15/04/17 - Lea Valley Walk Summary

Distance - 58.75
Geocaches - 56
From - Leagrave, Bedfordshire to Limehouse, Greater London
Walk Inspiration


The Lea Valley walk was noticed when I was looking for inspiration for high mileage rambles in London.  How I love my cheap Virgin weekend rail tickets.

The first leg of this perfectly matched my requirements - heading from Cheshunt, all the way to Limehouse Basin.   Not every walk starts in Zone 8 and ends in Zone 2.

Once committed, I then headed north from Cheshunt, through Ware and walking into Hertford and ticking off a couple of CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pubs.

Stage 3 provided the only complexity with route finding.  The GPX downloaded from the "Walk Inspiration" links provided above is out of date.   I had a look at the official web site, whre there is some information but not enough to plan the walk.   There was a comment from a walker in 2013 who had experienced the same problems with a permissive path (marked on the OS), which is no longer permissive.  Signage on the grounds was very poor.  I left a comment, polite but suggesting the web site was no longer maintained.  I got a reply from the book author saying I needed to buy the latest version of her book, as there had been some major re-routing.  And my polite comment was removed :-)

Still, the walk was enjoyable.  I used to work in Hatfield and it was good to see a bit more of the area and to follow some previously walked paths through Brocket Hall golf club.

The final stage meant that for the first time in my life, I was rambling through Luton.  There cannot be too many people who have said that.  I find the source - nestling in the shadow of some 1960's tower block.

Always nice to walk from source of the river to its end..... even if I did complete it in a haphazard style.  Some fine towns in Hertfordshire.  Plenty of geocaches.

Walking Stages

Stage 1 - Cheshunt to Limehouse Basin, 17 Miles
Stage 2 - Cheshunt to Hertford, 13.5 Miles
Stage 3 - Hertford to Harpenden, 16.5 Miles
Stage 4 - Harpenden to Leagrave, 11 Miles

Photo Album on Flickr

15/04/17 - Lea Valley Walk Stage 4 - Harpenden to Leagrave

Distance - 11.7 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Start - Harpenden Station
Finish - Leagave Station
Pub - The Great Northern, Luton
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3


Here's the end of a walk that kind of accidentally appeared on my walking itinerary.  It started out innocently enough - the first stage from Cheshunt to Limehouse Basin was a lengthy, Geocache laden trek in the city that took good advantage of cheap Virgin train tickets.  Before I knew it, I was heading North and revisiting fine Hertfordshire towns like Ware, Hertford and er, Hatfield.

It got to the point where having found the mouth, I thought I might as well finish it at the source.

And that's how I found myself rambling in Luton.

Despite my warnings, Mrs M is keen to get some miles on her fitbit and joins me. Shivering, we depart the train at Harpenden Station and head to River Lea at Batford Springs.

Picking up the Lea at Batford Spings

Early walking is excellent and presents no navigational challenges.  We follow the river along the abandoned railway line, with only the Thames Water sewage farm spoling the ambiance.  Some discussion about exactly what the mountain of black stuff that was being pushed around by a JCB actually was.

Lea Valley following an abandoned Railway line

There is some drama to be had.  We see a collection of concerned walkers and cyclists - one of whom is menacingly waving around one of the Lea Valley marker posts.  As we get close to the action, we see the problem.  A muntjac deer has got itself painfully wedged between the metal bars of the fence stopping trespass onto the railway line.  They're usually in herds - so either this was the first to attempt or the fattest.   It looks forlorn and is going nowhere fast.

The collected masses have decided that rather than let Mr Marker post try and bend the bars, they will call the Fire Brigade.  1/2 a mile down the track we hear the sirens as Dennis pulls up and six burly firemen (one uncannily like Matt Le Blanc) come past us carrying an assortment of tools.

It quite made Mrs Ms day.   Just in time for me to attempt to ruin it.

OS Maps are fine in the country but Luton is presented as a rather large brown blob.  Following the Lea Valley walk is not too bad, as the signage in the town centre is better than you could hope for.  I wonder how many Lutonians have wondered what these Swans are in the pavement.

Lea Valley Swan

Helping us to Navigate Luton in all its glory

It's not just the path I need to follow, somewhere in the town centre is a Good Beer Guide pub that needs to be ticked off.

The Great Northern, 63 Bute Street, Tribute

As it's only 11:30am, we were unsure whether it would be open.  Signs of life provided initial excitement but this turned out to be a hotel next door.

What do you reckon?  Open or Closed?

With the frosted door and window, it was hard to tell.  We looked at the notice on the door and could only glean that "Toilets were for customers use only".  Sure I saw movement inside, I tentatively opened the door to find a collection of old boys sat at the bar.   And Kylie Minogues "Can't get you out of my head" blasting from the TV tuned into Heart radio.

I can only report things as I find them but the third thing I noticed after old boys and Australian chanteuses was the overbearing smell of urine.  It was enough to make your eyes sting.   I look at Mrs M, hoping her hayfever could have masked the smell.  She gives me the look that says "Its not Hayfever season".

Now the two ramblers have crossed the threshold, there's no way we can make an escape unless we were to be accused of toilet theft.  I order the drinks and take stock of my surroundings.  A one room pub, serving one real ale, bench seats and rather nice Victorian green tiling.

The long bench seat of the Great Northern

Mrs M still glaring at me, I tweet other beer tickers to compare experiences.   Of course, Retired Martin has been there.  He blogged a rather fairer assessment.

Two hours after leaving Harpenden, I do need to use the closely guarded facilities.  And here's the thing. They smell much better than the bar.

After much deliberation and with some sadness, we can only conclude the smell must have been coming from one of the old boys.

I was hoping that this would placate Mrs M and she wouldn't blame me too much for the choice of mid walk refreshment.  However, on getting home and updating my pub ticking spreadsheet, I cannot find my Good Beer Guide anywhere.

On with the Walk

The pavement swans lead us out of Luton and into Wardown Park.  The Lea has been dammed to make a boating lake, wide enough to require a suspension bridge.

Wandown Park

Another couple of miles through leafy surburbia, watching the Lea get thinner and thinner before we come to Leagrave Station and a handily placed McDonalds.  The source is 1/2 a mile on and I feel I should complete the odyssey and see how it is marked.

Mrs M raids my rucksack to get the shrapnel together for a McFlurry.

The Narrowing Lea

The Source of the Lea - 50 Miles to Limehouse Basin

25/02/17 - Lea Valley Walk Stage 3 - Hertford to Harependen

Distance - 16.4 Miles
Geocaches - 9
Start - Hertford North Station
Finish - Harpenden Station
Pubs - 2
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2

Bleary eyed, the day started with a 5:10am check on Twitter to see if the country had got back to normal following Storm Doris.  As per the norm, I was soon sidetracked and reading a blog about some impressive pub ticking and retweeting the link.

Dedication. That's what you need. Not feeling so bad about being up at 5.10am, travelling 300 miles and & hopefully adding a single tick. https://t.co/xLIBMBtDwr

— mappiman (@Mappiman1) February 25, 2017

So you can imagine my delight when this 16 mile walk provided double the amount of ticks.  At this rate, I will only need to live to 230 to complete the Good Beer Guide.  The irony of that sentence is not lost on me.

Following an incident packed train journey, where I helped unprepared Walsall FC fans open their breakfast alcopops and an unconnected lady in the seat behind me discreetly threw up in her handbag, I arrived at Finsbury Park Station waiting room.

I'm not the only person in goretex and gaiters.  I very nearly gatecrashed the Blackheath Ramblers in their jaunt from Watton-at-Stone.  A decent conversation followed whilst we waited for the 9:02 train.  I may well be joining.   Beer blogger, Des De Moor, appears to be a member.  Their future walking programme looks excellent.

I'm on Stage 3 of the Lea Valley Walk.  This was a tough leg, knowing I have 16 miles to complete in 6 hours - including any pub visits.

Through pretty Hertford and pick up the Cole Green Way at the town's football ground.  This is a former railway line and provides the first caches of the day, easy walking but no sight of the actual river.

Cole Green Way.  Geocaches.  Muggles.

Holwell Court turns out to be a bit of a disaster.  I have an Old OS Map and a downloaded GPX route on my GPS and I cannot make my plans match with what is on the ground.  I can't afford lengthy detours and the fact that I find the White Swan symbol occasionally gives me the confidence to climb fences and plough on as planned.   On getting home and completing some research, I can see that a permissive path no longer has permission.

At least the adventure brings me to the River Lea and a decent stretch lasts until another disappearing permissive path through Hatfield Home Park forces me to walk alongside the deeply unpleasant A414 dual carriageway.

The River Lea, at last.  Cecil Saw Mill  

I don't usually have the space to blog about individual Geocaches, but the one at Mill Green Museum brings a smile to my face.  Its in the museum grounds, which is closed today, but confidence to cat burgle is provided my a nice little sign out front.

Another Smiley for Mappiman

I'm back in Hatfield (worked there for 12 years, apologies accepted) and the route takes me around Stanborough lakes and under the A1(M) to pick up Brocket Hall Golf Course.  I've walked here before on summer evenings when staying over for work - fine paths and previously found Geocaches.

Brocket Hall

13 miles and four hours in, I am making decent enough time to contemplate a stop.  Good river walking brings me to Wheathampstead - a pretty village that takes pride in its history.   Every buildings seemingly has information signs detailing the past.  I read all about the Bull Inn but the fact that its a bit corporate (Miller and Carter Steakhouse) means I make the correct decision and take a 15 minute break at the Swan at the top of town.

The Lea coming into Wheathampstead

Information

Superb choice and I must be getting adept at sniffing out the best places in new locations.  Its Cask Marque Accredited (bottle opener bagged, T Shirt 12 new pub visits away), its in the Good Beer Guide 2017 and it sells Timothy Taylor Landlord.

13 Miles.  Earned.

Since the 1500s

Enough to fortify me for the last hours walking into Harpenden.  Nothing to really report walking wise, start on a high ridge overlooking the valley and then drop down to a disused railway line before pounding the streets to get to the planned GBG Entry - the Cross Keys.

Harpenden is as nice as Wheathampstead but much bigger.  A long, broad high street takes me past many of the pubs I know from previous visits to one that is seemingly furthest away from the Station.

It was worth it for a traditional boozer.  Silver tankards hanging from the roof beams, lead windows, bar with three real ale choices, a roaring fire and all the newspapers a man could read in the 30 minutes he has before the train back home.

Almost justified the £4 pint of Landlord.

Traditional and another Cask Marque Check In

40ps worth - gone in a sip

A final leg of the Lea left - as it takes me to its source in Leagrave, near Luton.  I may make a trip of it and stop of in CAMRA's home town of St Albans and revisit some old friends.

28/01/17 - Lea Valley Walk Stage 2 - From Cheshunt to the Camra GBG Pubs of Hertford

Distance - 13.4 Miles
Geocaches - 18
Start - Cheshunt
Finish - Hertford
Pubs - 3
Previous Stage


I spent 13 years working in Hatfield and looking for better places to spend my nights away.  Both Hertford and Ware were investigated before I settled on St Albans for my regular lodgings.  In those days, I simply knew it had good pubs but didn't realise it was CAMRA's home.  Youth, wasted on the young.

It was with some mild excitement that I plotted the 2nd leg of the Lea Valley Walk and realised that it would be taking me through these two Hertfordshire towns.  A chance for a first visit in over 10 years.

Easy walking from Cheshunt - like plodding along the banks of a canal.  Unlike Stage 1, there is really nothing much of interest until you get 11 miles in and arrive at Ware.

Its a good job I have the numerous, well maintained geocaches to keep the interest levels.  If there hadn't have been so many muggles, I would have got so many more.  A stretch of three consecutive caches was interrupted by a fisherman who firstly demanded I had a feel of his rod, and then proceeded to follow me upstream as "he looked for perch".

I'll leave you with some photos of the walk into Ware.

Deadly Accurate Signage - I discovered a Heron

One of the more handsome Riverside pubs - The Fish and Eels

Somewhere near Hoddeson

Somewhere Near St Margaret's 

Civilisation

The Waterside Inn, Ware

3.5 hours after leaving Cheshunt at 9am, I arrive into Ware.  There is one CAMRA GBG pub in the town but it is a fair way from the river, so I make the most of the two waterside pubs at the town bridge.  The Saracen's Head announces its presence with Scrabble Style signage. The Waterside Inn is Cask Marque accredited.  Only one winner for the Mappiman Dollar.

Waterside Inn - Cask Marque

A friendly greeting from an Antipodean behind the bar (instinctively bred for bar work), she takes my order from a choice of six real ales.  She even looked disappointed when I failed to either produce, or desire a stamp on a loyalty card.  I tried to explain that having not been to Ware in a decade, I am unlikely to show the required loyalty needed to claim a freebie.

Ringwood Ridgeback delivered in a Presentation Cup

A functional place for a pit stop and the pint was perfect, even down to the chalice served in.

On with the walk.

From Ware, things improve.  There are things to look at and for the first time, the Lea can be described as a River, rather than a Canal.  I get to dodge dope smoking youths, admire the street art underneath the A10 and find the source the of the New River, which could be an inspiration of another waterway based London Adventure.

Lea, looking like a River

The Start of the New River - running all the way to Islington

Under the A10 and a mortality reminder from some blue toes.  With eyes.

A fine delivery into Hertford, which from the River is far prettier than I remember.  A couple of hours before my scheduled train back, so a chance to tick off two of the four GBG establishments in the town.

The first, the handsome looking Old Barge is right on the water.

The Old Barge, Hertford

The Old Barge

There's a snug on the left hand side of the front door, with a little service space to the central bar.  More room on the right hand side, where a long bar with high stools leads to an extension based dining area.

I make myself comfortable on a stool and experience the kind of service which is good for starting fights.  I start my wait alone.  Three bar staff are all refusing to make eye contact with me, busying themselves with making rounds of orange juice and lemonades, messing with the till or serving food.

I am joined by a lady, holding a menu.  I joke about my cloak of invisibility.  Another five minutes and we are still not acknowledged.

You can guess what's going to happen.  A local comes in, is engaged with "I'll be with you in a minute" and then promptly offered service.

Counteracting my in built politeness. I point out that I was next and got met with "Well, we cannot keep on top of everything".  I would have accepted this, but menu lady went off at the deep end and fired off a broadside about how she either should have asked who was next or at least acknowledge us as we had both been there for quite a while.

On the plus side, it provided plenty of time to work out what I would have.  It was nearly a Woodforde Wherry (last seen in Norfolk) but I did a bit of #TryJanuary and went for an Otter Dark.

And I thought I had met all the Otters.

My first pint of Mild?   I tried to hide the Doom Bar Glass.

The Old Cross Tavern, Hertford

The GBG provides a chance to sample all sorts of environments.  From the too busy to cope Old Barge, to the three punters strecthing out a pint with the papers, Old Cross Tavern.

Already looking like my sort of place

I take the place of the gentlemen escaping to keep up the numbers.  Its a single room pub, with a single gent sat in each nook around the room, so none of us can really see each other.  Not a sound, apart from the tick tocking of an ancient timepiece.

#Tryjanuary is knocked on the head, as I shun the four unknown real ales for a Perfectly Served Timothy Taylor.

The silence is only broken when a couple come in - look around and leave in a fit of giggles.

A couple of one liners "was it something I said?, they don't know what they're missing, etc." and we we all heads down and back to our papers.

Bliss, and another GBG success.

A little bit of Yorkshire in Hertfordshire

05/11/16 - Lea Valley Walk Part 1 - Cheshunt to Limehouse Basin

Distance - 17 Miles
Geocaches - 25
Start - Cheshunt Station (Zone 8)
Finish - Limehouse Basin (Zone 2)
Walk Inspiration


The London River that goes by two names.  The signs constantly change on this walk.  Sometimes its the Lea, sometimes the Lee.  I'm sure there's a method to the madness.  Maybe it's called one name when it most resembles a canal.

It's source is somewhere north of Luton.  It empties (the last major tributary into the Thames) at Limehouse Basin.  In keeping with a year of walking London's Waterways, I'm going to knock off this epic - running from Zone 8 and in a different County - all the way to the East End.

Personally, I don't even like canal walking.  It may have been the super high volume of Geocaches on the route that tempted me.  Too many to list individually but for an aged trail that's been in place for 6 years and containing 70+ caches, they are exceptionally well maintained.  I had a blast.  I'll try and make the logs unique but I am not going to record the DNFs.  This was either due to time (I have a scheduled train back), muggles (what do you call a muggle on a bike?) or inability.

Bleary eyed, having set off on the 6:40am, changing at Seven Sisters, I arrive outside the M25.  First thing to do is get the sidetracked cache and then complete the short hop to the water.

The River Lea at Cheshunt

Navigation or hills are not going to present a problem on this walk.  The Lea Valley navigation has more open water than the Norfolk Broads.  Looking at the map you can see how the path dissects bodies of water that in theory, should make you feel like Moses crossing the Red Sea.  In reality, you see nothing of the lakes and reservoirs that are on the opposite bank.

First item of interest (and I use the term loosely) is the M25.  It does present the opportunity to consider what I am doing today - I know I am ending in Central London but it does make me wonder whether there will be time for a post walk pint, when I am starting on the other side of the Moat designed to keep Brummies out of the Capital.

Under the M25.  Like a Brummie Troll.

Soon pick up Enfield Lock.  Nothing to report other than to say this is where the London Loop crosses the River Lea.  Fond memories through a previously found Geocache.

Pace on.  The map shows two massive reservoirs on the opposite side.  All I can see are the sheep nibbling the grassy banks.  In between Geocaches, I entertain myself by admiring the boats.  They come in all shapes and sizes - from cruisers that you think could cross the channel to floating tramp hovels.

And they say you should never rename a boat

Bruce Dickinson - Fencer, Pilot, Singer, Barger

As you would expect, things get more industrial from Tottenham onwards.  The beer can count increases but to their credit, I don't see a single shopping trolley.  In keeping with remembering past walks, a long stretch of the Capital Ring is retraced.  A break from caching (apart from clearing up a previous DNF) and the same mistake made as before.

All the pubs are on the opposite bank.

Starting to get Industrial at Tottentham

A Pleasant Section of the Capital Ring.  You can wave at the lunch time boozers.

Today's highlight was somewhat unexpected and says rather a lot about the Premier League.  We all know that the taxpayer gave West Ham a new ground.  They inherited the Olympic Stadium this season and have added mass brawling to the entertainment on offer.  It's 1:40pm and I wonder if they are at home today.  There is a surprising lack of activity.

The Irons New Home

The pubs - still on the opposite bank - have a reasonable number of punters.  Its hard for a stranger to tell if this is the normal weekend crowd or footie fans.  Then it happens, three times.  People drapped in Claret and Blue and talking like Sonia from East Enders, ask me for directions - twice to the pub (sadly, a bridge is nearly always required) and once, believe it or not, to the actual ground.

Jesus.  I am a Baggies Fan.  I relish the return to the Championship.

I would be chuckling to myself but 13 miles in and I dryer than Gandhi's flip flop.   I press on through the wastelands of East London, knowing it will look very different next time I come.

Walking on Water

Underground

A couple of highlights from previous walks - Three Mills (World's largest Tidal Mill, Blogfans) and Bow Locks.  I know I am nearly done.

Three Mills.  And a Bike

Bow Locks - doing a good job of holding back the green.

Six hours 5 minutes after heading off.  Non stop walking and I arrive at the Thames at Limehouse Basin.

Limehouse Basin

Where the Lea meets the Thames

There's a sign to the Riverside Historic Pubs.  Unfortunately, its the wrong way from Limehouse Station.  Fortunately, I have done them before.  If you are doing this walk - follow the sign.  There is nothing (yet) near to Limehouse.

Coming Soon to the East End.  Craft.

So, thirsty and knackered, I get the train to Fenchurch Street and emerge into the daylight at Tower Hill.  I know of a Wetherspoons and incorrectly convince myself its in the GBG 2017 and worthy of a tick.  At least I got a Cask Marque Check in.

Shite Pub, Great Views

Fittingly, I take London Pride

Summary - dull walking, great caches, decided lack of pubs.  Would I do it again?

Not this stretch but I will book in Cheshunt to Ware/Hertford.