Lee Valley Regional Park Authority - Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserve

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Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserve

Address

Walthamstow Marshes, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London, E10 7QL
Tel: 020 8988 7566
e-mail: info@leevalleypark.org.uk

Bee orchid

Introduction

This Green Flag Award site includes Walthamstow Marsh Nature Reserve as well as Coppermill Fields and Leyton Marsh. The Nature Reserve is a remnant of London’s once widespread river valley grasslands and is especially important for its plant and insect life containing a national rarity in Creeping Marshwort. The area is served by a good network of paths and has accompanying interpretation. In the summer parts of the marsh are grazed by a small herd of old breed cattle. The cattle help to conserve the natural history of the marsh by grazing down the more aggressive plants. The Waterworks Visitor Centre is nearby and has a café and toilets.

Click here for Infomation on Lea Bridge Area

Green Flag

We were successful in achieving the Green Flag for 2011.

Lea Bridge Road Study

This Olympic-related study has been going ahead through the summer and was finished in October. There is no report, but some details can be found on the Waltham Forest web site at:- http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/index/environment/planning/planning-policy/local-dev-framework/northern-olympic-fringe-aap.htm

Recent Developments

• The ponds on the North Marsh have finally been finished and fencing has gone up around the main, deeper pond to protect it from disturbance and allow the plants to colonise.

• Major refurbishing work for Sandy Lane has been completed.

• We now have a third self-guided trail for the marshes and filter beds, covering autumn trees and their fruits.

Up-and-coming Developments

• We are hoping to put in a bridge linking the King Head bridge with Sandy Lane before the end of March (as we were last year at this time).

Wildlife Monitoring in 2010

• Creeping Marshwort and Brookweed, two of our rarest plants, have been doing very well. We didn’t mow a fifth of the field in August this time. This normally draws the cattle to this area. Also, by bringing the cattle on earlier this year, in July, it has meant that the cows have grazed the scrape area better than they have in any previous year. This has been especially beneficial to the Creeping Marshwort.

• Hop Sedge was seen again on the marsh in September, after a gap of 48 years.

• 52 species of bird were seen over the Countryside Live week-end, including Peregrine Falcon and Buzzard.

Document Download: Walthamstow Marsh- Habitat Management Size: [35 KB] File Type: [.pdf]

User Forum

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 16th November 2011 at the WaterWorks Centre at 6.30pm. If you would like to join the Forum please email ghoddinott@leevalleypark.org.uk and we’ll send you the most recent minutes. We normally meet 4 times a year.

Self Guided Trail

Why not take a wonder through the nature reserves on the Lea Bridge Road with the help of our guided trail maps, there's one for summer birds and one for butterflies and dragonflies.

Click here to download a pdf of our Self Guided Trail - Summer Birds.

Click here to download a pdf of our Self Guided Trail - Butterflies and Dragonflies

Document Download: Walthamstow Marshes Two Page Site Management Plan Size: [80 KB] File Type: [.pdf]

Directions

Location information

How to get here

Car

Walthamstow Marshes are located in east London on the border of the London Boroughs of Hackney and Waltham Forest. The main car park is shared with the Lee Valley Ice Centre on Lea Bridge Road (A104). There is a secondary car park at the bottom of Coppermill Lane, off the A1006.

Pedestrian and Cycle Access

The site is well served by footpaths and cycle routes including the London Loop, The Lee Valley Pathway, the Lee Valley Walk and the east-west cycle route between Walthamstow and Clapton.

Train

The nearest rail station is Clapton, 10-15 minutes walk from the site.

Buses

Bus services 55, 56 and 48 stop on Lea Bridge Road.

Links

LBCV – http://www.lbcv.co.uk/

SSSI Citation - http://www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/sssi_details.cfm?sssi_id=1003054