Lea Valley Walk

Leagrave near Luton to East India Dock, London 80km/50 miles EASY

A walk that follows the River Lea (sometimes spelt Lee) from its source on the Icknield Way north of Luton, along country and town paths to Hertford and then southwards along the Lee Navigation deep into east London. A fascinating combination of field paths, towpaths, urban green walks through the rolling agricultural lands of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and the wildlife-rich marshes forming islands of green among urban development. South of Ware the route runs within Lee Valley Regional Park.

The river Stort joins the Lee at Hoddesdon and continues to Bishops Stortford as a navigation with a walkable towpath. The Stort Valley Way is a 45km/28-mile circular route using sections of the Stort towpath through Sawbridgeworth and Harlow and rural paths through Matching and Epping Green.

Between Hertford and Enfield the route roughly parallels the New River Path. South of Enfield there are also good paths connecting the route with Epping Forest.

An alternative multi-user route, the Lee Valley Pathway, is slowly being developed through the Lee Valley Park: this generally runs roughly parallel to the existing path but to the east. Currently only a few sections are open, shown on park maps.

Between Stratford and Bow, two short circular Waterway Discovery Walks starting from Three Mills Island explore the Bow Back Rivers, an area rich in industrial history with a patchwork of green spaces criss-crossed by a complex system of waterways. The Heron Walk (1.5 hours) visits Old Ford Nature Reserve. The fully accessible Kingfisher Walk (1 hour) goes via Channelsea Wildlife Area along a section of the Greenway (Capital RING). Another Waterway Discover Walk explores the area around Enfield Lock. 

The Lee Navigation is connected to the Grand Union Canal by two short links with walkable towpaths, the Hertford Union between Hackney Wick and Victoria Park and the Limehouse Cut between Bromley-by-Bow and the Thames at Limehouse Basin. The Waterway Discovery Time Travellers walk and the Walking the East End's canals leaflets listed below describe circular routes using these waterways.

An unofficial extension to Island Gardens is described in the guidebook listed below.

Update. Explore the site proposed as a home to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 using parts of the route. See Walk the Bid for more.

	Adopted by the Greater London Authority as a strategic walking route
	Some easy-access sections. Contact Lee Valley Regional Park Information Centre for details (see below). The Waterway Discover Walks are generally accessible with a RADAR key: see leaflet for details.

Connects with Better Haringey Trail, Capital RING, Grand Union Canal Walk (via Hertford Union towpath or Limehouse Cut), Greenwich Millennium Heritage Trails (via foot tunnel and unofficial extension), Forest Way (via Stort Valley Way), Harcamlow Way (via Stort Valley Way), Hertfordshire Chain Walk, Hertfordshire Way, Icknield Way, Isle of Dogs Walkways, Leyton Loops (nearby), London LOOP, New River Path, Pymmes Brook Trail, Thames Path (via Limehouse Cut), Three Forests Way, Walk the Bid

Via unofficial extension to Island Gardens and Greenwich Foot Tunnel: Greenwich Millennium Heritage Trails, Thames Path, Waterlink Way

Highway Authorities Bedfordshire, Enfield, Essex, Hackney, Haringey, Hertfordshire, Luton, Tower Hamlets

Parks and countryside Corporation of London Open Spaces, Lee Valley Park

Tourist Information Centres

• Bishops Stortford 01279 655831, www.bishopsstortford.org 
• Hertford 01992 584322
• London There are TICs at Tower Hamlets and several in central London. Click here for details.
• Luton 01582 401579
• Waltham Abbey 01992 652295, www.walthamabbey.org.uk 

See also Lee Valley Park Information Centre

Public Transport.

• From Leagrave to Harpenden the route roughly parallels the Midland Main Line railway, with Thameslink services to Bedford, St Albans, central and south London, Gatwick Airport and Brighton from stations at Leagrave, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and Harpenden. Luton also has intercity services to Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.
• Hatfield and Hertford North stations, not far from the route, have services to Alexandra Palace, central London, Stevenage (connections for northeast England and Scotland) and Cambridge. Between these points there are some regular local bus services.
• Between Hertford and Hackney the route roughly parallels the West Anglia lines from London Liverpool Street, with stations at Hertford East, Ware, St Margarets, Rye House, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, Enfield Lock, Brimsdown, Ponders End, Tottenham Hale, Clapton and Hackney Downs. The route then passes close to Hackney Wick (Silverlink North London Line Richmond - North Woolwich) and Bromley-by-Bow (Underground District and Hammersmith & City) stations.
• The official end of the walk is near Canning Town (Underground Jubilee Line, Docklands Light Railway, Silverlink North London Line) and East India Dock (Docklands) stations. Limehouse Basin adjoins Limehouse station (Docklands, c2c between Fenchurch Street and Southend). Island Gardens station is on the Docklands network.
• From Waltham Cross onwards the route is within the London zonal fares boundary with many frequent services in addition to those listed. For more on public transport in London, click here.
• The Stort Navigation runs parallel to the railway line between Broxbourne and Bishops Stortford with stations at Roydon, Harlow Town, Harlow Mill and Sawbridgeworth. Between these points there are some local buses, especially in the Harlow area, of use to walkers on the Stort Valley Way.
• The guide to the complete book listed below is divided into sections between stations. For more on finding out about services and fares, click here. 

Explorer maps 162, 174, 182, 193
Landranger maps 166, 177
The route is shown on recent editions of these maps.
Local street atlases may be more useful in built-up areas. See Walking in London: Maps.

Publications