Search Results

Lake and Riverside Trail Distance: 4 miles Terrain: a mixture of pathways some of which are uneven, narrow and can become wet and muddy. One bridge with a steep incline and several walk-around and kissing gates Starting point: River Lee Country Park, Fishers Green car park, Stubbins Hall Lane, Crooked Mile, Waltham Abbey EN9 2EF Download route narrative > At at glance information for this route Dog friendly Parking available Refreshments available Route - running Route - walking Toilets available A spectacular wildlife route through the heart of River Lee Country Park. The route travels south, circling Hooks Marsh Lake before heading north on the towpath to Holyfield Weir and returning along the Flood Relief Channel. Directions Proceed across the extended car park and join the surfaced pathway on the left At the field gate turn right and continue, turning left at the signpost to Fishers Green Proceed into the park through the walk-around gates opposite the main car parking area Turn right over the bridge, crossing the Flood Relief Channel (The Wildlife Discovery Centre is a short detour from the route – at the end of the bridge turn right and the hide is on located on the left) At the end of the bridge turn left through a walk-around gate and head south along the pathway, keeping Seventy Acres Lake on the right and the Flood Relief Channel on the left Proceed through the walk-around gate and straight across Hooks Marsh car park to the metal field gate opposite Continue south along Waltons Walk, passing Hooks Marsh Lake on the right Turn right at the southern tip of the lake, keeping to the right hand pathway leading over the bridge at the south end of the lake. (The Plover Viewpoint and Hall Marsh Scrape are a short detour from the route – continue along the pathway bearing to the left and the viewpoint overlooking Hall Marsh Scrape is on the left) Continue north on the winding stony path between the lake and Hooks Marsh Ditch Turn left, heading west and bear to the left over the bridge crossing the River Lee Navigation Turn right at the end of the bridge along the pathway and proceed in a northerly direction between the towpath and North Metropolitan Pit Turn left through the kissing gate and onto the boardwalk into the North Metropolitan Orchid Meadow Continue along the boardwalk, exiting the meadow through another kissing gate Turn left out of the gate, and then right joining the towpath, heading north At the wooden bridge, leave the towpath and cross over the River Lee Navigation Turn left and follow the pathway, over the metal bridge crossing the Old River Lee Turn left at the end of the bridge and continue along the east side of the river to the anglers’ car park. (The Grebe Hide is a short detour from the route – Turn left immediately before the car park signposted Grebe Hide) From the car park, proceed to the right along the surfaced pathway leading to Holyfield Lake and Weir At the Weir, proceed on the pathway alongside the Flood Relief Channel and continue south Proceed through the kissing gate and turn left over the concrete bridge, crossing the Flood Relief Channel to Fishers Green car park Toilets Fishers Green car park Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park – 5 minutes from route Refreshments Wildlife Discovery Centre – short detour from route Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park – 5 minutes from route Things to note Public transport links to the starting point are limited Car parking charges apply at Fishers Green car park Previous Next

< Back to What's On Introduction Into Nordic Walking - 4 week programme (2 April - 23 April) New exciting opportunity for novice walkers to take part in Nordic walking within Lee Valley Regional Park. Date: 2 - 23 April Time: 10:30 - 12:00 FREE Lee Valley White Water Centre Location: Email the team to book > Over the course of four weeks, the programme will cover the fundamental principles of Nordic Walking and aim to build your confidence to participate regularly. Benefits include improved coordination, increased endurance, decreased stress on joints, enhanced muscle strength and improved cardiovascular fitness. To maximise the benefits of the programme, attendance at all four weekly sessions is essential : 2 April 9 April 16 April 23 April This session is free and poles will be provided. Please note that spaces are limited. If you would like to reserve a spot, kindly email activation@leevalleypark.org.uk Previous Next

< Back Exotic plants Exotic plants Artist Name 00:00 / 01:42 Narrator: The gardeners at Myddelton continue to follow in Bowles’s footsteps. The beds on the south side of the Irishman’s Shirt are used to experiment with the types of plants that can be grown here. Let’s hear from Bryan Hewitt: Bryan Hewitt: Well, Bowles was very keen to see what he could get away with growing; what would come through the winter in the garden… A lot of tender stuff would be put in there and I think he was a bit like his friend Professor Balfour of the Edinburgh Botanical Garden, who … said that “I never believe that a plant is not hardy until I’ve killed it”. So I suspect he got through a lot of plants through testing them. … We’ve got some bananas in there at the moment. … And we’ve got another plant called Albizia julibrissins which is in the leguminous family which has lovely pincushion-like flowers. He also grew a banksias rose, which is slightly tender, on the Irishman’s Shirt. He wrote in his book My Garden in Summer … in 1914 that he had hoped that one day it would eventually encircle the ball on the top of the column in the corner ... …I think Mr Bowles liked people to think they’d come to another country when they came to this garden, with the wonderful exotic things; in his day… it was a very, very famous garden. And some of these plants, which are common now, had not been seen before. I would like to recreate, somehow, the magic that he had here by growing challenging plants and constantly pushing the boundaries.

< Back Orienteering KS2 Venues: Waltham Abbey Gardens Available: all year Key subjects: Geography, PE Suitable for: KS2 (7 - 11 years) Teacher’s guide available > Prices > Our health and safety commitment > Contact us This fun fuelled competition allows groups to learn and reinforce important team building and map skills whilst challenging them to answer our nature quiz for extra points. Session covers: being physically active in a competitive sport; selecting and applying tactics; acquiring and developing PE skills; geographical skills and fieldwork using maps.

< Back to What's On Mind in West Essex: Walk & Talk at Waltham Abbey Gardens Join Mind every week for this great Walk and Talk session Date: 17 June Time: 10:00 FREE Waltham Abbey Gardens Location: See more > Looking for a friendly way to connect with others, enjoy nature, and get some gentle exercise? Mind in West Essex invites you to join our Walk & Talk sessions held every Wednesday at 10:00 in the beautiful Waltham Abbey Gardens. This weekly community event offers the perfect opportunity to take a gentle stroll among the stunning gardens while engaging in friendly conversation with others. Whether you’re looking to make new friends, enjoy fresh air, or simply take a mindful break from your week, Walk & Talk is here for you. Event Details : When: Every Wednesday Time : 10:00 Where : Waltham Abbey Gardens – meeting point: Waltham Abbey Church, Highbridge Street, EN9 1DG Who : Everyone is welcome – no booking needed! Why join? Relax and unwind with a scenic walk Meet new people from your local community Boost your wellbeing through light exercise and conversation So, lace up your walking shoes and come along – we’d love to see you there! Organised by Mind in West Essex in partnership with Kinder Essex. Previous Next

< Back to What's On Food Growers Join our women-only Food Growing sessions every Sunday and get ready for the spring/summer growing season! Date: 24 May Time:11:00 - 15:00 FREE Cody Dock Location: Book your space > Join our women-only Food Growing sessions every Sunday and get ready for the spring/summer growing season! It's the perfect time to start seedlings and transplant them into our urban garden's planters. Help us create a beautiful and sustainable vegetable garden inspired by nature, with the goal of growing enough produce to share with the community. These sessions offer a chance to learn about companion planting, crop rotation, and sustainable gardening practices, including permaculture. We also explore ways to introduce biodiversity to the garden. Beyond gardening, we incorporate crafting and making activities, such as small repairs, painting, or making signs, so you can get creative and sustainable with us. Join us and gain a deeper understanding of gardening while contributing to a greener community! Previous Next

Terms and conditions - refreshment loyalty card You can earn one stamp for your loyalty card when purchasing a hot drink at Myddelton House Gardens, which may be subject to change (“Participating Venue”). The card fully stamped with nine stamps entitles you to a free hot drink from any of the Participating Venue when handed over to a member of staff. Only original loyalty cards will be accepted – copies, or cards altered in any way, are not valid and will be declined. Loyalty cards have no cash value. Cards cannot be exchanged for cash and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (the “Authority”) is unable to replace a stamped card if it is lost, stolen or damaged. Loyalty cards have no expiry date and are valid until such time as the Authority chooses to stop issuing drinks loyalty cards and/or new stamps. The Authority reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time.

< Back to What's On Wonderful Wildlife Weekends Drop in for free, fun, family nature activities at Walthamstow Wetlands. Date: 21 June Time: 13:00 - 15:00 FREE Walthamstow Wetlands Location: Book your space > Join us to explore our pond and surrounding areas to discover the wildlife that lives at Walthamstow Wetlands. Toads, tadpoles, woodlice and worms are just a selection of the animals that you might discover here! Activities will include using nets to look at animals found in the pond and looking under logs to see what minibeasts we can find. Meet at our outdoor classroom, beside the Engine House. This session will be led by Dhush (he/him) or another member of our Learning & Engagement Team. Sessions are aimed at children of all ages and parents/carers together. All children must be accompanied throughout the session by a responsible adult. No need to book, just drop in on the day. No equipment needed. Dress suitably for the weather. This is a free event, but donations are welcome. All profits are invested into London Wildlife Trust’s conservation and education work and the care of its nature reserves. Previous Next

< Back to What's On Food Growers Join our women-only Food Growing sessions every Sunday and get ready for the spring/summer growing season! Date: 5 July Time: 11:00 - 15:00 FREE Cody Dock Location: Book your space > Join our women-only Food Growing sessions every Sunday and get ready for the spring/summer growing season! It's the perfect time to start seedlings and transplant them into our urban garden's planters. Help us create a beautiful and sustainable vegetable garden inspired by nature, with the goal of growing enough produce to share with the community. These sessions offer a chance to learn about companion planting, crop rotation, and sustainable gardening practices, including permaculture. We also explore ways to introduce biodiversity to the garden. Beyond gardening, we incorporate crafting and making activities, such as small repairs, painting, or making signs, so you can get creative and sustainable with us. Join us and gain a deeper understanding of gardening while contributing to a greener community! Previous Next

< Back Catkin Catkin - mooring Catkin - mooring Catkin - mooring 1/13 Wide beam Dave Clarke 53ft 2013 £155,000 SOLD Contact the owner Alex Collings We're selling Catkin, our much-loved widebeam replica barge with transferrable riverside mooring and towpath garden at Lee Valley Marina, Springfield in London E5. Catkin is a 53' x 10' replica barge with a steel hull. She was designed by a liveaboard boater, built by Dave Clarke and fitted out by Lawrie Lavender in 2013. The boat has a reverse layout and good headroom (6ft+). Entering through the wheelhouse you step into the open plan kitchen and living room – it’s a really light and welcoming space, great for hosting or relaxing by the stove. There are three separate cabins: the main bedroom with a full-size double bed and bow storage a single bedroom with under bed storage (also works as an office) and the shower room with a sink, storage, cassette toilet and shower. Heating, power & cruising There's a Webasto diesel central heating system, central multifuel stove, and a small charcoal burner in the main bedroom to stay warm and cosy year round. Catkin is also well set up for off-grid cruising, with 3 solar panels, an MPPT controller, battery charger, 2kW inverter, and shore power connection to a generator – all redone to a high standard in 2023. Well maintained engine and exterior The boat is powered by a reliable Barrus Shire 45HP keel-cooled inboard engine and has comfortably cruised the Thames, Grand Union, River Cam and the River Lea. She was blacked in 2018 and 2023 (with new anodes fitted) and lovingly repainted externally in 2024. A Boat Safety Certificate was issued in February 2025, so everything’s up to date and good to go. The mooring One of the biggest pluses is the transferable private riverside mooring on 'the wall' at Springfield Marina with conveniently easy access to marina facilities. The mooring fees are £461.24/month which includes access to laundry room, shower and toilet block, elsan point, skip, recycling and chandlery. The towpath garden has a lovely lawn, apple tree, hawthorn and an oak, small shed and compost bins. The trees have been well maintained so you get full sun for the solar panels. It's a beautiful space to sit out in the warmer months, surrounded by nature. The marina has a lovely, laid-back community – there's Spring Lea Cruising Club aka 'the marina bar' - a volunteer-run members’ bar - open on Wednesday evenings and weekends, with live music, film nights and a wood-fired pizza oven. The location Being on the River Lea means you feel very close to nature – there are bats, swifts, dragonflies, coot chicks and so much more that we will miss. We've seen cormorants eating eels and spotted giant carp. On the doorstep there's Walthamstow Wetlands, horseshoe woods and the marshes, where we've seen kingfishers, peregrine falcons and more. It’s peaceful, green, and feels a world away from central London, even though it's well connected – nestled in between Clapton, Tottenham Hale, Stoke Newington, and Walthamstow. Price £155,000 - happy to answer questions or arrange viewings for interested buyers. Previous Next

Faba to Fieldes Distance: 2 miles Terrain: a mixture of surfaced pathways, towpath and grass pathways, bridges including one very narrow and walk-around and kissing gates Starting point: Dobbs Weir car park, Dobbs Weir Road, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire EN11 0AZ Download route narrative > At at glance information for this route Dog friendly Parking available Refreshments available Route - running Route - walking A circular route through tranquil surroundings, with beautiful views, weirs and wildlife. The route travels north past Glen Faba to Fieldes Weir, returning south on the towpath. Directions Exit the car park, crossing over the road towards the Fish and Eels pub Turn right and proceed along the pavement, turning left through a walk-around gate Continue diagonally across the field to the north east corner Proceed through the gate and continue along the public footpath, keeping the River Lee Navigation on the left Continue along the pathway as it heads away from the river heading towards the Flood Relief Channel Turn left and continue along the pathway keeping the Channel on the right Turn right crossing a concrete bridge over the Floor Relief Channel, entering Glen Faba Turn left, heading north, continuing between the Flood Relief Channel on the left and Glen Faba lake on the right Continue through a kissing gate and past the bridge on the left Proceed through the next kissing gate towards and over Fieldes Weir Turn left, past two houses and bear to the right, continuing over Fieldes Weir Lock. Turn left, onto the towpath and continue south alongside the River Lee Navigation, leading back to Dobbs Weir Turn left crossing the bridge over the weir and proceed across the main road Turn left along the pavement, over the River Lee Navigation and turn right into Dobbs Weir car park. Refreshments River Palace Café Fish and Eels pub Things to note Public transport links to the starting point are limited There are currently no car parking charges at Dobbs Weir car park Previous Next

< Back Habitat Discovery Day - Wildlife Venue: WaterWorks Centre nature reserve Available: April – October Key subject: Science Suitable for: KS1 and KS2 Teachers guide available > Prices > Our health and safety commitment > Contact us Students explore the weird and wonderful world of minibeasts in a variety of terrestrial habitats. Through collecting, identifying and classifying the invertebrates, discover which areas make the best home for minibeasts and see if you can survive the 'Needs of Life 'game. Then use binoculars to see the birds that also call this unique habitat home and see how they link into food chains. Session covers: working scientifically to observe land invertebrates including habitat requirements, variation, adaptation, classification and food chains; gathering and recording information.