Getting ever closer, but a little more Lee to go

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Getting ever closer, but a little more Lee to go

Thursday, 15 September 2011 16:06

The M25 kept me awake a bit last night - the bridge is just above Rammey Marsh Lock.

Leaving Rammey Marsh this morning

However, it will not be long now, but we will miss the good weather I fear ........

So what is getting nearer? The River Thames, of course! We have booked to go out at Limehouse at the weekend, providing it is not blowing a gale. Today we arrived "in the Smoke". Well, the edge of it anyway. But first it was Enfield - this is quite a nice scene in the sunshine above the lock.

Houses on Government Row, boat and swans

Below Enfield Lock are the old 1907 Lee Conservancy Offices, taken over by BW, but now they have moved on

The BW yard (once the Conservancy Yard) is next door and they are busy building a new work boat by the looks of it. Enfield was the Conservancy's centre of management for the Lee Navigations, so it is no wonder they built some nice looking buildings!

BW Yard

Enfield Dry Dock was busy too

We were now in "reservoir land" again; the large water collectors line the Lee from Enfield to Walthamstow. Despite the high banks and pylons, it felt a little rural on that bank, as horses and sheep graze on the side of the reservoirs. The other side is mainly light industry, with the odd reminder of the days of freight on the Lee.

Opposite William Girling Reservoir

We remembered our Bounty for Alf Saggs at Pickett's Lock

We sat in Picketts lock and took on water; it was so hot in the sunshine. We could have waited until we arrived at Stonebridge Lock. I had forgotten, and not made a note of, the BW Waterside Centre facilities above the lock. It appears to have everything - very handy for all the boats moored between Chalk Bridge and Tottenham Lock.

Stonebridge Waterside Centre

We arrived at Tottenham Lock - passing the wonderful old boats now used for offices, studios and arts. This large barge (is it a Lee Lighter?) is also moored there.

Barge above Tottenham Lock

Waiting above Tottenham Lock

Below, the river widens out, lined with apartments and then there is a pleasant stretch past Markham Beam Engine. We moored up below the railway bridge at Walthamstow Marshes - near enough to Clapton for John to go to the small supermarket there.

Finally -