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#LoveLeeValley The days have grown longer, the sun is peaking through the clouds and there’s no better time to get out and about to explore the beauty of Lee Valley Regional Park. Our great park stretches over 10,000 acres, and offers hundreds of great days out. May is National Walking Month 🌼 A time to celebrate the joys and benefits of walking - it's an opportunity to have a healthier lifestyle by incorporating more steps into your daily routine. Whether it's a leisurely walk through your favourite bit of the park or a brisk stroll somewhere further afield, every step counts towards better health. Discover the park with our pre planned routes – take the guess work out of exploring 🌿 We’ve created more than 40 of our favourite walking routes for you to try, each has its own charm and character. Here’s a few of our top choices:​ Planes and Trains – Lee Valley Ice Centre. A great one mile walk through Walthamstow and Leyton Marshes where history and wildlife combine. Refreshments available at Lee Valley Ice Centre’s café Grebes and Gravel – Lee Valley White Water Centre. Enjoy a circular two mile walk that takes in the habitats of Bowyers Water, then round off with refreshments in the café overlooking the start pool of the white water course. Urban Oasis – Tottenham Marshes. A figure of eight route covering just over 3.5 miles through the wildlife and wildflower habitats of the marshes. Monks and Meadows – Waltham Abbey Gardens. A five mile route that takes in the wonderful Cornmill Meadows before heading off into River Lee Country Park and returning via Walton Walks alongside the River Lee Navigation. Valley Views – River Lee Country Park, Fishers Green. An eight mile circular route that winds it way through farmland and lush green open spaces as well as some section of towpath too Each route offers a unique experience, allowing you to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors in a meaningful way. Lea Valley Walk Looking for something more challenging then explore this 50 mile route that track the spine of the Lee Valley. There's a book that accompanies the route. Find out more here > Why walk? Here’s some of the benefits of walking🚶‍♂️ Walking isn't just a way to get from A to B, it's a powerful tool for enhancing both physical and mental wellbeing. Here's how regular walks can benefit you: Physical health Regular walking strengthens the heart, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of heart disease Brisk walking has been shown to increase white blood cell count, bolstering your body's defence against illnesses Being active, such as walking, can help regulate your sleep patterns, leading to better rest Mental wellbeing Walking, especially in natural settings, can lower levels of cortisol, the body's stress hormone, promoting relaxation Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that act as natural mood lifters Regular walking increases blood flow to the brain, improving memory and cognitive abilities Increase your activity by walking We know thinking about getting more active can be daunting - how about joining a group of like minded people with the same goal? We run free get active sessions every week up and down the park. There are a range of walks so you can choose whichever suits your needs, wehter you're looking for just a cuppa with a short stroll, or something that builds on your endurance skills. Walk leaders and volunteers make sure everyone gets to know each other and people can walk at their own pace. See what walks are coming up – just hit the Health and Wellbeing filter button to see the list of planned walks. Ready to Explore? 👟 The park offers a diverse range of walking routes suitable for all ages and abilities – however you can just as easily explore on your own and see where the trail takes you. So, whether you're looking to immerse yourself in nature, visit one of our heritage sites or simply enjoy a peaceful walk, there's a trail that’s perfect for you. Keep up to date Want the latest news, events and offers delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our e‑newsletters and choose the topics you’re most interested in.

As the park starts to awaken from it’s winter slumber and the spring shoots start to appear it’s the ideal time to start thinking about your Lee Valley adventures over the coming months. There are hundreds of days out for every visitor from the sporting fanatics looking for their next adrenalin rush to nature lovers wanting to soak in all the season has to offer – keep on reading and be inspired for your next day out  For nature Lee Valley Regional Park is renowned for habitats and its residents and as the fauna begins the emerge, the whole park wakes up! Somethings you might spot: Blossoms 🌸 – cherry, plum, hawthorn, apple – the list goes on! Great places to sport these are Waltham Abbey Gardens and WaterWorks nature reserve Song birds 🎶 – the sounds of song begins the fill the sky with calls from the Blackbird, Robin and if you’re lucky enough to hear the call of the Nightingale. Perfect places to sport them is Fishers Green, River Lee Country Park and Walthamstow Marshes Bugs and bees 🐝 – the park is an amazing magnet for bug life as bee crawl out of burrows and nymphs emerge from the water. Cornmill Meadows and Middlesex Filter Beds are great places to see these You can learn more about the wildlife in the park this spring! Read about the wildlife you might see here and learn about the great work we're doing for wildlife here . For sport After the hibernation of winter this is the perfect time to get more active. From upping your step count with regular walks, getting your muscles pumping with a workout or enjoying some of the great sporting activities on offer at our venues. Splashing into spring 🐦 – Lee Valley Regional Park is the home of watersports with lots of venues up and down the park offering safe experiences on water. From The Olympic standard rapids at Lee Valley White Water Centre to paddling at Herts Young Mariners Base and hopping aboard the Mega SUP at ESSA Water Activity Centre – plus rowing and sailing clubs too! Dust off those wheels 🚴‍♀️ – there’s miles of traffic free trails ideal to cycling or if you want to feel the thrill head to Lee Valley VeloPark where you can try your hand at track, BMX, MTB or road cycling Build up your fitness 💪 – whether you want to pump iron at a one of the high standard gyms or get a kick start on your fitness journey with a FREE Boot Camp with OurParks – there’s a level for everyone to join in on Soak up the remerging nature 🍃 – walking is a great way to boost your mental and physical wellbeing while getting moving. You can check out our wonderful open spaces , our walking routes or perhaps join in our LifeWalks , which you can take at your own pace Get your foam fingers are the ready 🏑 – the FIH Hockey Pro League is back at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in June and you can get the mid week match for less. Use code PROLEAGUE10 for Wednesday 18 June match and you can get 10% off blue and white tickets. Book yours today   For discovery There’s so many different adventures where you can learn, explore and discover more about the Lee Valley. Wildlife Discovery Centre 🔍 – based at Fishers Green in River Lee Country Park, this state of the art centre is ideal for learning about the different habitats around you, look at views over Seventy Acre Lake and have a spot of wildlife watching in the hide Myddelton House Gardens 🌷 – at this time of year the garden truly shines, packed full of snowdrop, daffodils and soon we’ll see the appearance of Silla and the Bluebells will begin to take over Make a weekend of it ⛺ – with so many things to discover, why not stay for a short break? From touring, glamping and luxury lodges to an back to nature  almost wild campsite -  all be found at our four Lee Valley Campsites. Check out the different options and any special offers Looking for a new challenge 💚 – volunteering , free health walks, educational opportunities are all are your finger tips With all this and more on in the park, you’re set to have a cracking spring out in the park 🌸

And just like that another school holiday is with us and we’re all searching high and low for things to keep the kids busy. You can jump down to find activities perfect for your little ones Children aged up to 5 Children aged 6 - 11 Children 12+ Fun for everyone   Find wonder for the little ones up to 5 Spring Spectacular (5 – 11 April) and Easter of Oz (12 - 21 April) at Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park ℹ️ Your little ones will love getting to meet some of their favourite characters, see the farmyard animals and enjoy all the fun on the farm 🎟️ From £9.99 🧒 Everyone welcome Book now  > Meet the minis at Lee Valley Riding Centre ℹ️ You can get your little pony lovers up close and personal with their favourite animals and of course get some lovely photos together too 🎟️ £17.50 per person 🧒 Suitable for age 3+ Book now  >   Joe Banana's Easter Egg Trail and Party at   Lee Valley White Water Centre ℹ️ The kids will love this interactive and energic Easter Party with Joe Banana and even meet the Easter Bunny 🎟️ From £7 🧒 Suitable for age 4+ Book now  >   Explore Waltham Abbey Gardens ℹ️ This is a great open space with wide open spaces perfect for picnics and ball games with the little ones 🎟️ FREE to enter (parking charges apply) 🧒 Everyone welcome Plan a visit  >     Exploring for those aged 6 – 11 Lake activities at Lee Valley White Water Centre ℹ️ We’ve been lucky enough to have some early spring sunshine and that’s the perfect time to enjoy watersports 🎟️ From £17 🧒 Suitable for age 8+ Book now  >   BMX Thrills and MTB Skills at Lee Valley VeloPark ℹ️ Your cycling fan can try their hand at two different cycling disciplines and enjoy doing it at a world class venue too 📅 Tuesday 8 April, 11:00 - 15:00 🎟️ £29 per person, glove hire £4 🧒 Suitable for ages 7 – 11 years old Book now >   Tennis Easter Camp at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre ℹ️ Hone their tennis skills with a day packed full of training and of course fun match play with others 📅 Monday 7 - Friday 20 April, 10:00 - 13:00 🎟️ £27.50 per two hour session and includes all equipment 🧒 Suitable for ages 5 - 8 years old Book now  >   Star Track at Lee Valley Athletics Centre ℹ️ This great four day training camp will develop all their skills in a variety of track and field sports with a competition on the final day for them all to test their talents 📅 Monday 7 - Thursday 10 April and  Monday 14 - Thursday 17 April, 09:00 - 15:00 🎟️ From £25 per session 🧒 Suitable for ages 6 - 12 years old Book your spaces  >   Play I Spy at the Wildlife Discovery Centre ℹ️ Spring has sprung in the park and this is the perfect time to take a walk and see what you can spot with our I Spy Sheet 🎟️ FREE – download the sheet here 🧒 Fun for everyone Plan a visit  >   Big kid adventures for ages 12+ White Water Activities at Lee Valley White Water Centre ℹ️ You can take your pick from Hydrospeeding , Hot Dogs  or White Water Rafting  on the rapids 🎟️ From £50 per person 🧒 Suitable for ages 12+ Book today  >   Track Attack! at Lee Valley VeloPark ℹ️ Great session for those used to treading the boards of the track or newbies ready for their first ride 📅 Monday 7 April, 11:00 - 13:00 🎟️ £21.50 per person, glove hire £4 🧒 Suitable for ages 12 - 16 years old Book a space >   BMX Thrills and MTB Skills at Lee Valley VeloPark ℹ️ Perfect for older children this session will get their adrenalin pumping on the BMX and Mountain Biking trail 📅 Thursday 10 April, 11:00 - 15:00 🎟️ £29 per person, glove hire £4 🧒 Suitable for ages 12 - 16 years old Book a space  >   Explore Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park ℹ️ From enjoying the stunning blossoms on the London Blossom Garden  to biking round the cycle paths or even taking out a swan pedalo   🎟️ FREE to enter 🧒 Fun for everyone Plan a visit  >   Fun for all the family Ice skating at Lee Valley Ice Centre ℹ️ You can hit the ice as a family at Lee Valley Ice Centre, pick up something to eat and enjoy it on the lovely open spaces of the marshes 📅 Monday 7 - Sunday 20 April 🎟️ £10 for adults, £8 for children Book your tickets  >   Walking running  and cycling   ℹ️ Miles of traffic free trails make the park the perfect place to explore on during the brighter days. Here are some great routes and what they’re good for: Monks and Meadow  –  walking The Artway Route 3  – running Road to gold  – cycling 🎟️ FREE See all the routes  >   Take a look at all the park has to offer and plan your next adventure   Make sure you tag us in your post and you could be shared to our channel!   Facebook ,  Twitter , Threads  and Instagram

Lee Valley Regional Park is often the setting for TV dramas and entertainment shows, commercials, music videos, charity events, photo shoots and even blockbuster movie scenes! Still from Elmiene's music video for 'Open Light'   In 2024, 88 filming days took place in the Park – giving our open spaces and venues dozens of starring roles. Lila Moss for Burberry at Middlesex Filter Beds From fashion shoots for Burberry at Middlesex Filter Beds in Leyton to up and coming Universal Music’s artist Elmiene’s new music video shot on a misty dawn on Tottenham Marshes – the Park’s rich tapestry of settings offer a wide variety of backdrops and locations for the region’s growing production industry. Much of what was filmed in 2024 will hit screens this year so your favourite part of the park may be about to play a leading role in a new or much-loved drama, comedy, game show or Hollywood film. Did anyone spot Lee Valley Ice Centre featured in the opening episode of ITV1’s Dancing On Ice earlier this month?   No spoilers but next time you’re walking in the park, and something seems familiar but you’re not sure why…you may have seen it on the big or small screen or in a magazine!

It might be hard to see the return of spring with the dull cloud cover we've had recently but small signs have begun to peek through such as daffodils poking through the ground and the sound of songbirds calling in the distance - before you know it February half term will be here! Have a read of some of the great things you can do to get outside and active during the school break – be ready for spring when it makes its full appearance. Get closer to nature The Wildlife Discovery Centre at Fishers Green is where you can spot some beautiful winter wildlife like Bittern and Song Thrush plus all of our regular favourites – nothing beats a friendly Robin. They’ll be handing out ‘I spy’ sheets this half term so you can see how many you can spot! Pick up a racquet 🎾 Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre are putting on Racquet Sports sessions so your little sporting star can try their hands at both tennis and pickleball in a friendly environment. Reminding us of the spring to come It’s hard to think of the spring of the horizon with the recent weather we’ve had. Eventually the gloomy days will break and the floral stars of spring will be there in all their glory – check out the  snowdrops and daffodils. Myddelton House Gardens great place to explore  a spring daydream – there’s even a café there too. Pick up your steps at The Paddocks Our friend at The Paddocks at Ferry Lane in Tottenham, have a range of weekly activities form wildlife surveys, guided walks and volunteering tasks. During half term week you can join them for a bird and slug survey on Friday as well as a Folklore Walk on Saturday. All spaces are free and need to be booked in advance. Hop out of hibernation It can be hard to get out and about when the weather is not playing ball but here are some great walking routes all on lovely surfaced pathways so you don’t have to worry about getting too muddy: ·       Artwork walking routes   - we have three different routes varying in length ·        Road for Gold ·       Gunpowder Woodland Trail Cycling spring at Lee Valley VeloPark For little cycling fans or older thrill seekers there’s cycling session for every age and ability. Mini peddlers ·       Learn to Ride sessions ·       Balance Bike sessions ·       Pedal Up ·       Pedal Up Pump! Older kids cycling sessions ·       Track Attack! 12-16 ·       BMX Thrills and MTB Skills (ages 7 – 11) ·       BMX Thrills and MTB Skills (ages 12  - 16) Meet the mini ponies at Lee Valley Riding Centre Perfect for those little horse lovers (3+). They’ll get to enjoy grooming, plaiting hair and photo time with the miniature ponies. It's great for building kids’ confidence around horses and also for adults to have a great time too. Book your space today Spin into skating this spring There’s plenty of ice skating sessions to be had at Lee Valley Ice Centre over the half term and they're ideal for all ages and abilities to have some fun on the ice. The stars of Dancing on Ice will have nothing on you – show them who’s the real celebrity. Book your skating session Feeling inspired? Get those sessions booked in and have something to look forward to when the schools break up!

A lot has happened in the short time since I last put pen to paper. The world is a different place and so are the marshes. I was fortunate to spend a large chunk of this August in the Balkans in another set of marshlands. The setting for these marshes made me reflect on the nature of our site and the importance of it. These two places were the same but also the opposite of the other.  It’s given me a slightly altered perspective on what landscapes/habitats represent. We are managing these sites to make them like the best examples of their kind, but, what makes them this is how they interrelate with the environment around them, and that can be different all over the world. Its autumn/winter now and the machinations of summer are beginning to fade away. The depth of green is fading fast with the shortening days. Whatever (soggy) version of a summer we were treated to is over and the site is beginning to reflect a different side to it. One marginally less hospitable, but more open as a result. New sightlines are appearing and soon we’ll be expecting some visitors we’ve been missing for a little while now. I hope everyone found ways to enjoy the summer months and finds themselves heading towards the festive period a little more relaxed. Let me tell you what’s been going on.   Bovine blues  One question on everyone’s lips has been “Where are the cows this year?” There are a couple of things to mention here. Firstly, this was the year we knew we had to replace the fencing on the marsh. In order for this to take place we needed the ground to be dry and in case you had forgotten, this is England. Much of the marsh was still under water well into June and July which consequently delayed the fencing. On top of this, a bout of blue tongue (a nasty bacterial disease affecting livestock) reared its head and the transportation of livestock has been embargoed.  We will, therefore look to have the cattle on slightly earlier next year to make up for lost time. It’s a real shame as I know what joy the cattle bring to everyone who visit the marshes, however, we are at the mercy of the weather and as we’re all aware, extreme weather trends are only likely to increase as we continue fighting the climate crisis. Factoring this into our management is going to be crucial moving forward and something as an organization we are looking to build resilience on. Alas, the cattle won’t be here in 2024 but there will always be a place for them here on the marshes (Sorry cows!).     Volunteers  As ever the volunteers have been instrumental in maintaining and enhancing the site. All we do is under their knowing eyes and I can say it’s been a real joy getting to know a few new faces this year. I’ve littered the newsletter with some examples of the sorts of work they get up to. We have also had some really fantastic corporate groups this year who’ve more than pulled their weight. It’s an easy choice for me between the marshes and the 50th floor of the 'walkie-talkie', I daresay there might be a few corporate bods who have changed their mind since coming and working with us for a day.      Surveys? We’ve had a few.  Where we might be lacking a certain bovine feel this year, the one thing we are replete with is data. You simply cannot manage a space appropriately if you don’t know what is in it.  The upshot of that is that 2024 has been a year of surveying for us. Now for the technical bit! We’ve commissioned a Vegetative survey called the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) as well as an invertebrate survey and we’ve even had Natural England down to complete some condition assessments for areas of the site. Feast and famine are themes within conservation management. These peaks and troughs are observable in natural processes as well as financial inputs. So when the opportunity to have a good gorge on surveying arise then you better believe we’ll be stuffing our proverbial faces.  This data will provide us with mapping for all vegetation and invertebrates on the site. Furthermore we’ll be able to see trends and patterns of decline, look for potential mutualisms between species in relationship to the change in their population/distribution across the site. The NVC in particular will provide us with mapping on vegetative classifications across the site and how they interact and overlap. All of this provides us with a greater understanding of the effects of our work on these areas and whether the desired outcomes are being met. I’ll look to present this data in one form or another over the next few months so those of you with a keen eye for data will be able to have a good gander.   School Groups  In June and July we welcomed a number of school groups to the marshes where they carried out some fieldwork and preparation for their exams. We also had some primary students tour around some of our other local sites where they learned all about the different habitats within the Lee Valley, of which there are loads! These trips are so important for forging a connection between people and place and are definitely something we, the Ranger team, love getting involved in where possible.  Haystacks  It’s absolutely pouring today. When I think back to July, however, to our wonderful, energetic, baking hot Haystacks event I can feel my damp socks reheating. It was a fantastic event, made all the more brilliant thanks to the contributions of our mater scything instructor Ida and the organizer in Chief Kathrin. Well over 100 people participated over the course of the day learning about this traditional haymaking technique and consequently, we found ourselves with a mighty haystack at the end of the day. This was subsequently annihilated by the scores of kids who’d been desperate to jump in the second it began to take shape. Unabashed by streaming noses and puffy red eyes, nothing but total destruction was enough for the hordes of Hackney toddlers, watched on by parents with the right idea, a blanket and a glass of blush – oh go on, you’ve twisted my arm. A brilliant end to a brilliant day. Bring on Haystacks 2025!    Wintering the site  In late summer, sites across Lee Valley Regional Park have their meadows cut. Our meadows need to be cut at least once a year in order to retain the species of interest. The hay is cut and removed so as not to add any nutrients which would favour the faster growing plants. These would otherwise outcompete the more floristically interesting indicator species. It can appear quite a dramatic change, losing the height of the summer meadow sward. As we move into the depths of winter the process of wintering the site begins. There’s a focus on scrub removal and tree safety works. Making safe and secure that which otherwise might provide us with certain issues over the course of the year.  There was a liminal feel to the end of summer. Without the full throated expression of autumn colour, the site took on a bleached sort of tone. It’s a great breath before a new movement and the faded greens will be replaced by deep ochre, browns and reds. The colours of fireworks and the colours of change.   Bioblitz  We’re in the early stages of putting together a series of events for summer 2025 to celebrate our local spaces. Activities and guided walks, survey workshops and guest speakers. There are a host of community groups and organisations invested in the protection of local spaces for nature and people. We want to celebrate this so watch this space and keep your eyes peeled for news on this upcoming festival of nature.  Plans for the future  There are a million and one things I’d love to do on the site over the next few years but here is just a snippet of what we’ll be gearing towards over the coming months…  Bioblitz/Summer festival of nature  Scrub management across site  Tree planting Leyton Marsh   Pond restoration works in Horseshoe Thicket  As ever we look forward to seeing and meeting as many of you as possible to discuss and revel in the space we are all so lucky to enjoy together. If ever you see the team out and about, don’t be afraid to come and let us know your thoughts about the marshes. I’m always happy to give people a little more insight into why we do the things we do. From everyone who manages the marshes, have a wonderful winter and enjoy the festivities. Go on indulge. You’ve earned it!    Follow us online and on Instagram to see what we get up to @walthamstowranger.

Win two UCI Track Champions League tickets, a hotel stay at the Hyatt Regency London Stratford and two cycling experience vouchers for Lee Valley VeloPark (enter between 28 October – 17 November 2024) We can’t wait to welcome the UCI Track Champions League event back to Lee Valley VeloPark on 6 – 7 December. It’s ten years since we opened our doors to the public and what better way to round off this anniversary year than hosting the world’s best riders!   Enter our prize draw today and celebrate with us in the heart of the action at the international League’s sell out Grand Finale on Saturday 7 December when the overall winners will be crowned.   The exciting prize, worth over £650, consists of: Two Track Centre Lounge tickets  – which include food and drink – for the UCI Track Champions League  at Lee Valley VeloPark on Saturday 7 December One double room  (including breakfast) at the Hyatt Regency, London Stratford . Check in on Saturday 7 December, check out on Sunday 8 December A behind the scenes tour at the event Two Velodrome Flying Lap experience vouchers for Lee Valley VeloPark which can be redeemed over the next 12 months for this experience session   The competition gives you and a friend the chance see the best of the best in action as riders battle it out on the track where Olympic medals have been won and champions crowned. The Track Centre Lounge tickets are sold out – your only way in is to WIN!!   You can view further details on: UCI Track Champions League Grand Finale event   Hyatt Regency London Stratford Velodrome Flying Lap experience at Lee Valley VeloPark   It’s easy to enter. Just complete and submit your details on the form below and after the closing date we’ll choose one lucky winner – fingers crossed as it could be you!   Competition closes at 23:59 on Sunday 17 November 2024   Terms and conditions apply. Read T&Cs Please note to enter this prize draw you must be over 18 years old. To take part in the Velodrome Flying Lap experience you must be at least 145 cm / 4ft 9ins in height.

The weather has well and truly turned and its time to make the most of the day time by getting outdoors and keeping active. Be inspired for great days out and take a read of our Lee Valley Regional Park hot spots this October half term. Plan you next day out British Open 26 - 27 October  FREE Watch some of the stars of Paris 2024 hit the rapids at Lee Valley White Water Centre Rye House Gatehouse Open Day 27 October  FREE - donations welcome Learn about the history of one of England's first brick built houses from tales of treason to seasonally spooky stories Keeping active   Hit the lake - 26 & 27 October  This is the last chance to hit the lake at Lee Valley White Water Centre! Try out a kayak, SUP board or tackle the Water Wipeout - Book your space quick so you don't miss out Fright Night Disco - 1 November Spooky skating is on the cards at Lee Valley Ice Centre where you can throw some frightening shapes in the rink in this Halloween Special Junior Have a Go horse riding session The perfect sessions for those aged five to 15 to start their horse riding journey with a 30 minute slot   Star Track - 29 October - 1 November Got a budding athlete in the family? Lee Valley Athletics Centre has their Star Track camp were you'll get three days of training with a epic competition on the final day Sunday at the Mills Fireworks at the Mills 27 October 2 November £15 per adult and £10 per child - From £7.50 free parking and tea or coffee See autumn sights We've had an early autumn in the park and the leaves have already begun to turn. Here are some of the best places to see the changing hues: Myddelton House Gardens Waltham Abbey Gardens Fishers Green Walthamstow Marshes Tottenham Marshes You can read more about the trees in the park and try out forest bathing. Winter wildlife in the park  The Bittern has already been spotted in the park and we're expecting more winter wildlife to start flocking to the park. The Wildlife Discovery Centre is the perfect place to see them with views over Seventy Acres Lake and friendly volunteers on hand to help.  Connect with your sense  We've two great sensory routes around the park so you can soak up the changing sounds, smells and textures in the park Sensory route around Gunpowder Park Sensory route around Waltham Abbey Gardens

This competition has now closed. Congratulations to our winner Julian Harding.   We’re continuing the celebrations of Lee Valley VeloPark being open for 10 years and saluting the fantastic athletes competing at the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games with a competition to win an adrenalin fuelled sessions on our velodrome track.   The competition gives you and a friend the chance to experience our iconic banked velodrome track – the track where medals have been won and champions crowned. It’s the ideal place to unearth your inner champion as you get those pedals turning.   You and companion will be able to experience a fun 80 minute session at Lee Valley VeloPark in which you’ll: Be given all the necessary track cycling kit Receive coaching on how to ride a fixed wheel bike Learn the basic skills needed to be able to ride our awesome track   Once you’ve mastered the basic skills, get a flying lap where you can compare your speed to cycling’s stars.   You can view further details of the Velodrome Flying Lap experience here .   It’s easy to enter Just complete and submit your details on the form below and after the closing date we’ll choose one lucky winner – finger crossed as it could be you.   Competition closes at 23:59 on Saturday 7 September 2024 - this competition has now closed.   Terms and conditions apply. Read T&Cs . Please note to participate in the experience you must be at least 145 cm / 4ft 9ins in height

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to our winner Hayley Turness. White water rafting experience It’s slalom time at the Paris 2024 Olympics – teams from around the world are battling it out on raging white water rapids to be crowned Olympic champions.   Fancy giving it a go? Enter our free prize draw where you and a friend will get the chance to have an adrenalin pumping white water experience at Lee Valley White Water Centre. Built for the canoe slalom events at the London 2012 Games, this world class venue lets you experience the same strength of rapids  Olympic athletes take on.   You and your companion will be able to book either a Rafting Unleashed, Hydrospeeding for Hot Dog Kayaking session Lee Valley White Water Centre in which you’ll: Take part in a 90 minute activity session Be given all the necessary kit needed (you just need your swimming gear and a towel to dry off) Receive coaching from our instructors on what you need to do Learn the skills needed to let you navigate the rapids   Olympic and World Champions have been crowned on these rapids, unleash your inner champions and take on these awesome rapids!   Olympic and World Champions have been crowned on these rapids, unleash your inner champions and take on these awesome rapids!   Have a look at the activities you can choose: Rafting Unleashed Hydrospeeding Hot Dogs Kayaking   It’s easy to enter Just complete and submit your details on the form below and after the closing date we’ll choose one lucky winner – finger crossed as it could be you. Competition closes at 23:59 on Sunday 11 August 2024 - this competition is now closed   Terms and conditions apply. Read T&Cs . Please note to participate in any of the experiences detailed you must be over 12 years old and individually weigh under 18 stone.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our winner Samita! To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Lee Valley VeloPark and the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, we wanted to give you and a friend the chance to experience our iconic banked velodrome track and cycle in the tyre marks of track cycling champions. It’s the ideal place to get those pedals turning and channel your internal track cycling champion.   You and your companion will be able to experience a fun 80 minute session at Lee Valley VeloPark where you’ll: be given all the necessary track cycling kit receive coaching on how to ride a fixed wheel bike learn the basic skills needed to be able to ride our awesome track once you’ve mastered the basic skills, you’ll  get a flying lap where you can compare yourself to the track cycling professionals   Jason Kenney won the sprint in London 2012 with lap time of 9.713 second – can you beat his time?   You can view further details of the Velodrome Flying Lap experience here .   It’s easy to enter Just complete and submit your details on the form below and after the closing date we’ll choose one lucky winner – finger crossed as it could be you. Competition closes at 23:59 on Sunday 14 July 2024   Terms and conditions apply. Read T&Cs . Please note to participate in the experience you must be at least 145 cm / 4ft 9ins in height

Firstly, I’d like to introduce myself, I’m Luke Boyle, the Ranger for the Walthamstow and Leyton marsh areas. Switching scenery from the East Sussex seaside to the marshes of east London has been a joy for me since starting here last year. I feel very lucky to be able to spend the majority of my time out on the marshes. Ambling through North Marsh on a crisp, cool morning, heavy with dew, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time getting to meet and greet many of the local faces who are as foundational to the feel of Walthamstow Marshes as the landscape features and the plant and animal communities. Having found my feet it seems a good time to get the newsletter up and running again given how important a role the community plays in the upkeep of the reserve. The team have been working incredibly hard over the past few years protecting and enhancing the site all the while maintaining the high standards which afford the site its Green Flag status, as well as Gold award winning London in Bloom sites. As a consequence we have a huge amount to share with you all in terms of what state the site is in, how things might have changed since you last visited, what the outlook is as we move forward and how you might be able to participate in protecting this beautiful space we all are so lucky to benefit from. I hope you enjoy. The day to day It’s easy to forget, as we crash headlong into spring, that the marshes don’t always appear the most hospitable place. If you walk the marshes at the time I’m writing this in May, the air is perfumed with elderflower. Your field of vision swims in the seasonally lush, lime green of early spring. Purples and whites from Cow Parsley and Honesty, Comfrey and Borage are the palette for what remains to me, a surreal environment squeezed between Zones 2 & 3 on the London underground. And by remembering the depths of winter, the surreal nature of the marshes is brought into even sharper focus. As we all know it has been wet this winter. Seriously, seriously wet. Outlines of the ephemeral streams and rivers have wrought their history on North Marsh and remained filled with water for months now. Much of the work we wanted to carry out on this marsh was oriented around enhancing the grassland by reducing patches of scrub. We were able to clear large areas from across the site but not as much as we’d have ideally liked. The beauty of a job like this is that we’ll be able to have another go after the bird breeding season is over. Whilst bramble is valuable habitat for much of the wildlife that uses the marshes, it’s aggressive. Left unchecked it would reduce the whole site to scrub over a matter of years. In order to maintain and enhance the equilibrium and range of species across the site we have to battle it continuously. In January this year the green was muted and the trees were bare. The two ponds in Horseshoe Thicket had been left overgrown for rather longer than was optimum. Over the course of a few (freezing cold!!) sessions in waders, our honorary wardens and some of my colleagues were able to reduce the levels of reed, creating some interesting structure for the vegetation in the ponds. We also created some barer patches in the south facing margins that hopefully would attract amphibians and reptiles later on in the year. And in the areas where we cut, we can see now growing Cuckooflower in abundance. Across the site as a whole, the areas adjacent to ditches or ponds where we carried out winter cutting have seen a strong number of Cuckooflowers. As the larval food plant for Orange-tip butterflies, we can only hope that this will be a bumper year for both. On the South Marsh this late winter we have had the ongoing presence of Snipe. Given that this area isn’t accessible to the general public, the Snipe, which are Amber listed on the IUCN species list, have made home from (we think) February onwards. Impossible to see as a ground nesting, wading bird, Snipe are becoming rarer and rarer in wet grassland areas and lowland generally. It feels like a positive place to be when you see them scatter into the air, swing round and regain their composure on the sopping wet marsh. The prominent row of native Black Poplars that dissects Leyton Marsh and the South Marsh has been standing proud for around 100 years. Whilst this type of tree can live to around 200 - 250 years, there’s significant risk of their demise once they reach their current size and age. Balancing the conservation of the site as a whole with the very real pressures that come with managing such a public site is a tight walk the Ranger team often having to traverse. We’re using the scrape as a nursery for a succession of Black Poplars which will one day hopefully reach the heady heights of their forebears right next to them. We planted over 100 tree on the margins of Leyton marsh this year with a view to planting very many more in the next available season. It’s an area of the marshes where we have more freedom to experiment than the SSSI and where planting trees will both provide habitat for a whole suite of species and increase our capacity to capture carbon. Bees and other such buzz This year we’ve given particular notice to the bees which forage across the marshes. In the summer of 2023, all three Carder Bee species were sighted around Lee Valley Ice Centre during a survey undertaken by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Research being carried out on site (more details on which we hope to share in our next issue) suggests the Coppermill meadows are some of the most biodiverse areas on site for bees and other winged invertebrates . In its current state, awash with Garlic Mustard, Cowslip and Nettles in flower, it’s easy to see how a bee might find riches enough to make a suitable home on the meadows. It’s a huge boon for the site to boast this type of diversity even outside of the boundary of the SSSI. Volunteers Our volunteers have been as dedicated as ever in assisting with the management of the sites this year. In September and October we cleared a couple of big areas of reedbed from both the South and North Marsh. Once these are cut, we’d be lost without the help of our volunteers to help remove the spoil from site. We remove the reed to halt the nutrients from returning to the earth. This prevents the more adventitious plants from crowding out the reed as it grows back up over the winter and into the spring. This is common approach for reedbeds and wet meadows and the timing is crucial. Too early and we can interfere with the habitats of communities within the grasses and too late, the site will become waterlogged and make cutting nigh on impossible. Ox Bow Island This joint project on the Canal & and River Trust owned island has been running since before COVID and is now virtually complete. New paths and dead hedging orchestrate a proper woodland walk. Trees and bulbs have been planted. Coir rolls have stabilized the bank within the inlet and we have been able to get on top of invasive non-native species especially Floating Pennywort. We’ll continue to make little improvements where necessary but as of now Ox Bow Island is a lovely place to spend a little time when out and about. Plans for the year Here’s a taste of the projects we have planned in for the next year on the marshes, many of which you’ll be able to learn more about in our next edition: Black Poplar succession planting nursery Leyton Marsh Yellow Rattle regeneration Ox Bow Island meadow management Coppermill bulb planting Leyton Marsh carbon capture tree planting programme Haystacks community event Replacing fencing on South Marsh This summer all of our focus turns maintenance and surveying. We’re hoping to complete an invertebrate survey for the site as a whole in line with the ones carried out five and 10 years ago. We’ll welcome the return of our small herd of cattle to site and wonder whether we’ll have another unexpected calf appear mid-way through the season. And we’ll continue to learn how the marshes change over the course of a year, unfixed as they are, and all the more special for it. We look forward to seeing you all on the marshes! Leave no trace! We love to see people using the marshes and would ask everyone to respect this beautiful green space by ensuring they clean up after their dogs and take any rubbish away with them . New Instagram channel! Follow us online and on our new Instagram to see what we get up to @walthamstowranger