Travelling down hill quickly, but slowly.

We had to get soem miles and locks under our belts today so we were off by 0900. We are going up to the head of navigation at Bishops Stortford and then back down as far as we can so we can get to Tottenham on Wednesday.

Big ex-maltings at  Sawbridgworth. All the towns in this part of the world seem to have maltings buildings.

 I can't remember whick lock that this plates was at the foot of but all the locks seem to be round mill streams but it is the only one I saw. The range was set so as to ensure that there was sufficient water for the mill to work.

We got to Bishop Storford at 1130 and by the time we had winded and moored it was 1200. We walked into town which is very close to do a little shopping, and post some stuff etc. The town looks quite cute with little roads and snickets and as good range of shops with the well stocked charity shops that are a feature everywhere these days it seems.

The Corn Exchange that has been converted, by the little Market Square.

16 Century timbered pub, The Black Lion after Queen Phillippa on Bridge Street.

We dashed around and then back to the boat. We had a bite to eat and then we were off again heading down hill at 1400.

Just on the outskirts of Bishop Stortford is this complicated looking foot bridge.

It seems to take ages to get down the curvaceous Stort. When you are trying to go quickly the locks seem to fill slowly and of course everyone is against us. The leaving of the gates open is great if they are with you but add enormously to the time when they are all against you and there are no walk ways on the top gates! The weather held off with just a slight drizzle every now and then. The scenery is varied with woods and water meadows

The Stort winding through the water meadows.

I think that these horses are some special breed. Can anybody verify this and tell what the colour of them is called?

Part of our hurry is that we wanted to get to Hallingbury Marina as we needed fuel and they closed at 1600. We made it in good time to find a very neat and tidy marina with about 160 slots for a mixture of cruisers and narrow boats. One filled up we were off again.

Little Hallingbury Mill seen from the canal.

Little Hallingbury Mill seen from the end of the marina. The mill stream that would have gone under the mill and drive the water wheel has been converted into a dry dock.

I had a worry that we would be stuck for days above Latton Lock as it just would not fill for the boat coming up. The top paddles seem to hardly let a trickle in and the bottom gates leak so it never makes a level and requires a good push with the bow of the boat. By the time it was our turn to go down I had sawn up some wood and 45 mins had passed. The lack of clear bank and the A1184 running next to the canal kept us moving on and it was almost dark by the time we got to some moorings before Hunsdon Mill Lock.

Our water pump had been very slow to come on when the tap was opened. I had cleared the pump section but now I had a go at the pressure switch side. It was a little gooed up so I cleaned it up and there seems to be a screw down on the pressure switch so I slacked it off a bit to see if that would help. I put it all back together and turned on the tap. Loo and behold all seemed fine, but the 240V sockets went off, as did the inverter. How was this possible as the water pump is 12V and the inverter etc 240V. I sat had a think, checked the fuses and then remembered a fuse in the engine bay. I checked and the wire had come of it at the back. Fortunately the fuse was okay as I don't have a replacement. All was well when I snapped it back together and felt proud of myself.