Travel
25 miles down the River Stour
The River Stour is famed for its serenity and pastoral beauty.
Yet restricted access means that only a lucky few have witnessed its true
splendour. Anne Gould discovers how you can join this elite group...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ambling
its way from east Cambridgeshire to the sea at Manningtree the River Stour
flows through some of the most celebrated landscapes of East Anglia.
Visitors from far afield flock to the Dedham Vale, East Bergholt, and
Flatford Mill to stroll along this very English of rivers that even today
still inspires artists and photographers alike.
With its grazing cows, butterflies and ancient trees this still, rural
landscape shows us how things once were before trains, trade and motor transport
dissected and decimated our landscape.
And yet much of this landscape - an area of outstanding natural beauty
- can only be seen by boat as large areas of the river bank are in private
ownership.
There are footpaths at Sudbury and from Dedham to Flatford and beyond
to the Cattawade barrier, but it’s thought that upriver, the lack
of walkers and dogs has helped preserve a very special environment.
Geoff
Davies, a river lover and boating enthusiast, says: “One evening last
summer I was out and was amazed by the number of kingfishers swooping about
and if you are really lucky you’ll spot an otter.”
Up until recently your only chance of seeing something like this was if
you’d got your own boat but now, thanks to Geoff and four other retired
local people, the river is open to all.
Last year they formed River Stour Boating which runs 25-mile canoe trips
from Sudbury to the Cattawade barrier near Manningtree.
“We wanted to put something back into the river with this project
because the Environment Agency has a very low budget for work on the River
Stour”.
“And we are not alone - 30 other volunteers from Sudbury, Bures
and round about, many of whom who are retired have joined us with the aim
to conserve and improve the river for the future.”
River Stour Boating is a community interest company, which means that
it doesn’t aim to make profit but any money made after running costs
and overheads will be diverted to improve navigation on the river.
Back in 1713 when the river was opened for navigation there were 13 locks
on the river which was used by barges (or lighters as they were known on
the Stour).
Most
of these locks no longer exist and have been replaced by weirs. This means
that the only vessels that can go up and down the full length of the river
today are canoes or small boats which have to be lifted out of the water
and carried around the weirs (known as portage).
Geoff said that River Stour Boating would eventually like to introduce
rollers which cost about £15,000 apiece.
In its first year the company ran 65 trips between April and September
and even before Christmas had already got 50 bookings for this year.
The trips, which cost £95, are undertaken in two-man canoes and
are led by an experienced guide. They include food, drinks, life jackets,
campsite facilities at the overnight stop in Wissington and minibus return
to Sudbury at the end.
“We only ever take a group of four canoes at a time so it’s
ideal for a group of friends or a special family expedition. We’ve
had children along with their parents and grandparents and the oldest customer
we’ve had is 84. No previous experience is necessary as guides help
teach you to paddle.”
“In the future we’d also like to be able to help disabled
people make use of all our facilities,” he said.
A two-day trip on the Stour
Fact File |
| In 1705 an Act of Parliament was passed to allow the
river to become navigable from Sudbury to Manningtree.
Barges on the river were known as lighters and were built in a special
basin at Flatford. They were shackled together in pairs and pulled
up and down the river by a horse.
The navigation in its early days was very successful and
cargoes included oil, pitch, soap, vinegar, paper, iron, tallow, lead,
sugar, butter, coal and bricks.
Journey time was usually two days from Sudbury to Manningtree with
an overnight stop at Horkesley where a special bothy or bunkhouse
was provided for the crew (normally a captain and horseman).
All the bricks for the Royal Albert Hall and the museums
of South Kensington were made at Ballingdon and brought down river
on lighters before being transported by sea to London.
The arrival of the railway in the mid 1800s started the decline
in use of the river and the Navigation Company went into liquidation
in 1913.
It was the First World War that brought about the real demise
of trade when the Admiralty decreed that as a wartime measure the
lighters should be sunk to make sure they did not fall into enemy
hands.
Following the loss of freight traffic the locks fell into disrepair
and the river is only navigable today between Sudbury and Bures.
Why Stour?
There are many rivers named Stour in England. It’s
likely the name has a Celtic derivation meaning ‘strong’
or ‘powerful one’.
The longest Stour flows through Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset.
The Stour in the West Midlands rises in the Clent Hills flowing through
Stourbridge and the Black Country and becoming a tributary of the
River Severn.
There’s also a Stour in Worcestershire which is a tributary
of the River Avon.
At 21.5 miles long the River Stour in Kent is the second longest
river
in the county. |
Day 1
Start: Sudbury – the slipway beside the Granary/Quay
Theatre. From here Essex will always be on your right and Suffolk on your
left.
First portage. Cornard Lock. Constructed on the site
of a former lock and opened in 1997.
Cornard to Henny. Idyllic stretch of the river through
Constable country right through to the portage at Henny Weir.
Henny to Bures. Passing Pitmere and Lamarsh you enter
a stretch of river surrounded by willow trees which are grown commercially
for cricket bats.
On the route you’ll notice pillboxes on the Essex side of the river
which were built in 1941 in case of a German invasion. From Bures they follow
the railway line.
Bures. After lunch in the village you go underneath the
Iron Bridge and then the Millennium Bridge and onwards past Bures Mill,
Wormingford Mere to Wissington and the overnight stop at Rushbrooks Farm
Day 2
After leaving camp you pass Wissington Mill and then
pass under the A134 into the village of Nayland.
Pass Boxted Mill and Langham and on to Stratford for
lunch at the Swan.
After lunch, pass under the A12 and approach Dedham.
Passing through the lock you can see the old Dedham Mill on your right -
which was the last working mill on the river and was closed in 1935. It’s
now been converted into apartments.
From Dedham to Flatford Mill and on to Cattawade. It
was here that the lighters used to leave the horse behind and either use
sail power or poles to get themselves the two miles to the dock at Mistley
Quay.
Over to you
If you’re interested in taking the journey, contact River
Stour Boating on 01787 375 377 or visit www.riverstourboating.org.uk.
Trips are available from April to September and cost £50
for day trips and £95 for adults (£55 for children) for the
two-day trips.
