Roydon Lock (13)

Looking downstream to Roydon Lock (13)

About 250 yards upstream of Roydon railway bridge (7), the navigation reaches Roydon lock (13). The lock has a rise of 7 feet. The lock is popular with cyclists and walkers, as well as boaters, as a range of  refreshments is available from the lock cottage:
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks, ice cream, sandwiches.
A lovely place to relax and watch the world go by while licking a lolly or sipping a cuppa.
Also available: Calor gas, coal (Stoveglow £10 per 25kg bag), red diesel, windlasses, BW keys, toilet fluid, water (£1 charge), Towpath Talk.

Local knowledge:

• The top gates on this lock tend to spring open quite quickly; when emptying the lock it is a good idea to partially open a bottom gate paddle before closing the top gates.
• The flow through the top paddles is very strong. Keep your boat towards the back of the lock when ascending  and raise the paddles in stages.
• A CaRT rubbish barge is normally moored below the lock, downstream of the lock landing

Ducklings in Roydon Lock (13)
Looking Upstream from Roydon Lock (13)

Pound lengths and lock depths

For reference when cruising the Stort here are the approximate distances for each pound and depth for each lock. Lock numbers are in (brackets). Pound distances calculated using Canal Plan AC and given to the nearest eighth of a mile. Lock depths are referenced from History of Lee and Stort and are in [square brackets, imperial/metric]

Junction with River Lee to Lower Lock (15) [3'9"/114cm] 3/8 of a mile
Lower Lock to Brick Lock (14) [6'3"/190cm] ½ a mile *the entrance to Roydon Marina is in this pound
Brick Lock to Roydon Lock (13) [7'0"/213cm] 7/8 of a mile
Roydon Lock to Hunsdon Mill Lock (12) [7'0"/213cm] 1 mile
Hunsdon Mill Lock to Parndon Mill Lock (11) [7'0"/213cm] ¼ of a mile
Parndon Mill to Burnt Mill Lock (10) [4'1"/124cm] 5/8 of a mile
Burnt Mill Lock to Latton Lock (9) [6'0"/183cm] 1 and 1/8 miles
Latton Lock to Harlow Mill Lock (8) [8'9"/267cm] 1 and 1/8 miles
Harlow Mill Lock to Feakes Lock (7) [6'0"/183cm] 5/8 of a mile
Feakes Lock to Sheering Mill Lock (6) [5'8"/173cm] ½ a mile
Sheering Mill Lock to Sawbridgeworth Lock (5) [7'5"/226cm] ½ a mile
Sawbridgeworth Lock to Tednambury Lock (4) [5'9"/175cm] 1 and 3/8 miles
Tednambury Lock to Spellbrook Lock (3) [5'0"/152cm] 5/8 of a mile
Spellbrook Lock to Twyford Lock (2) [7'0"/213cm] 1 and 3/8 miles
Twyford Lock to South Mill Lock (1) [5'5"/165cm] 5/8 of a mile 
South Mill Lock to Causeway Bridge, head of navigation 1 and 1/8 miles