Lee Valley Regional Park

Lee Valley Regional Park is a unique mix of award-winning sport and leisure facilities, heritage sites, gardens, nature reserves and riverside trails. Stretching over 10,000 acres the Regional Park winds its way 26 miles along the banks of the River Lee from Ware in Hertfordshire, down through Essex, North and East London, past the Olympic Park to East India Dock Basin on the River Thames and attracts over 4 million visitors a year.

The Park is easy to reach by cycle, car, bus, train or on foot and is a short journey for most residents from Epping Forest. The Park offers hundreds of great days out from walking, cycling and running, visiting farms or historic gardens through to ice skating, horse riding and canoeing we hope you enjoy the many different sites and experiences the Park has to offer.

If you’re on holiday or just spending a day, bring your friends and family and come and explore, discover and enjoy your Regional Park

Hundreds of great days out

Looking for something to do? There’s something for everyone in our events programme with many of our special days completely free! From wildlife weekends to family open days, guided walks to 10k runs. Whether you’re looking to take the family out for the day or to learn more about your local history and wildlife check out our ‘What’s On’ guide and visit us at one of our many events.

Lee Valley Regional Park and the London 2012 Games:

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is heavily involved in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Authority owns of 35% of Olympic Parklands and four Olympic venues – the White Water Centre, the VeloPark and the Hockey and Tennis Centres at Eton Manor, they will also operate and fund these in legacy.
The White Water Canoe Centre near Waltham Abbey will be the first Olympic brand new venue open for use by the public. The world class course will open in spring 2011 and will provide Rafting activities alongside the Canoe and Kayak facilities. Epping Forest residents will have the opportunity to be the first to use the Centre ahead of London 2012 games.
For more information please visit www.gowhitewater.co.uk  

River Lee Country Park

The Park covers 1,000 acres on either side of the River Lee between Waltham Abbey (Essex) and Broxbourne (Hertfordshire). It’s a unique patchwork of lakes, waterways, green open spaces and countryside areas all linked together by paths, walkways and cycle tracks.

The Country Park is home to an abundance of wildlife throughout the year and is the perfect venue for a variety of informal, outdoor recreational activities to suit all ages, tastes and abilities.

Lee Valley Park Information Service

The Information Service is situated at Lee Valley Park Farms, Stubbins Hall Lane, Waltham Abbey and provides information about the whole of the Park, including the sports and leisure facilities. It has a shop that sells countryside gifts, books, maps and guides, and refreshments. Seasonal fishing and annual birdwatching hide permits are also available from the Information Service. The Information Service runs a programme of events and activities throughout the year.

Recreational Activities

Walking
The Park has a variety of walking opportunities for all abilities from flat surfaced way-marked paths, to grass country tracks and hills. The Information Service has details of all the routes available throughout the Park, including the specially designed walks to help you discover different birds, flowers and insects through the seasons on the way. The Park has plenty of bridges, seats, signposts, information boards and picnic tables. It really is a great place for discovering the joys of walking, particularly as many of the paths are suitable for wheelchairs and buggies.

Picnic Sites
A picnic is an essential part of a traditional day in the country and so, the Park has lots of places where you can picnic in comfort; many close to car parking, toilets and refreshment facilities.

The closest picnic sites for Epping Forest District residents are situated at Fishers Green, Holyfield Weir and Abbey Gardens in Waltham Abbey but there are also numerous other sites within the Park.

Please note that the Park does not permit Barbecues.

Toilets
Are situated within the Information Service, including a specially designed toilet for people with disabilities. Baby changing facilities are also available.

Cycling
The Park provides many off road cycling opportunities, most of which are well surfaced. Cyclists can enjoy routes which follow the banks of the lakes and rivers and wind their way through some of the most attractive meadows and tree lined pathways in the Lee Valley. There is, however, no general public right of way for cyclists on the towpaths except with a permit which are available from British Waterways Customer Services on 01923 226 422. The Lee Valley Information Service can provide more detailed information about recreational cycling in general.

Angling - there are 11 Lee Valley Park managed Fisheries, ranging from fast flowing weir pools to reclaimed gravel pits and catering for pleasure, specimen and match anglers, including facilities for anglers with disabilities. Anglers require an Environment Agency rod licence which can be purchased from the Post Office and also a Lee Valley Park Permit is needed for the fishery they intend to visit. Anglers also need to complete an application form available from the Information Centre and should carry their licences with them at all times when fishing in the Park. Day ticket fishing is available for some sites and are on sale on the bank from the Fishery Bailiffs. A comprehensive angling guide is available from the Information Centre.

Birdwatching
There are 11 bird hides, 9 of which can accommodate wheelchairs, located in the Country Park, including the National Bittern Watchpoint at Fishers Green, Waltham Abbey. The Park provides an internationally important refuge for birds to breed, rest, feed and shelter, with 200 different bird species having been seen over recent years. In the winter the Park is visited by migrating ducks and other water birds, including important numbers of Bittern. Other migrating birds such as Waders, Terns and Warblers are best seen during the spring and autumn. But, the Park is perhaps most popular with birdwatchers in the summer, when it is one of the best places in the country to see Kingfishers.

Permits are required for some of the Thames Water birdwatching sites, for further details contact Thames Water at The Gatehouse, Ferry Lane, Tottenham, London, N17 9NH or telephone on 0181 808 1527.

Nature Reserves
There are five Nature Reserves and eight "Sites of Special Scientific Interest" (SSSI is a designation given to sites important for wildlife by English Nature, the Government agency for nature conservation) within the Park. The vast range of habitats within the Park makes it an important refuge for many species of wildlife, from birds and bats to fish and flowers.

For further details on these areas and for contact details of the various conservation organisations in the Park, visit the Information Service.

Dragonfly Sanctuary
Located at the Cornmill Meadows at Waltham Abbey, is the best single site to see Dragonflies and Damselflies in the region. The slow-flowing rivers and luxuriant water plants, found at this Site of Special Scientific Interest, provide an ideal home for these fascinating insects. In fact, 21 different types have been seen there - that's over half of Britain's native dragonflies - including scarce species such as the Hairy Dragonfly and White - legged Damselfly. Visitors are most likely to see the dragonflies between late May and early September plus on a warm, sunny day as they are solar powered and need sunshine to warm their wing muscles for flight. Access around the Dragonfly Sanctuary may be difficult for some disabled people.

Lee Valley Park Farms

Open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 between 13 February and 31 October

Hayes Hill Farm is home to loads of animals, some cuddly, some not. You can take your time and visit our giant bunnies in Rabbit World and marvel at the exotic animals in the Pet Centre. You can explore the farm yard and paddock areas – look out for our rare breed sheep, pigs and cows. Also making the farms their home are guinea pigs, tortoises, llama, ducks, goats and chickens to name but a few.

Holyfield Hall Farm is home for our dairy cows. Come and see how they live, feed and sleep. Climb the steps to the viewing gallery where you can see the farmer milking the cows every afternoon. You can also take a tractor and trailer ride down to see the cows.

For further information contact Lee Valley Park Farms , Stubbins Hall Lane,  Waltham Abbey, Essex, EN9 2EF or telephone on 01992 892 781 or visit www.leevalleypark.org.uk/farms

You can contact the Lee Valley Park:
• Call our info line on 08456 770 600
• Email info@leevalleypark.org.uk
• Visit http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk