Recreational Route: Eastern England/London
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
Via unofficial extension to Island Gardens and Greenwich Foot Tunnel:
Highway Authorities
Parks and countryside
Tourist Information Centres
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.
Maps
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
- The Lea Valley Walk by Leigh Hatts, ISBN 1 85284 313 6. Cicerone.
This guide is currently out of print and no date for reprinting has been advised. However the route is easy to follow using signing and the latest Ordnance Survey maps. - Best circular walks in Lee Valley Park, free leaflet pack with 4 walks between 7km/4 miles and 10.5km/6.5 miles, illustrated on waterproof sheets with OS map extracts. Order from Transport for London walking leaflet order service.
- Walking the East End's canals. Leaflet describing a loop from Limehouse Basin using Limehouse Cut, Lee Navigation, Hertford Union and Regent's Canal. Free from Tower Hamlets council or British Waterways London office.
- Newham's Millennium Festival Waterway Discovery: Heron Walk, Kingfisher Walk and Time Travellers. Free leaflets from Lea Rivers Trust (see Lee Valley Park page).
- Enfield's Millennium Festival Waterway Discovery: Lea Valley Enfield. Free leaflet from Lea Rivers Trust (see Lee Valley Park page).
- Stort Valley Way, free leaflet from Epping Forest Countrycare, Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Essex CM16 4BZ, tel 01992 788203.
www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk - How to get to, and around Lee Valley Regional Park, free leaflet with park map and transport details, from information centre (see below).
- The Rivers Lee & Stort: London to Hertfordshire, free leaflet for all navigation users from British Waterways London Office.
Contacts
