

Mick

[forsberg]

I'm renting a narrowboat on the Lee in three weeks, I asume then that the visitor moorings in Hertford are open now then?

 

Mick's pictures fell out somehow, trying to repost links below

 

Bishops Stortford

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/m...ak/DSC01212.jpg

From the Old Barge at Hertford

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/m...ak/DSC01218.jpg

Limehouse basin

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/m...ak/DSC01227.jpg

[Lady Muck]

The visitor moorings in Hertford were open when I was there a month ago, so yes I'd presume so.

[alan_fincher]

Mick's pictures fell out somehow, trying to repost links below

 

Bishops Stortford

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/m...ak/DSC01212.jpg

From the Old Barge at Hertford

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/m...ak/DSC01218.jpg

Limehouse basin

http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv109/m...ak/DSC01227.jpg

Mick's original images are available to me, as in-line images in the post itself.

 

If you are not seeing them, I suspect you have some browser option turned off ?

 

(Using FireFox BTW, but I'm sure would also be OK in other browsers).

[forsberg]

Well yes, was my companys webfilter that stole the pictures away .

Anyhow , Woodforde Wherrey added on "must do" list