Wednesday 22 May 2013

Mooring nr. Glen Faba (Lower Lock) River Stort to Roydon Mill

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Another very still, grey morning greets us today.  The canal is a rich brown colour with twigs, leaves and cut grasses floating on top forming a reflective mirror.

After walking Mazey across the field from our mooring Pete checks my batteries......  3 are OK but the other 3 are slightly below par voltage.  Pete confused about what to do next.  He puts them back and then calls his friend for a long chat about batteries!!!  It looks like Pete may get a battery management system fitted and then new batteries.  Susan going greyer as the costs mount up...

Susan goes for a 3-mile 'power' walk to Dobbs Weir and on her journey passes two hotel boats heading towards Bishop's Stortford.  She also sees a heron - the first one for a long time.

View from kitchen hatch

View from well-deck (front of boat)

View from stern (back of boat)

Mooring nr. Lower Lock 

Picturesque view of Dreamer
 Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Sadly, we have to leave this beautiful spot to go to Roydon marina today for pump-out and water.  It is yet another chilly, grey day......

On the way to the marina which is not even half a mile, Pete notices a Kingfisher in the trees.  Susan misses it!!!

After filling up with water we go through two locks and then moor up again at Roydon Mill.  Just as we moor up, another boat goes past me and it is also named 'Dreamer'.  The owner waves and laughs when he sees I am called Dreamer too.  Pete reminded Susan that when we did the Anderton Lift we were told that there were only two other boats named Dreamer on their register that have ever done it.  This is the first time that I have met another boat with the same name.

Pete says "It is nice to be back home."

Pete gets ready and goes for a drink with some ex-work colleagues in London.  Susan walks to the shop in Roydon village for some bread and milk (1.7 miles in total) after checking that the car has not been clamped.

Total achievement 3 locks and 1 mile





Monday 20 May 2013

Hunsdon Meade, Roydon, Amwell Nature Reserve (River Lea) and Back again!!

Saturday, 4th May to Monday, 20th May 2013

It has been a very busy few weeks.  The internet signal has been a bit 'hit and miss' which is why you have not heard from me recently.  Every time I tried to access the internet it was either very slow or non-existant.  Susan has asked me to make a special effort tonight and up-date you on what we have all been up to!!

After a lovely evening moored above Hunsdon Meade lock, we made it back to Roydon Mill.  We all like it here.  Susan especially loved the many flowers in bloom at Hundson Meade.  She said there was a carpet of yellow (dandelions) on the walk along the towpath.

Above Hunsdon Meade Lock
Hunsdon Meade Lock
Mooring at Roydon Mill

Susan and Pete were then busy meeting friends and family.

Saturday was a meal at Jane and Gerald's home in Loughton.  Such a laugh, according to Susan.

Sunday after Susan went to an Art Exhibition in Roydon, they had a relaxing lunchtime meal with Lorraine and Pat at Hallingbury Mill.  Pete confirmed that the carvery was delicious.

Hallingbury Mill - Restaurant

Hallingbury Marina
Monday, I was left alone, as the family went to a 4x4 off-road driving day organised by friends Matt and Karen.  The Ash pub was the place to chill-out and quench their thirst afterwards.  They bumped into friends Carl and Paulo at the pub.  Carl's aunt and uncle were there too.  They told Susan about the narrow boat they had for 7 years.  The 'best time' of their lives.  Sadly, they had to give it up after Carl's aunt broke her ankle.

Tuesday, a sad day for the village of Hatfield Broad Oak as well as Pete and Susan, their friend, Charlie, was given a final farewell and buried in the beautiful church in Hatfield Broad Oak.  Susan said that she cannot believe it but since December she has been to 3 funerals - all under the age of 50!!

Wednesday-Saturday - resting in Roydon as windy and not cruising weather - so say Pete and Susan.

Sunday was Lacey's christening.  She is the daughter of Matt and Karen and so adorable.  Susan said that she looked like an angel in her white dress, shoes (with hearts on) and bonnet.  A happy day!!

Matt, Laren and Lacey

Monday, 13 May 2013

The family are up early today and we set off to Roydon Marina for fuel and water.  We are back on the same mooring within 2.5 hours.  I got a little bit of exercise today - Yah!

Total achievement 2 miles and 4 locks

Tuesday and Wednesday - Susan disappears for two days and visits her friend Una.  Mazey and Pete keep me company.

Thursday, 14 May 2013

I get a good run today!!!  Susan and Mazey walk alongside me from Roydon Mill to Stanstead Abbots.  On the way Susan chats with Pam and Darryl (owners of IZZY narrowboat moored in Roydon Marina).

We go through two locks and manage to get the ONLY space available for a mooring in Stanstead Abbots.  It was a very tight squeeze..........

Total achievement 3 miles and 2 locks


Friday, 17 May 2013

A very chilly, grey day greets us this morning.  Just as we leave the mooring a large wide-beam hospitality boat passes us from Roydon marina - going in the same direction!!  Susan and Pete help Paul do Stanstead Lock as he is single-handed.  The top paddles create fast jets of water which in turn starts strong currents within the lock - not good.........  A dog walker helps Susan to re-set the bridge over the lock whilst Pete and Mazey fill me up with water.

There are repair works happening along the towpath moorings at Amwell Nature Reserve which is the spot we hope to moor at today.  Eventually, we find a place just as the Lancaster bomber plane goes overhead with Chris Evans on board.  Pete is upset as he did not have his camera to hand.

Mooring nr. Amwell Nature Reserve

Susan walks to Ware to get a few shopping bits and comes back with two heavy shopping bags.  She must be daft walking all that way......  She tells Pete about the parrot called 'Charlie' in the pet shop.  She was very vocal and kept 'tutting', whistling and saying 'hello'.  That was the parrot not Susan ;))

Lots of waterfowl and birds around here.  Terns diving by the boat catching flies.  Susan saw goslings and baby coots.  Greylag geese, moorhens, ducks and swans.

David on Pipperella (Roydon Marina) pulls up in front of us and Pete goes to have a chat.

Saturday and Sunday - rest days.

Susan, Pete and Mazey go for long walks either to Amwell Nature Reserve, Ware or Stanstead Abbots.  Susan went to the Dragonfly/orchid meadow but did not see either a dragonfly or an orchid.  She did see goslings though and enjoyed the walk.

Bluebells on nature walk

Pete and Mazey on the bridge at Amwell Nature Reserve walk

Family of Coots nr. Ware nesting in a moored boat

Pretty floral boats at Amwell

Family of geese at Amwell
Monday, 20 May

Another grey, chilly,  'autumnal' day.  The sky is a grey blanket and rain is threatening to fall.  We decide to head back towards Roydon.

I get a lot to drink at Stanstead lock.  Whilst filling up, a boat comes through the lock and Pete helps them.  They have a dog that looks like Mazey but it is much braver as it runs up and down the roof of their boat.  It balances precariously as they complete the lock.....

There seems to be a problem with Stanstead lock as we try to exit it - the top gates are leaking ferociously.  The occupant of the lock cottage comes out and chats with Pete.  He promises to report it for us.  We managed to get one gate open and are able to exit safely.

No mooring spaces in Stanstead Abbots.  We try to wedge me between two other narrowboats but too tight.  No luck.  Susan is fed up as the other boat had at least 5 feet of clear space behind it and the people were on board.  They could hear that we were just a foot short..... but did nothing to come and help.  If that was Pete he would have helped and moved his boat back......

Pete thinks I have a problem with my batteries.  They seem to be taking a longer time to charge.  This will mean more money to be spent on me.  I don't think they are happy about it.  It took 20 minutes for me to switch over to absorption this morning.

By 1:00 we have moored successfully in a beautiful place, just after Lower lock near Glen Faba.  We are about 1/2 a mile from Roydon Marina.  Pete says he would like to stay here until Wednesday morning when we will visit the marina before heading back to Roydon Mill.  Pete puts down the plank so that Susan and Mazey can get off safely.  He also uses his chainsaw to chop down wood.  Never been happier.   Pete says "It's nice here.  Ain't it??" as he watches the ducks go pass us.

Achievement 3 miles and 2 locks













Friday 3 May 2013

River Stort: Sawbrdgeworth to Hunsdon Meade

Friday, 3rd may 2013

Another beautiful, sunny but chilly morning.  Pete got up at 5:00 am to put the heating on - it was so cold.......

Susan feels a bit tired today and says she is not looking forward to the journey.  She says that her knee, back and hands hurt.....  Pete, however, is keen to get going and moves me to the lock, whilst Susan finishes off her cup of tea.



Sawbridgeworth
Sheering Mill Lock
We go through Sawbridgeworth, Sheering Mill (the bottom gates are automated) and Freakes lock.  Susan and Mazey walk to Freakes lock along with the many cyclists, runners and dog walkers. It is a bank holiday weekend, so the river towpath is getting busy.

Lawrence moorings - Sawbridgeworth
Pete on top at Freakes Lock
Once at Harlow lock, which is opposite the Harlow Mill pub, there are two boats moored here obscuring the water point again.  Pete manages to wedge me in between the lock gates and the cruiser.  I am thirsty so it takes a while to fill me up.  Just as Pete puts the hose pipe thingy away another boat exits the lock.  Friendly couple from Braunston.  Their boat named Slipaway came second in the Crick Boat Show in 2004.

Busy at Harlow Lock

Harlow Lock
A number of boats pass us including a hire boat - Black Prince.  Susan gets excited when she sees two ducklings - summer is here at last she says!!!  The trees are full of blossom and she spots her first Bluebells too.

At Burnt Mill Lock, Dave, the volunteer helps us go through the lock.  He is finishing at 4:00 today.

The Moorhen nr. Burnt Mill Lock, Harlow
At Parndon lock a boat blocks the lock, so I have to reverse to enable Susan and Mazey to get off me to prepare the lock.  As I exit the lock another boat approaches.  Pete waves them through.  It is getting busier by the hour.....

Eventually, we moor above Hunsdon Mill lock - my first try was aborted as the water was too shallow and I scraped my bottom on the mud and silt. It is a lovely area according to Susan and Pete.  I'm not bothered.......

It was a beautiful day cruising through pretty countryside, sun shining down and warming my paintwork, slight breeze on my bow...... If only everyday could be like today.....

Another boat arrives and moors in front of me.  A few boats pass us and head towards Roydon.  Pete grooms Mazey as she was panting today.

At 8:00 pm a young man knocks on my stern.  Pete answers.  The young man, drinking from a beer bottle, is looking for his dad and thought I was his boat!!!!  It transpires that he is looking for Rob who was moored in Roydon.  Pete tells him he is now moored at Rye House which he was a few weeks ago.  He walks in that direction.  Susan hopes he gets there safely and does not drink anymore alcohol on the way.  Pete says 'How strange'..........  He also wishes he had said "Let your dad know we are still waiting for the £50 he owes us".......

Total 7 locks and 5 miles


Thursday 2 May 2013

River Stort: Phisiobury to Spellbrook Lock, Bishop's Stortford and back to Sawbridgeworth

27th April - Saturday



Apartments along River  Stort - Sawbridgeworth

We are all ready to head off at 11:00.  It is a chilly, bright and breezy day!!

We travel through Feakes, Sheering Mill, Sawbridgeworth, Tednambury and Spellbrook locks.  Sawbridgeworth, from the river is very attractive.  We go past Lawrence Moorings which is a beautiful group of apartments that overlook the canal.  They also have private moorings for the owners of the apartments but these were empty.


Mazey wants a biscuit

At Tednambury lock, Susan gets chatting to the owners of a 42 ft narrowboat.  They are heading towards Stansted Abbots.  They have a mooring in Hallingbury marina, which is accessible just past the lock.  It is a non-residential marina and has capacity for 140 boats.  They operate a 'waiting' list for moorings as it is so popular.  There is a building called the 'Mill' offering meals and accommodation too.  Susan says that "We must try it".  The couple said the food was very good in the Mill. They did mention that not many boats go past this point in the river and that it is usually very quiet.


Mill view from Tednambury Lock
















At Spellbrook locks, the lock seems very dirty and does not appear to have had many boats passing through.  Pete manages to moor me by tying my stern rope to the last lock bollard and then ties up the bow which is now several feet away from the towpath.

Susan and Pete comment on how close the planes are.  We are directly under the flight path to Stansted Airport.  Susan also says "There aren't many ducks along here but I have noticed a few moorhens".

28th April - Sunday

Susan cleans the boat and friend, Yvette, visits for coffee.  Susan and Pete leave Mazey and I alone whilst they go for lunch into The Three Horseshoes.  It is a timber-framed, thatched roof building dating from 1449!!  There is a large garden too.  It is a short walk across the railway line.  They meet up with Keith, Jayne and Anna.

29th April - Monday

We manage to leave Spellbrook as another boat enter the locks which is headed in the same direction as us. On the way we notice some wood carvings on trees - very creative.....  There is one of a woodpecker too.....

Owl carving in tree

Twyford Lock
We head toward's Bishop's Stortford which is where the River Stort ends for coffee with Tim.

Besides Pig Lane is Twyford lock we meet up with the owner of the boat behind us and he helps us with the lock - very kind of him.  He tells Susan that his daughter has come to visit him and he is going into Bishop's Stortford for shopping.   We go through South Mill lock and meet up again with the boat owner.  He says that he loves the River Stort as it is so quiet, peaceful and pretty.  Rushy Meade, nature reserve, was a lovely spot to moor.  Pete tried a couple of times to moor up but failed to get a safe mooring point or one end in with easy access to the towpath.  So we carried on!!

Once on the outskirts of Bishop's Stortford there are more buildings.  At the end of the river, Pete turns me around by the Belgique Cafe.  No problems even though it is breezy.  There are 14-day visitor moorings here and a BW sanitary station; water, pump out and rubbish point.  Susan thinks there is room for about 4 boats here.  I get tied up and they head off for coffee with Tim.

End of navigable River Stort - turning point

Bishop's Stortford moorings
Bishop's Stortford is a small market town with plenty of shops, eating places and coffee houses.  After shopping, Pete tells Susan that he wants to moor up in Sawbridgeworth where there is room for more boats.

Off we go again!!  We go through 4 more locks prior to mooring in Sawbridgeworth.  Susan and Mazey walk from Spellbrook to Sawbridgeworth through stunning countryside (2 miles).  Mazey seemed very happy as she kept trying to get ahead of me and then running to the back to see Pete who was driving and Susan who was walking.  It was great fun!!  Mazey must have done treble the distance.........

Total 6 Locks and 7.5 miles

30th April to 2nd May (Tuesday to Thursday)

Resting days in Sawbridgeworth - Mazey exhausted.......  Pete takes the opportunity of the lovely weather to paint one side of me - yah!!!  Susan decides to update this blog....

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Wednesday 1 May 2013

Marathon and the River Stort

21st April to 26th April, 2013

It has been a very busy time since we last blogged.  The most exciting event was when Susan's niece, Emma, ran the London marathon.  Her time was an amazing 3 hrs and 52 mins and she raised an even more spectacular £6,000 for the KIDS charity.  Well done Emma!!!

Emma in the Queen Victoria Arms, Loughton
25th April, 2013

I got to move from Roydon Mill to Hunsdon Meade.  On the way we went under a bridge which was very tight.  Pete had to crouch down.  This bridge cuts off the River Stort navigation if there has been a lot of rain and the water is high.  You can understand why??

Pete 'ducking' down under bridge on the River Stort
On the way we went through Roydon lock which is now open to customers for drinks.

Roydon lock

Mazey and Pete - resting!!!
We moored in a beautiful spot overlooking Hunsdon Meade Nature Reserve.  The only downside is the mooring is a bit difficult - Pete put my bow in near the towpath and my stern was adrift a good few feet.

View from Hunsdon Meade Lock
26th April, 2013

Another chilly, but bright day with scattered showers!!!  Mooring is, once again, difficult along this stretch.  The countryside is stunning and it is very quiet on the way.  All the available moorings have been taken by other boaters!!!  Above Hunsdon Meade lock there are mooring rings and a pretty place to moor.  However, we have just set off so Pete says that we should continue.......

At Parndon Mill lock all the paddles have to be closed on exiting the lock as they leak.

In Harlow Town, Burnt Mill lock is part automated and Pete and Susan needed a British Waterways key to operate the lower gates.  Thankfully, Dave, a volunteer helped us through.  He was very friendly and chatted away to both Susan and Pete.  This is a very busy area by the Harlow train station which is at the back of the main shops.  There are 14-day moorings but again these were being used.  Water was not available due to a boat mooring at the water point.

Dave, Burnt Mill Lock.

After the lock there is a pretty canal pub, the Moorhen, there are moorings here but they are also being used.  Beyond this was a BW sanitary station supplying water and pump-out.  Showers were available too.  We managed to fill-up with water, as I was a bit thirsty........

The Moorhen
Latton lock is in a very quiet part of the river.

At Harlow lock there, again, are limited moorings, 2 boats, but not able to moor here as planned as two boats are here already!!!  Opposite to the lock is a very pretty pub called the Harlow Mill.

Eventually we manage to moor up near Pishiobury Park where we can see the Beckham's family home just as the downpour starts, to the relief of Susan and Pete.  Mooring here my bow was in close to the towpath and the stern was out quite a bit.






Total 4 locks and 4 miles