Greetings from the Deep South

[Mac of Cygnet]

Well Cygnet is at this moment the most southerly boat on the Connected System (cue for a chorus of "Oh no it isn't! ). One thing I've noticed in my voyage south is, I'm afraid, a reinforcement of a stereotype: Whether underway, moored, or off the boat I always try to catch the eye of towpathers and give a cheery greeting. It's quite rare not to get a response oop north (except for anglers, obviously ), but down here about 50% of the time there's just a blank stare or at the most a curt nod or a twitch of the lips. Am I risking being locked up for trying to greet people?

 

It's back down to the Thames now and into London. Not sure if I'm looking forward to that. Don't worry, I won't try to accost people on the Regents Canal towpath.

 

Mac

[matty40s]

I find the Regents refreshingly friendly, not only tourists but thye locals too. The eye candy is refreshingly refreshing too

[Proper Job]

Will you be trying to go to the most Easterly part of the connected system (Bow creek and the Thames round Greenwich)?

 

I will await to be shot down by making the above statement

[magpie patrick]

East and west are more problematic aren't they, because it depends how far you are willing to go on tidal waters whereas north and south you can't get out, you hit a dead end that is the most northerly or southerly point.

 

If you exclude tidal waters altogether, I suspect Salters Lode is the most easterly, and is probably east of Bow anyway

 

(scurries off to look for a map)

 

Just looked, it's touch and go, but Bishops Stortford is east of Bow anyway

[Proper Job]

I think I can shoot myself down in flames

 

I just found this:

The meridian line enters England from the North Pole on the east Yorkshire coast at a place known as Sand le Mere, just south of Tunstall. OS Explorer Map 292

The line then passes to the west of Withernsea, close to the cemetery and Little England Hill, and on down virtually straight through Patrington Windmill. OS Explorer Map 292

 

It crosses Sunk Island Sands and on into the river Humber estuary.

 

Through Cleethorpes sands, a popular seaside resort since Victorian times, and then down to Louth. OS Explorer Map 282 and OS Explorer Map 283

 

Just north of Louth the line passes through Brackenborough Hall and the deserted medieval village of Brackenborough. OS Explorer Map 282

 

The meridian's route can be seen at Eastgate in Louth, a market town set on the eastern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Much speculation has been aroused in Louth as to where the line actually goes and several articles and letters have appeared in the local newspaper The Leader. OS Explorer Map 282

 

The youth hostel at Woody's Top almost gets a direct hit before the line enters the hamlet of Little London north of Tetford. Just to the east is Somersby, another tiny Lincolnshire Wolds village perhaps best known as the birthplace of Alfred Lord Tennyson, who went to school 'on the meridian' at Louth. OS Explorer Map 273

 

Bolingbroke Castle, in old Bolingbroke a mile east of the line, was the birthplace of Henry IV. OS Explorer Map 273

 

The line passes through the eastern outskirts of Boston, where the river Witham gave access to Flanders and parts of northern Europe and made it, 800 years ago, one of the most important commercial centres in the country. It was from here in the early seventeenth century that the Pilgrim Fathers set forth to seek religious freedom. They eventually settled in America where their new homes became Boston, Massachusetts. OS Explorer Map 261

 

After crossing the river Welland it passes through Majors Farm before hitting Holbeach and Clough and going just west of Holbeach itself. OS Explorer Map 249

 

The school in Somersham is right on the line, but it just goes west of Bluntisham. OS Explorer Map 225

 

The line runs parallel to the road through the village of Swavesey before it runs west of Cambridge bisecting Great Eversden and Little Eversden. OS Explorer Map 225 and OS Explorer Map 209

 

Crossing the A10 at Melbourn, the line runs east of Royston. Royston grew up at the intersection of two ancient roads: Ermine Street and the Icknield Way. The Meridian crosses Ermine Street (now the A10) twice. OS Explorer Map 209

 

The golfers at Hamels Park, just north west of Puckeridge, tee off in one hemisphere and sink their putts in another. If it rains they can shelter in Noah's Ark Farm, just outside Ware, which is right on the line, or in the village of Cold Christmas just to the west of the line. OS Explorer Map 194

 

Just to the south of Ware the line enters the Lee Valley and follows the river till it enters the Thames. On its way passing through the ruins of Waltham Abbey and the scout camp at Gilwell Park. Leaving Epping Forest through the Chingford Pillar at Pole Hill, in to the residential areas of Walthamstow, Leyton, Stratford and Newham. OS Explorer Map 174

 

Although the line passes through numerous schools, it only touches two hospitals, Chingford Hospital being the first from the north and the famous plastic surgery Victoria Hospital at East Grinstead the first from the south. OS Explorer Map 174 and OS Explorer Map 135

 

The line crosses the Thames at Blackwall and just hits the North Greenwich site of the new Millennium Dome before entering the Thames again to come out at Greenwich through the Royal Observatory. In the courtyard of the Royal Observatory a brass strip divides east from west, and is a favourite spot for taking photographs as visitors straddle both hemispheres. Hither Green railway station, two miles south of the observatory, has platforms in both hemispheres. OS Explorer Map 162

 

The M25 is crossed at Oxted with the line running right through one of the village schools and the village centre itself. Lingfield Park racecourse is just to the west of the line before it reaches East Grinstead. OS Explorer Map 146

 

East Grinstead marks the Meridian in a very special way by including its representation in the form of a white line in the town's coat of arms. The Town Clerks offices are also bisected by the line. OS Explorer Map 135

 

South of East Grinstead the line gets wet in the Weir Wood reservoir before hitting Sheffield Park Station, the home of the Bluebell Steam Railway. OS Explorer Map 135

 

The most southerly residential areas along the line are Lewes, Iford and Peacehaven (once the home of Gracie Fields). OS Explorer Map 122

 

The line runs through the cemetery next to the Lewes County Hall before passing close to the church at Iford and entering Peacehaven. There is an obelisk at the point where the line crosses Peacehaven promenade and plunges over the cliff into the sea. OS Explorer Map 122

 

Next stop France, Spain, Northern Algeria, Sahara Desert, Ghana and Lake Volta, leaving Africa at Accra before its long Atlantic Ocean journey towards Antarctica and the South Pole.

 

 

[Mac of Cygnet]

Will you be trying to go to the most Easterly part of the connected system (Bow creek and the Thames round Greenwich)?

 

 

No. I didn't even go right up to the limit of navigation, Godalming Bridge. I just came here because it was on the Wey (so to speak).

[Daftmare]

No. I didn't even go right up to the limit of navigation, Godalming Bridge. I just came here because it was on the Wey (so to speak).

 

 

Are you still at Godalming?

 

I will run down a say hello on my way home from work

 

 

Jo.

[skpt]

I used to live in the next village to Somersham and the meridian line went through the Post Office. I seem to remember that a bit of a fuss was made over this for some event or other(this would be in 1980 ish) and it was allowed to frank its letters.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Are you still at Godalming?

 

I will run down a say hello on my way home from work

 

 

Jo.

 

As you've possibly found out by now, no, I left this morning just after I posted (the latter with difficulty and twice!) and am now at Triggs lock.

[Daftmare]

As you've possibly found out by now, no, I left this morning just after I posted (the latter with difficulty and twice!) and am now at Triggs lock.

 

 

Yep, had a quick look on my way past from work and saw that you had gone. Sorry if you have found us less than friendly around here! We are used to getting a response about 50% of the time.

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 

Jo.

[Proper Job]

No. I didn't even go right up to the limit of navigation, Godalming Bridge. I just came here because it was on the Wey (so to speak).

We made it

 

 

 

Had to reverse back down through the trees to the wharf to turn

Edited June 8, 2011 by Proper Job

[MoominPapa]

I used to live in the next village to Somersham and the meridian line went through the Post Office. I seem to remember that a bit of a fuss was made over this for some event or other(this would be in 1980 ish) and it was allowed to frank its letters.

The place where the meridian crosses the River Nene old course near Floods Ferry is marked with a sign donated by the local Rotary Club, I think. It's just west of the dodgy bridge which is described in the navigation notes as "Please don't hit this bridge as it will surely fall on you."

[Daftmare]

If anyone is making a trip to the "most southerly connected point" (being Godalming) please say, so that I can greet them on arrival! Its only 2 mins from my boring desk............

[JonL]

I owned a house once that the Greenwich Meridian ran right through the middle of ( Chingford London E4 ) - great talking point, I used to sleep in East and pee in the West !