Welcome to the Lee Valley park website

River Lee Country Park is especially important for birds in winter when ducks and other water birds visit from Northern Europe and Scandinavia. Other migrating birds such as waders, terns and warblers are best seen during spring and autumn.

 

In the summer, the Country Park is one of the best places in the country to see Kingfishers. With twelve bird hides and viewing screens, ten of which can accommodate wheelchairs, including the National Bittern Information point at Fishers Green, (Bitterns visit only between the end of October and the end of February), the River Lee Country Park is one of the best places in the country for birdwatching.

 

Cameras have been installed at various locations on rafts and wet meadow areas to enable visitors to view the wildlife.  River Lee Country Park also has seven species of orchids recorded which can be viewed from a viewing platform. 

 

River Lee Country Park is one of the many attractions which make up the Lee Valley Regional Park. It has been transformed from old gravel pits into attractive countryside by St Albans Sand and Gravel Co Ltd and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. Gravel has been extracted from the 1930’s onwards. Although this landscape is less than a hundred years old, the flooded gravel pits and grassland are so special for birds and insects that much of the area has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

A site on the north east corner of River Lee Country Park in Nazeing. Predominantly mown amenity grassland with a small lake and areas of wildflower meadows. It is a good picnic spot with space to kick a ball around, play frisbee or just a gentle amble up the hill to a superb view point over the Valley.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN9 2HX

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A quiet little site in Nazeing of secondary woodland with patches of meadow grassland and a small picnic area at its centre. This site is alongside the River Lee providing easy links with the towpath for good walking opportunities.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN10 6SS

 

 

Bus numer 392

 

Leave the A10 at the slip road for Broxbourne and exit the roundabout towards Wormley, Turnford & Broxbourne.

At the next roundabout, turn left onto the A1170, High Road Turnford.
Remain on the A1170 over the next two roundabouts in order to turn right at the traffic lights onto the B194, towards Broxbourne Station. Continue on the B194 for approx. half a mile.

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When you next visit Broxbourne, be sure to take a look at the Old Mill.

The Mill was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book, 1086. The Knights of St John of Jerusalem were the first recorded owners of the mill. Under the reformation of Henry VIII in 1544, ownership was taken away from the monasteries and granted to a local miller, John Cook. The mill’s function and ownership changed repeatedly over the years.

 

The role of the mill up until 1892 was to grind corn into flour. Then in 1919 the restoration of the water turbine allowed the owner to produce auxiliary power. By the 1940’s the mill was used as factory storage space but on 1st October 1949 the mill was destroyed by a fire.

 

Now all that remains of the mill is the 16th century brickwork floor, and window frames of a 19th century two-storey miller's house that was restored in 1977 by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

 

A site combining history, conservation and leisure which has close links with bus and railway network. The site has car parking and toilet facilities both of which are suitable for disabled people. On weekends and holidays there is a catering van on site to provide refreshments and holiday chalets which can be hired out from the Broxbourne Boat Centre.

 

The main bulk of the site is wet meadows which are preserved for conservation interest.  Water Voles can be found in and around the ditches, dragonflies and damselflies are seen hovering over the meadows and reed beds during the summer months. With a small section of woodland it also provides habitat for various garden bird species and good cover for a number of mammals such as Foxes and Muntjac Deer.

 

As well as the Old Mill, the site also offers visitor interest in the form of cycle hire between April - October,  Wednesday to Sunday.  A model railway club open their doors to the public on weekends and Day Ticket Fishing during open season.

 

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Wheels in motion: keen to restore the Old Mill Wheel back into working order, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority commissioned Mill Green Forge from Hatfield to repair the Wheel. The work took nine months to complete and cost £14,000.

Now the wheel turns yet again.

 

The project: as it was not practical to run the mill continuously,  whenever the wheel stopped the paddles would either spend extended periods of time exposed to the air, or immersed in water. The original

wooden boards were becoming dried out and the others were becoming waterlogged. To combat this problem Mill Green Forge replaced the wooden boards with recycled plastic. These plastic paddles not only have a much longer life than the wooden alternative, but they weigh less than their wooden counterparts, therefore less stress is placed on the original wheel meaning it will continue to turn for longer.

 

Additional work included the installation of a new 'Trash Screen' in front of the mill wheel, replacement of all spares supporting the plastic paddles using custom made galvanised metal units bolted on to the original structure and a new side sluice, which when raised, allows Lee Valley Regional Park Rangers to flush through built up sediment and also allow excess water to pass through during periods of heavy rain.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN10 6LX

 

 

310, 311, C3

 

Leave the A10 at the slip road for Broxbourne and exit the roundabout towards Wormley, Turnford & Broxbourne. At the next roundabout, turn left onto the A1170, High Road Turnford.  Remain on the A1170 over the next two roundabouts in order to turn right at the traffic lights onto the B194, towards Broxbourne Station. Turn first right off Station Road into Churchfields. At the end of Churchfields turn left into Old Mill & Meadows.

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A section of unspoiled wet grazing meadow along side the River Lee at Broxbourne, a valued site for its Water Vole population and dragonfly species. Popular for walking with good links to the towpath and River Lee Country Park.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN10 6HF

 

 

310, 311, C3

 

Leave the A10 at the slip road for Broxbourne and exit the roundabout towards Wormley, Turnford & Broxbourne. At the next roundabout, turn left onto the A1170, High Road Turnford. Remain on the A1170 over the next two roundabouts in order to turn right at the traffic lights onto the B194, towards Broxbourne Station. Turn first right off Station Road into Churchfields. At the end of Churchfields turn left into Old Mill & Meadows.

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This is a small pleasant picnic site in Wormley running along the River Lee adjoining Slipe Lane Pits. The Pits are run by a Fishing Consortium and provide excellent angling opportunities as well as beautiful location for walking with close links to the towpath.

 

Previously a site used heavily for gravel extraction, clues to its past can be seen all over the area. As well as the gravel pits themselves, now filled with water and providing a haven for wildlife, there are less obvious signs such as the Sunken Barges.  The barges were once used to transport the gravel from the site along the River Lee. At the end of the sites working life, they were no longer needed and were lifted out of the water and half buried where they can be found today as a reminder of the sites history.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN10 6HD

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Please note that the Wrens nesting hyde is closed as of 5th June. Click here for more details.

 

Part of the River Lee Country Park, Fishers Green is a popular site for visitors including walkers, cyclists and birdwatchers and is a short walk from the Lee Valley Park Farms.

 

The Bittern Information Point affords views across 70 Acres Lake. Colonies of Common Tern nest on floating rafts during the summer months and the small reedbed in front of the hide is regularly visited by Bittern in the winter.

 

An extension was added to the hide in the winter of 2006/7 in which images from cameras installed at various points looking at the lake, reed bed and tern rafts can be viewed on screen. This hide is open most weekends staffed by Lee Valley Park Volunteers or as part of an RSPB 'Aren’t Birds Brilliant' Project.

 

A network of hard surfaced paths link the majority of the site from the car park, suitable for both wheelchairs and pushchairs.

 

The Otter Discovery Trail starts at Fishers Green Car Park.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN9 2EF

 

From the M25, exit at junction 26 and join the A121. At the roundabout turn right which will take you over a bridge spanning the M25. At the first set of traffic lights approach in the left hand lane and go straight on.
At the second set of lights move into the right hand lane and go straight on.
At the roundabout take the third exit which is the B194, Crooked Mile.

Follow this road for approx 2 miles until you come to a sharp right hand bend with a turning on the left which is Stubbins Hall Lane.

Take this road and take the left hand fork at the bottom of the slope for Fishers Green Car Park

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Hooks Marsh lies at the southern end of Seventy Acres Lake in which 25,000 reeds were planted as part of the nationwide Life Project with the aim of increasing the network of reed beds across the country. The north end of Seventy Acres is also a popular spot to see the over wintering Bittern (December- February).

 

Following the Flood Relief Channel south from Hooks Marsh brings you to Hall Marsh Scrape which is a shallow lagoon especially created for waterfowl. Over winter many different types of waterfowl can be seen here, including Gadwall, Tufted Duck and more recently Pintail. During spring / summer the water level is reduced to encourage wading birds such as Little Ringed Plover, Snipe and Lapwing.

 

Hooks Marsh is part of the River Lee Country Park and on the edge of Turnford and Cheshunt Pits, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This includes 10 former gravel pits, covering an age span of over 40 years. Several of the pits have extensive shorelines and associated areas of marsh, grassland, scrub and woodland; part of the Small River Lee; and a further water body, Hall Marsh Scrape, which was constructed for use by Waterfowl.

 

Many different types of management work is carried out in the area ranging from cutting channels into reedbeds on the lakes to allow viewing of the waterfowl to weeding the gravel beds to keep them clear of vegetation for the wading birds.

 

All of the paths leading from Hooks Marsh are fully accessible shared use. The River Lee Country Park and the, one and a half mile, Water Birds Walk around Seventy Acres Lake can be accessed from here.

 

Directions

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN9 2ED

 

Arriva: The Shires & Essex 505

 

From the M25, exit at junction 26 and join the A121. At the roundabout turn right which will take you over a bridge spanning the M25. At the second set of traffic lights approach in the left hand lane and go straight on. At the third set of lights move into the right hand lane and go straight on. At the roundabout take the third exit which is the B194, Crooked Mile. Follow this road for approx 1 1/2 miles and turn left down Fishers Green Lane, which is signposted.

 

The nearest train station is Cheshunt.

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Windmill Lane is easily accessible by train or by road. From here you can explore River Lee Country Park a unique patchwork of lakes, waterways, green open spaces and countryside areas all linked together by paths, walkways and cycle tracks.

 

Located on Windmill Lane next to Pindar car park is YHA Lee Valley Village and Herts Young Mariners Base.

 

The majority of the site has hard surfaced paths suitable for both wheelchairs and pushchairs.

 

The Orchid Discovery Trail starts from Pindar Car Park.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN9 1XQ

 

From junction 25 of the M25, join the A10 towards Hertford. Head straight on until the first set of traffic lights then turn right towards Cheshunt.
At the next roundabout turn left and then immediately right after the pedestrian crossing into Windmill Lane.

Pindar Car Park, Herts Young Mariners Base, YHA Lee Valley Village are over the railway line at the end of Windmill Lane

 

The nearest station is Cheshunt.

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Highbridge Street is the perfect place to explore the southern end of River Lee Country Park, Lee Valley Showground Site and the rest of the Regional Park.

 

Part of the River Lee Country Park, Highbridge Street allows easy access to sites such as Bowyers Water which was excavated by hand in the 1920’s and is one of the oldest gravel pits in Lee Valley Regional Park.

 

Highbridge Street and the Showground Site is Lee Valley Regional Park’s main attraction area, where many events are held throughout the year. When not in use the area is a popular picnic site and informal games area with many picnic benches just off the car park and fully accessible toilets. There are pathways that lead into the rest of River Lee Country Park and good access to the Lea Navigation Towpath which make the site an ideal base for cycling and walking.

 

The area is covered by many accessible shared use paths and the Water Lily, two mile way marked trail around Bowyers Waters, is accessible from here. The Lee Navigation Towpath is also accessible from Highbridge Street and heading south will take you to other Lee Valley Regional Park sites such as Rammey Marsh, whilst heading north will take you through the rest of River Lee Country Park.

 

 

The nearest Postcode for this site is EN9 1AB

 

 

Regal Bus ways - 211, 212, 213, 240, 250, 251
Arriva The Shires & Essex - 240, 250, 251, 252
Trust line Services - 251

 

From M25 J26 (Anti-clockwise)
Leave the M25 at junction 26, at the roundabout at the end of the slip road take the second exit onto the A121 (towards Waltham Abbey).  Go straight over two roundabouts, and at the T-junction (McDonalds on left) turn left towards Waltham Cross along Highbridge Street.The entrance is on the right shortly after crossing the river.

 

From M25 J25 (Clockwise)
Leave the M25 at junction 25, at the roundabout at the end of the slip road join the A10 towards Hertford.  At the first roundabout turn right onto the A121 Cheshunt link for Waltham Cross. Turn right at the next roundabout onto the High Street. Turn left at the next roundabout to join Eleanor Cross Road for half a mile. The entrance is on your left.

 

 

The nearest station is Waltham Cross. Come out of the station onto Eleanor Cross Road and head east towards Waltham Abbey. Highbridge Street in about half a mile on your left.

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