Return of the blog – The only way is Essex

After a 3 month break I’ve returned to updating the blog and changed to a new site.
To be honest it’s as much for my own interest as anyone else but if you find it interesting then all the better.

Firstly a quick update. Over the past 3 months I’ve travelled waterways I’ve covered before.  After spending Christmas in Oxford I made my way back up the South Oxford canal to Braunston – a place close to my heart as it’s where I bought Mr Bunbury and it always feels like home whenever I pass through.  From there I made my way down the Grand Union to London, stopping in Milton Keynes for a few weeks to catch up with an old friend. On reaching London I spent most  6 weeks on the central London canals around Little Venice, Paddington and Limehouse.

After a weeks shore leave to visit my brother on the beautiful although rather damp Is;e of Man I headed up the rivers Lee and Stort which head north from London to Hertford and Bishops Stortford respectively.  I’ve travelled the Lee before and while the first few miles are not pretty once you clear Hackney the river passes through open marshland with several nature reserves before reaching the quiet town of Ware – famed for it’s Gazebos. Only a couple of mies further it Hertford which is the limit of the navigable Lee.

Ware Gazebos

From Hertford I headed back down the river and spent a couple quiet nights in the countryside and visited the nature reserves – camera and new lens in hand.

Moving onto the Stort for the first time the nature of the river changed significantly. While the Lee was largely wide and straight the Stort is much narrower and meanders its way through the countryside offering new views at every turn.  Although only 14 miles long the inclusion of 15 locks makes it a good two day trip.