The upper Lee Navigation

Sunday was a special day. Cruising up the Lee from Broxbourne and meeting a friendly bunch of other boaters at the locks, we eventually arrived at Stanstead Abbots, which is the place where we first set eyes on Herbie. I almost got a lump in my throat!

Then even more nostalgically, we retraced our first ever cruise on her. Up through Ware with its quaint waterside gazebos and on through the water meadows to Hertford, busy with Sunday strollers. Hertford is as far as you can get in a boat on the Lee, and turning round at the limit of navigation we moored up in a quiet spot next to the town allotments. Actually we call them Laboritations, because that was the word our Richard made up for them when he couldn’t remember the real word. I think it sounds rather grand myself.

This top end of the Lee is not much visited, but well worth it. The river is clear and pretty, the moorings are good and there is a five star pub, The Old Barge at the end. They have a good Sunday night quiz, and if we had been able to recognize a photo of Justin Timberlake in drag, or more accurately guessed to top five selling European cars, we might not have come last. Nevertheless it was a good night, helped along by perfectly served pints of Deuchars IPA.

Hertford must be among the smallest and quietist County towns, a small market town really. I like it a lot.

Today we are staying put, awaiting the arrival of Rick and Marilyn tomorrow. The boat has been washed, I’ve touched up some paint and its only lunchtime.