Hardmead Lock

Hardmead Lock (No3) is a lock on the River Lee Navigation at Great Amwell close to the town of Ware.

Hardmead Lock
Hardmead Lock
51.801911°N 0.014371°W / 51.801911; -0.014371
Waterway	River Lee Navigation
County	Hertfordshire
Maintained by	Canal & River Trust
Operation	Manual
Length	85 feet (25.9 m)
Width	16 feet (4.9 m)
Fall	5 feet 6 inches (1.7 m)
Distance to Bow Creek	22.5 miles (36.2 km)
Distance to Hertford Castle Weir	3.8 miles (6.1 km)

The lock has a reputation as being difficult to negotiate. ^[1]

Location

The lock-keeper's cottage stands on an island formed by a section of the River Lee Flood Relief Channel which flows through an automatic sluice gate adjacent to the lock.

To the east of the lock is the Amwell Quarry nature reserve a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) ^[2] and a section of the Old River Lea known as the Amwell Magna Fishery where it merges with its tributary the River Ash .

The New River flows close by to the west.

Public access

The lock is located on the River Lee Navigation towpath which is part of the Lea Valley Walk

Public transport

Ware railway station

Next lock upstream	River Lee Navigation	Next lock downstream
Ware Lock 2.5 miles	Hardmead Lock Grid reference: TL3689513388	Stanstead Lock 1.0 mile