Topic ID 7183
We had a delightful slow cruising down the river to Ware on the new river bus. Boat stop is behind Waitrose, crew very helpful and the river full of wildlife. Journey takes about one and a half hours and goes through two locks. Cost is £3 for children and £6 for adults. And there is a licenced bar and tuck shop on board. We think this venture is well worth supporting.
Reply ID 93893
Linda, I completely agree with supporting this. A lot of people should take the time to slow down and enjoy the river. What time did you leave and where from? Apart from the lock stop, does the boat stop off at any other time? Did the cost get you a return journey?
Reply ID 93894
we left waitrose at 12 noon and arrived in Ware fire station car park (far end of high street) at about 1.30. I think the boat starts in Ware at 10 am and 2pm. From Hertford at 12 noon and 4 pm at the week ends. Its run by the Lee & Stort Boat Co You may find more details on their web site
Reply ID 93895
The boat did not stop for passangers at the locks. and you can stay on to return £3 & £6 is one way.
Reply ID 93898
Runs in the evening i think and is a bit of a "party" bus. anyone know where there are some firm details on this boat?
Reply ID 93904
Hi our website is http://www.leeandstortboats.co.uk or you can contact us on 08451162012 The Party boat service is on Friday & Saturday nights and starts at The Saracens Head in Ware @8pm travels to The Woolpack in Hertford for 10pm an then returns to Ware for midnight. £5 admission. The times for the waterbus are 10am & 2pm from Ware, 12 noon and 4pm fron Hertford. please keep an eye on our website as we will be adding another boat in the next couple of weeks due to the high demand, We also have boat's available for private hire.
Reply ID 93905
Hi Lee and Stort Boats.. Chatting to a friend the other day and reading your site I see you do one off events too. A great idea we had could be a real ale cruise? get some real ales on board, would be really good?
Reply ID 93913
quote:Thank you for your suggestion please keep an eye on our website as we are discussing your idea with Mcmullens and Crate Brewery and hope to hold a real ale cruise very soon, Please feel free to send suggestions to [email protected]
Originally posted by codek2
Hi Lee and Stort Boats.. Chatting to a friend the other day and reading your site I see you do one off events too. A great idea we had could be a real ale cruise? get some real ales on board, would be really good?
Reply ID 94249
We took the river bus from ware priory to hertford on Saturday my 5 year old loved the locks and seing ducklings and baby moorhen so close up . the staff were friendly and the boat immaculate . really would recommend it
Reply ID 94320
is it really priced so that a family with 2 kids to do a return trip would be £30??
Reply ID 94584
About time something like this arrived in Hertford, great idea. Will have to go down and see whats it's like, i expect it's rather busy with this hot weather at the moment.
Reply ID 94594
Just to remind everybody; this is not such a recent innovation. I ran river trips a few years back with Hidden Hertford. I hired the craft from the Canal Boat Project. They had craft adapted for handicapped and disabled persons and could moor up on the Old Barge side of the Lea where we could get anybody on board with the help of a on board hoist. This is not now so easy because British Waterways have done nothing about repairing the wall outside the Old Barge. The sandbags remain in place although somewhat less full than they were a few years back; and no idea when any further remedial work might take place. Before I go any further this is not sour grapes but just another in a series of my past life in Hertford. The problem I had with costings was that to run trips on weekends I had to hire the craft Fridays to Mondays and the cost of four days had to be met by two days hire fees. This was partly offset by selling the seats to handicapped groups, carers, and disadvantaged groups on the down time. I ran trips from Hertford to Ware only for a much reduced rate. The trips were funded by an application to Action for Market Towns and National Lottery. The manager of AMT came down one Monday morning and was impressed by the small group of disabled children taking a trip to Ware. She asked me how much such a craft would cost. It costs about £1000 per foot = £60,000 plus lift plus other safety features which equalled about £85,000. I actually found a suitable craft for sale in Stratford upon Avon. The idea was to run trips on weekends, allow schools on board weekdays to explore the river and to hire it out for corporate breakfasts or dinners on mornings/evenings. The funds were agreed in principle BUT .. that very year the Government withdrew funding to all manners of organisations including the Asset Management Fund which I would have applied to buy the craft I had in mind. I have no problem with Lee and Stort Boats running trips. I am actually pleased that these are taking place. This stretch of the Lea is ignored, under used and frankly under financed which goes back to a decision by the Labour controlled Hertford Borough Council in the 1960's refusing to be part of the Lea Valley Area Park. This now get millions of euro funding from the EC but support and involvement ends at Ware, as do the maps. Now you might understand why I end up being so frustrated and occasionally express this on this forum.
Reply ID 94596
quote:WOW ! Great info , I always wondered why we was left off the Lea Valley Park , never considered it was by choice! Always cheesed me off when the TV adverts said ""From Ware , Herts to Stratford , London"" [:D] Love to know what the reasons were at the time for the decision ? Can't we apply to join now , bit like Poland joining the EU years after inception . [;)]
Originally posted by sloopjohnb
.......This stretch of the Lea is ignored, under used and frankly under financed which goes back to a decision by the Labour controlled Hertford Borough Council in the 1960's refusing to be part of the Lea Valley Area Park. This now get millions of euro funding from the EC but support and involvement ends at Ware, as do the maps.
Reply ID 94607
I was told this from a very reliable and well informed source that the reason for the old Borough Council not to join the Lea Valley Park was - snobbery!! That was back in the 1960's and I doubt a similar decision would be made these days by any Council of any political hue - apart from UKIP maybe[}:)] That much maligned and much misunderstood local reporter Raymond Brown campaigned tirelessly for extra funds for this stretch of the Lea. He wrote quite a few articles based loosely on fact in the Mercury with my name on them, to keep awareness of the problems alive. He was also one of the organisers of several river blockades to bring attention to the lack of investment round here. One such was attended by Mark Prisk who was our cabin boy for a quick trip up and down the Hertford stretch of the Lea. And as a postscript to Raymond and something not a lot of people know; every year he invited groups of kids from Chernobyl to spend a week on his own houseboat. I am really not so sure what the situation is now if we wanted to opt back in. But the sooner the better because the river walls in Hertford are near to collapse, Hertford lock needs immediate attention and the whole stretch cleared of reeds and other plant life that often fouls the drive shafts of the craft that use it, as we found out to our cost when we last ran a weekend trip.
Reply ID 94669
Due to the popularity of the Ware & Hertford Waterbus we will be operating 7 days a week from Monday 29th July. Also kids tickets will be buy one get one free between on weekdays.[:)]