meet roaring meg
When I first started working in Stevenage, I thought that "Roaring Meg" was the name of a mad, belligerent bag-lady who would holler drunken gibberish and obscenities at anyone within earshot.
But no.
"Roaring Meg" turns out to be the name of a mighty river that runneth 'twixt the B&Q and the Harvester and (for some part) alongside what is now the London Road.
"Roaring Meg" was formerly the main trade artery of Stevenage. Mighty ships would deliver to the town much-needed imports of coal, steel, timber, wheat and peas. The primary export - shiny tracksuits - would leave by the same route.
These days, of course, road and rail have superseded rivers and canals as commercial pathways. Instead, the mighty waterway is used for recreation. Every Sunday, pleasure cruisers and paddlesteamers plough up and down these fierce waters, affording unparalleled views of the beautiful town from a unique vantage point.
In the photos, I draw your attention to the higher-class of crap in the water. Where other towns would have mere shopping trolleys, notice that Stevenage has a pushchair. And where else in the world might you get not one - but two - sacks of dust free hay ? Were you even aware that there was such a thing as "dust free hay" ?
Well, there is, and you can order it from http://www.dustfreehay.co.uk/ at (what seems to my inexpert eye) very reasonable prices.
If you do order some, tell them I sent you.
