The waterway route from London to Bishops Stortford
Whilst not technically a 'London canal,' I have included the River Stort in the London Canals portfolio - because the only way to get to it is via the waterways of London.
There is nothing quite like the River Stort. Any similar, comparable navigations that existed are now closed, either in part or full. The Gipping navigation in Suffolk was one example, The Bure Navigation in Norfolk another, and the Stour in Essex/Suffolk. It was typical of the waterways of East Anglia to have certain characteristics - which included a narrow and sinous channel, and locks that did not quite measure up to broad beam standards. A parallel railway is also one other East Anglian consideration - this one being the line from London to Cambridge. It can be said that the Stort is the only atypical East Anglian waterway that still exists in its entirety, and its the only means by which boaters can reach that part of Britain directly from the national waterways network.
The River Stort is actually a canalised river that includes a small number of short lengths of canal to by pass the mills. Unlike the Lee Navigation (a canal that has forsaken much of the river it once served) most of the work on the Stort entailed widening, deepening, to accomodate barges. In this way much of the Stort's river character has been retained. Its opening was a year before the 'supersonic' Lee canal route from London to Hertford. Boats heading from the Stort to London, in that year before the Lee Navigation opened, had the dubious pleasure of using the old 'Barge River' to London, a twisitng, fast flowing, route with many shallow sections. The Stort was a relatively minor success in its heyday, serving a number of maltings and mills in Hertfordshire and Essex and enabling their produce to be taken direct to the capital.
Commercial navigation ended in 1909 when Roydon lock collapsed. The entire waterway ended up in a poor state and there was no funds to revitalise it. Eventually the Lee Conservancy bought the Stort for a mere five shillings and dutifully restored the route by 1924. Originally there were turf sided locks, the restored waterway had brick lined lock chambers. Ironically the turf sided locks were broad beam and could accomodate two working narrowboats side by side. They were not a regular feature of neither the Lee or Stort navigations, although some traffic did warrant the use of narrow boats. The rebuilt locks were unfortunately 13' 6"
Some boaters have attempted to get two narrowboats side by side into a Stort lock. At best boats may get jammed trying to enter the chambers, and if they do get in, they'll probably get jammed as the water level rises - or falls.
This feature looks at the Stort in five parts. These are: Feilde's Weir - Roydon, then to Harlow; and onwards to Sawbridgeworth; Sawbridgeworth to Spellbrook, and finally to Bishops Stortford. The total length of the navigation is just over 13 miles, with 15 locks that lift boats just under a hundred feet in total. The Stort is one of the country's steepest river navigations along with the River Kennet and the Calder and Hebble.
Into Essex - From Fielde's Weir to Roydon
Junction with the River Lea/Lee Navigation at Fielde's Weir.
In this view looking from the Hertford direction, the Stort heads off to the left, whilst the River Lea goes straight ahead (over the weir) and the Lee Navigation veers off to the right. Boats coming from the south face a quite sharp right hand turn into the Stort. Athough the location is commonly described as being at Fielde's Weir, its officially known as Rye House junction. In many ways its a relief to get off the Lee Navigation and onto something with finitely more interest.
This view looks from the Stort to the weir. In the distance is Hoddesdon power station. Its has been refurbished recently and now sports hi-tech chimneys.
The Stort is immediately narrow and sinous, and is typical of the waterway or most of its length. The route runs through Essex as far as Hunsdon where it crosses back into Hertforshire briefly, before remaining mostly in Essex as far as Pishiobury.
In a short distance is the first of the 15 risers - Brick Lock. Despite that rather neglected aspect of the location, the area is actually full of nature reserves and pools that are clean enough for swimming in. The Stort leaves off to the right, the stretch through the first two locks actually being a canal.
As the navigation works its way northwards, this dramatic hillside features strongly. The stretch along here is great for quiet moorings if one can manage to pull in.
Brick Lock is next and it tkes the navigation past some lakes. Plenty of boats in the area but no connection between the different modes. Brick and Sheering Mill locks are the locations at which original lock houses remain.
Here's a view of the lock house front door. It has a plaque relating to the Stort's promoter, George Duckett (also known as George Jackson) Another of these plaques can be found at Sheering Mill lock cottage.
Another dramatic hillside puts in an appearance as the navigation makes its way past Roydon Mill.
The navigation rejoins the Stort just above Rodyon Mill. The bridge spans the navigation and its a blind spot and sharp turn in either direction. The mill itself is straight ahead in this view.
Roydon station sits almost atop the river itself. Whilst not quite Consall Forge it can be considered in that genre. Traffic queues over the bridge are typical when the barriers are down to allow passing trains. The bridge itself is quite a tight affair, though its not the lowest (Kecksys' at Sawbridgworth is the lowest apparently.) The river and bridge can be seen on the left in the above view.
A close up of Roydon bridge
Where else on the connected waterways system can one boat into Essex? A view looking east to the level crossing and river bridge
The river passes the bottom of posh houses at Roydon and there are moored boats
Roydon lock, with the Stort heading off to the left aka 'danger no navigation'
Next: To Harlow