Sawbridgeworth to Bishops Stortford and back to Harlow
Another baking hot day.
Attractive cottages by the Sawbridgeworth Lock
As we set off towards Bishop's Stortford, I decided that it would be a good idea to walk Charlie up a couple of locks. I put him on an extendible lead - usually he's on a short lead to help with his training. He had a great time, running through the long grass, and trying to get down to the water. He was panting more and more, and clearly wanted a drink.
When I caught up with the boat I got David to bring him a bowl of water on the lockside, as he was clearly so thirsty. He lapped it up lying down - he was obviously more puffed out and thirsty than I'd realised.
Back on the boat I discovered that Charlie was covered in goose-grass seeds. Not just a few, but several hundred at least. I sat on the front of the boat trying to brush them out of his hair, but as he got more and more fed up with the process I resorted to hacking at the longer 'feathers' of hair on his legs with a pair of trimming scissors. I doubt that I've managed to remove half of the goosegrass, it's going to be a long process and he'll probably need a 'number 2' cut when he gets back home. My priority at the moment is to remove them from his feathery feet, where they will cause him considerable discomfort between his toes, and from his ears - which are becoming more disreputable with every day..
Nicholson's guide seemed to suggest that there were interesting riverside pubs on the route into the town. The idea of a nice meal in a riverside garden seemed very appealing on a very hot day. The reality was very different. Like many towns there has been a lot of building going on recently, and there is a lot of new housing backing onto the river. The pubs that seemed to be riverside were close to the river - for example, on a road next to a bridge, but with a frontage only onto the road. None of them seemed very welcoming or suitable for a meal.
Moored at the end of the navigable section of the Stort.
I went shopping for food while Alan emptied the loo and filled the water tank, then I persuaded him that we should go for a coffee and some cake. We found somewhere, but only our coffee appeared - we eventually gave up waiting, paid for the coffee and went back to the boat. Our over riding feeling about what little of the town that we managed to see was that it seemed much like every other provincial town, with the same range of shops. Perhaps it was too hot, and we were too tired.
The Stort is really very attractive. Towards the south it is particularly wooded, while towards the northern part there are many open fields. Near Stortford it becomes wooded again.
Passing under Kecksy's Rail bridge, North of Sawbridgeworth.
After our brief visit to the town we set off south again. If we are to get to London on Friday we needed to get quite a long way, so we kept on through Sawbridgeworth where we passed a very attractive housing development. The strange thing is that the riverside frontage is bordered with a row of mooring bollards - and accompanying 'no mooring' signs. Why go to the cost of the bollards and then forbid mooring? There is also a marina, which is still completely empty - why?
Passing the new housing in Sawbridgeworth, above Sheering Mill Lock
"No mooring" bollard.
The empty marina. 
Where are all the boats?
Where are all the boats?We carried on into Harlow, where we moored next to the railway station, and went to eat at the Hungry Horse on the other side of the river. Our concerns about the railway, and in particular the platform announcements, proved unfounded, and we slept well.
Sawbridgeworth to Bishops Stortford and back to Harlow
Miles: 14.8, Locks: 15
Total Miles: 97.8, Total Locks: 102
No comments:
Post a Comment