5 Reasons to Love Lee Valley Regional Park

Lee Valley
Jul 23
3 min read

This #LoveParksWeek, we have plenty on offer in Lee Valley Regional Park to help you make the most of the best season to be outdoors.

Here are five epic reasons to lace up your shoes and start exploring this Love Parks Week.

A group of people walking with poles in a grassy field, wearing casual clothing. Trees in background, overcast sky. They appear focused.

1. Great Places to Get Fit and Healthy

From miles of traffic-free routes to free fitness classes, wellbeing walks, organised runs, and even a regular parkrun—there are activities for every fitness level to help boost your wellbeing.

Through our Get Active in the Lee Valley programme, we work with various partners to provide free and low-cost sessions for people who are less likely to be active. You can see all the different activities and their dates here.

For those looking to step up their exercise game, Gunpowder Park hosts a weekly parkrun every Saturday at 9:00. You can join their Facebook group here.

Looking for a bigger challenge? RunThrough hosts regular running events in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park throughout the year. You can find them all on our What’s On page by filtering for “Running.”

2. Wildlife Galore

Summer is the perfect time to see wildlife in the park. Whether you’re a keen birder or a first-time spotter with an ID sheet, there’s so much to see while you're out and about.

Here are some hotspots for summer wildlife:

If dragonflies are your thing, head to Cornmill Meadows.
See butterflies fluttering in the breeze at Walthamstow Marshes.
Watch wading birds at Rye Meads.
Spot songbirds flitting among the hedgerows at Tottenham Marshes.

Want to start your ID journey? Download one of our ID sheets and set off on your adventure:

Children and a Ranger examine grass in a sunny field. One child holds a pamphlet. The Ranger points at something on the ground.

3. Packed Full of Kid-Friendly Activities

Seeing the park through the curious eyes of children is a great way to see things afresh!

Set them on an adventure—finding sculptures along the artwork trail in River Lee Country Park and Tottenham Marshes, exploring the secret garden at Myddelton House Gardens, or building a den in the tree park at Cornmill Meadows.

Pick a place and let their imagination run wild!

4. Free and at Your Fingertips

As well as free entry, there are plenty of activities you can enjoy at no cost while in the park.

See our list below and plan a summer day that won’t break the bank:

Test your aim at Disc Golf
Download our Nature Explorer Activity Sheet

Try our Scavenger Hunt Sheet

Visit the Wildlife Discovery Centre
See the Community Garden at Waterworks Nature Reserve
Explore miles of traffic-free routes
Check out our free health and wellbeing events

There are some car parking charges in our car parks. You can see more about parking in the River Lee Country Park here and find your way using the "Plan a visit" tab on the webpage for the site you're visiting. You can see all the green spaces here.

Adult and child play with a purple balloon in a sunny park. The adult wears a Superman hoodie, and the child is in pink. Houses in the background.

5. Boost Your Wellbeing

Did you know research shows that people who feel more connected to nature are usually happier? It’s important for all generations to build that connection—so we appreciate what nature offers and protect it for the future.

Plan a day out and discover how nature can lift your mood and bring balance.

Want to lend a hand in the park? We have a wonderful team of volunteers who help us look after our green spaces - take a look at the opportunities and find one that suits you best.

We hope that this Love Parks Week, you feel inspired to take a step into the Lee Valley and experience all the wonderful things it can offer this summer.

Don’t forget to tag us in your posts - happy exploring!