Harlow and Sawbridgeworth

We were on the point of casting off when the boat which had moored overnight just a little way back came around the corner and so we let them pass. However, this meant that we followed them up most of the locks all morning.

It was another warm and sunny day - just cooling off before we moored at the end of the day. Bright blue skies prevailed.

Lockside sculpture

A number of the locks along this stretch have sculptures alongside them.

Parndon Mill

Beside Parndon Mill Lock, the former mill building has been re-developed and looks impressive. Trip boats from above the next lock brought a party of school children who were being taught how canals and locks work. The footbridge just above the lock is also quite decorative.

Towpath Footbridge

Burnt Mill Lock has these three decorated globes! This lock is also one of two on the Stort Navigation to be partly mechanised - probably to allow road widening which removed the space for balance beams.

More lockside sculptures

Between here and the next lock we could see these huge machines processing something but we never did work out what!

Latton Lock - Christine insists that this is a good picture of Mike: if only!

At Latton Lock

Above Latton Lock we spotted new-ish facilities provided by the BWML marina (at least they were not on our edition of Nicholsons) and we stopped for elsan and rubbish, although we left the water until lunch time.

At Harlow Lock there is a water point - although the space was occupied by a single-hnder who claimed that he was only just having a cup of tea having only that moment finished filling up. A slow kettle no doubt since he was nowhere near a hosepipe when we first arrived at the lock. The result was a slight problem for the next boat down as we had to use the lock landing space - there is never much space at the locks on this navigation anyway - and the space was labelled Visitor Mooring with an official sign! Once filled, we moved a few metres to a 'proper' space to stop! (The said cup of teas was still in progress even when we left after having had our lunch)

Sheering Mill Lock Cottage

At Sheering Mill Lock we had to wait a few moments whilst a BW work boat manoeuvred its way out of the lock - disturbing their tea break no doubt! Alongside is an old cottage dating back to when the navigation was first constructed. According to the information board, a factory a short distance down Sheering Mill Lane built wooden aircraft fuselages in the Second World War.

Sawbridgeworth

In Sawbridgeworth what we took to be a former maltings is now converted into a number of shops, cafe and light industrial units.

Waterways Chaplains

At the lock, a couple of Waterways Chaplains stopped to chat.

Under flight path to Stansted

By now we were right under the flight path into Stansted Airport and a steady stream of planes were coming in to land. Hopefully we will find somewhere to moor not quite so directly underneath!

Pride of Stortford

Below Twyford Lock was moored a small boat with rubbish bins - no doubt someone had a sense of humour when they named it!

By now we were just one lock short of the end of the navigation and we had been advised that Bishop's Stortford itself is not especially attractive so we moored up in a pleasant wooded stretch of the river.

9.4 miles - 11 locks