Yet another head of navigation for Epiphany

Saturday, 03 September 2011 12:35

I suppose it is a sense of satisfaction, a journey completed, an achievement or maybe just the fact that we can say - "we have been there", that makes us enjoy going as far as we can on a particular canal or river.

The canal-like Lee Navigation above Hertford Lock

It is not quite like arriving at the North or South Pole - we do not set the Cornish flag there, but we take time to enjoy the area ......

Arriving at Hertford we could see there was just room for us on the visitor moorings, but we decided to turn around and go as far as we could before mooring up. It has been very quiet on this last bit - only one or two boats on the move so we did not think that we would lose our place.

So on we went past these lovely cottages

This area to the north west of the navigation, together with the more northerly River Lea, has created Folly Island. It is a conservation area, with 189 mostly cottage-style terraced houses and the allotments. History of the area reveals that there were mills, maltings and warehouses all contributing to the trade in Hertford, which used the Lee for transporting their goods.

Suitably for a brewing town, there is more than one pub! The Old Barge is on Folly Island and it looks as it they are building a pontoon mooring outside.

The Old Barge

Opposite, on the south bank, is what must have been the Town Wharf. It may be possible to moor with a couple of rings which we spotted in the wall there, but with a water outlet between them I would not want to stay long! Sadly, we think Hertford appears to have turned its back on the navigation when it built the shopping centre by the wharf; rather like Banbury, it missed an opportunity to enhance the waterside.

Wharf (on right) and The Old Barge

Folly Bridge (the narrow way onto Folly Island) displays a notice "end of navigation". However boats need to go through the bridge to turn (nowhere is there an indication of this, apart from navigation advice on maps).

Folly Bridge

Once through, there is plenty of room to turn and to look at! The mill buildings have been converted into residences and the backs of warehouses line the other side.

Mill and winding hole

Towards Mill Bridge

Once turned we just had to go back to Mill Bridge - only very small boats can go beyond here and have room to turn before the navigation ends in a weir. Another head of navigation for us and Epiphany.

As far as we could go (backwards)

View of the winding hole on our way back

We made our way back to the visitor moorings and moored. We had no line of sight for the satellite and were rather near the pipe bridge. Later that evening we were able to move back; we were then moored in a nicer spot - with a satellite signal!

Moored up

The boats in front have gone - but later two more replaced them!

Allotments full of promise

This will do for the weekend, nice mooring, convivial boaters and within walking distance of the shops, train station and other interesting historic things to see.

Lee Navigation, Rye House Junction to Hertford
3 hours 30 minutes, 6.82 miles, 4 locks