ORIENTEERING
Description: Looking for a challenge? Why not try out our permanent orienteering course in the River Lee Country Park. A great opportunity to help improve compass and map work skills and of course teamwork!
Suitable for: Ages 11 upwards.
Venue(s): River Lee Country Park – Waltham Abbey, Cheshunt or Fishers Green
Cheshunt or Fishers Green
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for: Scouts – Adventure Challenge (general activities). Orienteer badge, Navigator badge.
Guides – Finding Your Way badge, Outdoor Pursuits badge, Team Player badge.
Available: All Year
WALK IN THE PARK
Description: With 26 miles of the Lee Valley Regional Park running from East India Dock Basin at the Thames to Ware in Hertfordshire, there's bound to be an area of the Regional Park you would like to explore with your group. To help you discover the history and/or wildlife of the Regional Park guided walks with our staff are available on a theme of your choice. Previous themes have included: conservation, habitat management, and an evening bat walk.
Suitable for: Ages 7 and upwards
Venue(s): Various
Cost: £46.00 (up to 2 hours)
Available: All year
FOCUS ON BIRDWATCHING
Description: Join us to visit one or more of our bird hides to observe, identify and record details of the different water birds that can be found at important lakes and marshland sites in the Lee Valley Regional Park. Have some ‘feathered fun’ away from the hides by taking part in some ‘birdy’ games! Binoculars provided.
Suitable for: Ages 7 upwards
Venue(s): The WaterWorks Nature Reserve and Golf Centre, River Lee Country Park - Fishers Green, Cheshunt and Waltham Abbey.
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for: Beaver Scouts – Explore badge, Outdoor Challenge badge (visit). Cub Scouts and Scouts – Naturalist badge.
Brownies – Wildlife Explorer badge, Friends to Animals badge. Guides – Baden-Powell Challenge (discovery).
Available: All year
CONSERVATION PROJECTS
We may be able to arrange practical conservation tasks for interested groups. Please telephone the Youth and Schools office for up to date information about availability of projects throughout the year.
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for: Scouts – Community Challenge badge.
Guides – Baden-Powell Challenge (celebrating diversity), Community Action badge.
Cost: Free
Available: All year
THE ABBEY TRAIL (1 OR 2 HOUR OPTION)
Description: Through role-play and using your imagination take a history trail with us around historic Waltham Abbey. Who lived in the monastery and what did they do? Can you communicate with the Canons of the Silent Order? 2 hour option includes a craft activity.
Suitable for: Ages 6 - 11
Venue(s): Abbey Farmhouse
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for:
Beaver Scouts – Explore badge. Cub Scouts – Local Knowledge badge. Scouts – Heritage badge. Guides – Culture badge.
Available: All year
I SPY A DRAGON - FLY!
Description: Explore how the dragonfly got its name. Take part in a range of fun, sensory activities and classification games to discover more about dragonflies and their habitats and compare them to humans and other animals.
Suitable for: Ages 5 – 7
Venue(s): Abbey Farmhouse and Lee Valley Regional Park Dragonfly Sanctuary at Cornmill Meadows
Available: Summer Term
CUNNING RUNNING
Description: An introduction to orienteering! The combined fun and challenge of a permanent orienteering course and a natural history quiz. The group will be split into smaller groups, each of which needs to be accompanied by an adult.
Suitable for: Ages 7 - 11
Venue(s): Abbey Farmhouse
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for:
Cub Scouts – Adventure badge, Navigator badge.
Brownies – Out and About badge.
Available: All Year
HABITAT EXPLORERS
Description: Join us to survey two or more important habitats in the Lee Valley Regional Park to find out more about the minibeasts and other creatures that live there. Collect and observe and identify amazing mini beasts, make a sound map and play the habitat game.
Suitable for: Ages 5-14.
Venue(s): Abbey Farmhouse, Gunpowder Park, The WaterWorks Nature Reserve and Golf Centre, River Lee Country Park, Fishers Green, Old Mill and Meadows and Cheshunt
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for:
Beaver Scouts – Explore badge, Outdoor Challenge badge (visit).
Cub Scouts and Scouts – Naturalist badge.
Brownies – Wildlife Explorer badge, Friends to Animals badge.
Guides – Baden-Powell Challenge (discovery).
Available: April-October
LEE VALLEY PARK FARM TOUR
Description: A guided tour of Lee Valley Park Farm. Visit our working dairy farm. Find out about why farms are important and where our food comes from. Learn about the cows’ life cycle and diet. Possibility of watching cows being milked, please enquire at time of booking. Find out how the farm is helping Lee Valley wildlife. Why not take a self-led visit to the rest of the farm before or after your tour to take a closer look at many different farm animals including rare breeds as well as more exotic animals. (Self-led visits available during farm opening period, free entrance when farm tour booked).
Suitable for: Ages 5-14.
Venue(s): Lee Valley Park Farms
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for:
Beaver Scouts – Explore badge, Outdoor Challenge badge (visit).
Brownies – Friends to Animals badge. Guides – Baden-Powell Challenge (discovery). Available: All Year
FOCUS ON RIVERS AND STREAMS
Description: Rivers and streams are an important habitat in the Lee Valley Regional Park. Investigate stream life using special equipment provided. Observe and identify aquatic life. Who eats who? Where do they live? And how does pollution affect them?
Suitable for: Ages 7-14
Venue(s): Abbey Farmhouse
Badges: Helps meet the requirements for:
Beaver Scouts – Explore badge, Outdoor Challenge badge (visit).
Cub Scouts and Scouts – Naturalist badge.
Brownies – Wildlife Explorer badge.
Available: April - October
If you'd like to book a self led tour of Lee Valley Park Farms please contact the Information service on 01992 702 200 or by e-mail info@leevalleypark.org.uk
Each programme is a half day option (approximately 2 hours) unless otherwise stated. If desired you can make up a full day programme by choosing two programmes or by drawing upon other local resources as appropriate. The programme will be tailored towards the needs of your group and visits from groups with special needs are welcomed.
All activities are led by Lee Valley Regional Park staff and are designed to be enjoyable as well as educational! Programmes are available all year unless otherwise stated.
Special project weeks and events are run throughout the year. Please call for details.