Hertford and HAZARDS!!! 6-9 July 2017

An easy journey from Ware to Hertford just two locks but two very low bridges.  Managed to find a far from ideal mooring but as usual all the visitor moorings were full! However this time there were some real visitors.

The town is busy but has a Tourist Information Centre with keen staff, a good number of independent shops as well as Waitrose and Sainsburys (this one in particular was tidy) and a tiny but very interesting Museum. If as a child you had a Wisdom toothbrush then it was manufactured in Hertford by Addis.

The next three photos will interest Hilary.

 

 An interesting Inn

And here are photos that should interest Gliding instructors John and daughter Amy

The Castle now Council Offices

We met some very friendly locals and in particular an elderly gent on a scooter who  without doubt is the best ambassador for the town. Our thanks to the lady who gave us courgettes: in return I gave her my baked courgette recipe which she promised to make for her son. Overnight fishermen did well. A carp weighing in at 10lbs and a later one at 12lbs

This morning we discovered that overnight  a willow tree had fallen across the canal which meant we couldn’t leave!   We phoned the CRT and the company who run the trip boats to warn them not to do their normal weekend run as they would be unable to reach Hertford town to turn around for the return journey.

Well, the CRT did arrive about 11am with cutting equipment and helped by other boaters and us managed to clear the blockage. Thank you Dan and Greg.

So off we set to return to Ware.

We were in the first lock when a lady runner told us two trees were down across the river on the edge of Ware!  So another call to CRT and we set off thinking we would meet the CRT guys at the obstacle.

Once through Ware lock we met a narrow boat coming towards us that had managed to pass the fallen trees but the skipper doubted that we would make it.  But once around the bend we could see that we would not be able to continue. A call from the CRT said they could get someone out “late tomorrow”. What to do?

So, armed with long loppers, a saw, boat hooks and secutuars we started to hack away watched by a large towpath audience. We did have an offer of help but they had no equipment to move two trees!  After much hacking and moving the boat to & fro we managed to force a passage through the greenery.

And within five minutes had found a quiet shady mooring. What a relief!

The it was off to see Scotts Grotto.

and then we just in time to purchase the last Strawberry tarts from Simmons!

This morning after a leisurely breakfast we set out to take our recycling  but saw a poster advertising a talk on Ware that was due to start at 11.30. The time was 11.25 so with our recycling bags we went straight to The Place to hear an excellent talk!

 

This memorial is on the wall

 

 

 

 

 

And finally a little stroll up the canal to find the tree had been dealt with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hatfield House 7 July 2017

The journey began in style…….

Across from the station and bus station is the entrance

The amazing fountain where the gold ball rises and submerges.

 

 

 

 

 

The hall

The portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1

 The gold ceiling

 The gardens and old palace

  

Hedge trimming takes 8 to 9 weeks.

This painting of the Queens Jubilee was commissioned by Lord Salisbury as he organised the proceedings on the day.

 

From Waltham to Ware 4 & 5th July

As we left Waltham Tony got into conversation with a gent walking along the towpath  who was very interested in boating.  This turned out to be Gary, a charming London Cab driver who lives locally. He came aboard for a short journey and gave us walking directions to the local retail park in Cheshunt. (M & S had a “Dine in for £10” offer that we wanted to take advantage of!). Thank you Gary.

The was a car parts dealer close to M & S, and we went in to ask for a particular fuse that we need for the bow thruster. (We always like to carry a spare just in case. We got caught out on the Leeds and Liverpool last year). The two gents who worked there could not have been more helpful. Although they did not have this fuse they rang a company that they deal with and arranged to have the fuse posted to the shop. Then Graham  offered to deliver it deliver to Matilda on his way home. What excellent service. Bennetts deserve a nomination for retailer of the year.  Our very grateful thanks to them.

In the afternoon we continued up river losing sight of the power lines and it became wooded and very pretty. The water is lovely and clear and can see the weeds and fish below.

At the very scruffy Feilde’s lock this was the mess we saw at the water point. Why do people do this? It’s a water point and elsan disposal, not rubbish and hence no skips.

A lovely steam yacht at Lee Valley Marina.

We carried on and just squeezed into a 60 foot space at Stanstead Abbots/St Margarets

We took a walk along the pretty High Street of good variety of mainly independent shops and eating places, and found this notice. It pleased me enormously.

Alongside the mooring was open space, grass but including cobbled areas with quotations within, and a stone monument, but we couldn’t find a plaque explaining the background.

 

Waltham Abbey 3 July 2017

What an interesting stop on our journey!

We are moored adjacent to Lee Valley water Centre where they held the Olympic Canoe slaloms. This afternoon we watched Kent Firemen jump into the fast flowing water and learn how to get out and then young teenage canoeists practising their skills..

 The winner!

We called into the Tourist Information Centre first thing this morning and were greeted by a very enthusiastic Volunteer who gave us lots of information and suggested eating places too.

Of course we did the Abbey and its gardens first and saw where King Harold was buried after the Battle of Hastings.

The Abbey has a fine Rose window designed by pre-raphaelite artist  Burne-Jones and a highly decorated ceiling.

The Denny tomb is beautifully crafted and shows all their children which amused me!

Also displayed in the church was this notice which I think should be given to every child (and adult?)

We discovered that Waltham Abbey sits on the Greenwich Meridian and there is an ornamental gate to mark this in the Abbey grounds.

 

On the pedestrian Sun Street is also a decorative mosaic celebrating this fact and here is Tony astride the world..

The Museum was well organised and you could look through a window into the storage and conservation area. An excellent idea. I wasn’t too sure about the local heroes room where William Shakespeare featured!!!

We then walked to the entrance of the Royal Gunpowder Mill to find it is only open on Sundays! Gunpowder and other explosives have been made here since the 16th century. Lawrence of Arabia obtained explosives from here.