River Lea through Luton - March 2009

[Els]

Well, this culvated river aint gonna win first prize in no beauty contest but it had to be done so me and Lutex went and did it.

Pics...

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/2.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/5.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/7.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/8.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/10.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/11.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/12.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/14.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/13.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/15.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/16.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/19.jpg

[Oxygen Thief]

Good work.

What was behind these windows?...

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/12.jpg

[Els]

Good work.

What was behind these windows?...

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/eels2007/river%20lea/12.jpg

Nowt - just sort of filled in with rubble. Bit of a mystery :confused

Lutex - your pics came out pretty good:thumb

[dweeb]

Well, this culvated river aint gonna win first prize in no beauty contest

Read that and saw the first pic... actually lol'd!

Very nice, must have a mooch mysef one day. Just about every style of concrete culvert in there, ould they not make their mind up?!

[TheVicar]

Nice pictures!
Looks like a good little explore that, with a mix of shape changes. :)

Did you check out the side chamber in pic #4?

[JoelP]

very nice. The different styles and construction techniques will reflect different ages of parts. It might not have been all built at once (probably wasnt IMHO), or maybe bits have been rebuilt. The 5 brick arch (railway style) will be late 1800s i think, whereas some concrete parts might be 1950s.

Saw a similar range of styles in leeds last week in meanwood beck.

[Alias]

those poo colored borders are horrible, and detract from the images immensely this is just some friendly advice, loose them and stick with either black, white or a more muted color.

[Els]

^^^ Any better?

Vicar - I dunno why but for some reason we didn't.:confused

[troglodyte]

Het Els,
I Might check this out later on today, Will I need to get some wader's or will a pair of good ol whellies do the job? doesnt look to deep in the pics. Cheers mate.

[Els]

Waders required and I wouldn't go alone :-]

[ducky]

Great pics. My friend and I are planing the same walk. Any tips?

[troglodyte]

Great pics. My friend and I are planing the same walk. Any tips?

Despite Els advice, I decided to try this without waders (due to to my lack of) Although It wasn't that bad I did get very wet, So I wouldn't recommened it if you have any cuts on your legs etc.
However I didnt go alone! My advice is just get stuck in and don't end up in the middle of the secure Vauxhall head office complex, They don't like it :p
They call the police and fire brigade on site as its standard procedure :rolleyes:

[ducky]

I know the Vauxhall site you mention. Opposite 'The Brache' Beefeater. I've already planned a start point to avoid it. You're right. Don't want to get caught in there.

Don't have waders. Wellies will have to do. Waiting for a dry spell so river is low. I've seen it in full flood. Not survivable.

There will be at least two of us. Both of us have 1M+ torches. Plus backup torches. We both have some UG experience. We're familiar with Luton and the river Lea. We've researched it thoroughly - how I discovered this forum and posts - we know our in points and out points.

I had no idea that this forum existed. I'll post a report when we're done.

[Hayden]

As a local, I still need to do this properly. I used to play in the culverts as a kid not really caring about the rubbish in the river. Great fun jumping out on unsuspecting locals dressed as a ninja turtle!

However I would echo Troglodytes setiments above about not getting wet on cuts/gashes etc as the river has a bit of history of having Weils Disease infected rats further upstream. Not nice.