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Cheshunt to Broxbourne Walk

River Lee Country Park and Waltham Abbey.

Easy Hertfordshire

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sun, 01-Dec-24 a Cheshunt Circular 5 incessant drizzle
Sat, 14-Jan-23 a A Country Park and a Norman church (Cheshunt Circular) 11 wet start drier later
Sun, 13-Feb-22 a Cheshunt Circular 6 drizzle
Fri, 03-Jan-20 River Lee Country Park and Waltham Abbey: Cheshunt to Broxbourne 10 overcast then sunny
Sat, 05-Jan-19 Cheshunt Circular 9 dismal and dank
Sun, 01-Jul-18 – A Country Park and a Norman Abbey (Cheshunt to Broxbourne) 10 hot and sunny
Sun, 04-Feb-18 – A Country Park and a Norman church (Cheshunt Circular) 13 sunny morning with a shower in the afternoon

Sunday 01-Dec-24

Sean
Extra Walk 311a – Cheshunt Circular

Length: 12 km (7.5 miles); see † below for a longer walk. Toughness: 1/10

10:28 Cambridge North train from Liverpool Street (Tottenham Hale 10:41), arriving Cheshunt (in TfL Zone 8) at 10:48. You can use Oyster PAYG or contactless, but note that a Freedom Pass is only valid to Cheshunt on the half-hourly London Overground services via Seven Sisters (arriving at xx:26 & xx:56).

There are fast trains back to Liverpool Street at xx:20 & xx:51 and slower ones to Stratford at xx:29 & xx:59, plus the Overgrounds at xx:00 & xx:30.

Waltham Abbey This walk combines the extensive wetland landscape of River Lee Country Park with a short excursion into the town of Waltham Abbey for a circuit of the Abbey Gardens and a peek into its fine Norman church. The town's pubs didn't all survive the pandemic so there's currently no clear recommendation for lunch, but the walk document suggests trying the Welsh Harp in Market Square, next to the church grounds.

On the return route it's worth popping into the Brew Street Kitchen and Bar in the Lee Valley White Water Centre, either for some mid-afternoon refreshment or simply to watch the spectacle. Much of the walk is along surfaced paths, but be prepared for a few muddy stretches along the way.

You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.311.a page.

† For a longer walk of 17½ km (10.9 miles) you could do the full Main Walk, ie. continue past Cheshunt to return from the next station on the line. Broxbourne has four trains an hour back (not the Overgrounds), departing four minutes before the times at Cheshunt. See the walk document for more details.

  • Mon, 02-Dec-24

    On a day of incessant drizzle only three alighted from a slightly delayed Greater Anglia train, but we soon encountered one more who'd come on the Overground and had set off thinking she needed to catch up. News came of a fifth who'd mis-remembered the train time and was starting nearly an hour late, but the judicious use of a well-designed short cut near the start meant that we were soon a group of 5 bedraggled walkers in the Lee Valley Country Park.

    A pleasant break at the bird hide overlooking Seventy Acres Lake was enlivened by a flash of orange and blue as a kingfisher darted past. Apart from that the birds seemed as enthused about the weather as we were, and as the rain was getting heavier we took refuge in the café at the White Water Centre for a lunch of sausage rolls and soup. Fortunately the rain was starting to ease off as we continued into Waltham Abbey to admire its impressive church.

    If the diligent Mr Tiger had been with us there would have been no question of skipping the planned investigation into the town's pubs, but this will have to wait for another day. As some of us had events to get back to we just did an abbreviated circuit around the Abbey Gardens and marched briskly back to Cheshunt, where a patch of blue sky appeared as our train arrived. However, no-one was tempted into doing the extra leg to Broxbourne.

    This walk has acquired the tag of “a good winter walk” as much of it is on firm paths with no mud, but I think we'd all like the chance to experience it on a brighter day.

Saturday 14-Jan-23

Margaret
Extra Walk 311a – Cheshunt Circular

Length: 12 km (7.5 miles). Toughness 1/10

(The longer 10.9 mile walk to Broxbourne is not recommended today as that would involve a bus on the return journey)

10:15 London Overground Cheshunt service from Liverpool Street, arriving Cheshunt 10.54 or 10.28 Greater Anglia Cheshunt service from Liverpool Street, arriving Cheshunt 11.00

Buy a return to Cheshunt (TFL zone 8) or use Oyster PAYG or contactless. Note that Freedom Pass/Oyster 60+ are only valid on the London Overground services.

There are several trains an hour back from Cheshunt.

Lee River Country Park Much of this walk is along surfaced paths, but be prepared for a few muddy stretches along the way. The route combines the extensive wetland landscape of River Lee Country Park, billed as good for bird and wildlife watchers, with a short excursion into the town of Waltham Abbey for a possible pub lunch, a peek into its fine Norman church and a circuit of the Abbey Gardens.

If you're intending to have lunch at one of the pubs, please check if they are open and if you need to book: The Crown (01992-701481), Welsh Harp (01992-711113) The Angel (01992-718671) The Sun (01992-914249). The Gatehouse Café near the church entrance looks the most appealing of the cafés.

On the return circular route it's worth popping into the Terrace Bar & Café in the Lee Valley White Water Centre for mid-afternoon refreshment or to watch the spectacle.

For full details and to download your copy of the directions see the L=swc.311.a page.

  • Sat, 14-Jan-23

    A group of 2 and a group of 3 arrived early and set off before the 6 on the appointed train. Altogether that makes 11 The groups coalesced later. The weather? A bit of a rain sandwich - wet start drier later (apart from a carwash moment beside the lake in the afternoon). The morning was spent passing lake after lake after lake after lake, duck after duck, heron after heron.

    I’ll say this for the wetlands, they WERE wet. At one point, the gang of six had to divert because the path was under water. (Strangely, neither of the other groups encountered this, so they must have been off course).

    Get this though, we saw a bittern. It had to be pointed out to us by the Bittern hide’s resident spotters. It was hiding in the reeds.

    Beats seeing ducks.

    Some of the groups visited the Crown for lunch. Not the group I was in., though. Oh no. We made do with a picnic at Waltham Abbey. The formal group coalescence occurred at the White Water Raft cafe . Then it was back to Cheshunt for the train home.

  • Sun, 15-Jan-23

    In the interests of strict factual accuracy I should explain that the two of us actually started later than everyone else, having been on the train behind the posted one. But we took a big short cut and therefore avoided the flood, and also sadly missed the bittern site so did not linger there. Hence we managed to get to Waltham Abbey first . . . anyway, thanks for choosing a suitable walk fora an iffy day; and I must go back and study the wildlife properly sometime

Sunday 13-Feb-22

Sean
Extra Walk 311a – Cheshunt Circular

Length: 12 km (7.5 miles); see † below for a longer walk. Toughness: 1/10

10:57 Cambridge North train from Liverpool Street (Hackney Downs 11:03, Tottenham Hale 11:10), arriving Cheshunt (in TfL Zone 8) at 11:18. You can use Oyster PAYG or contactless, but note that a Freedom Pass is only valid on the half-hourly London Overground services via Seven Sisters (arriving at xx:24 & xx:54).

There are fast trains back to Liverpool Street at xx:20 & xx:53, slower ones to Stratford at xx:28 & xx:58, plus the Overgrounds at xx:02 & xx:32.

This walk combines the extensive wetland landscape of River Lee Country Park with a short excursion into the town of Waltham Abbey for a possible pub lunch, a peek into its fine Norman church and a circuit of the Abbey Gardens. On the return route it's worth popping into the Terrace Bar & Café in the Lee Valley White Water Centre, either for some mid-afternoon refreshment or simply to watch the spectacle. Much of the walk is along surfaced paths, but be prepared for a few muddy stretches along the way.

You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.311.a page.

† For a longer walk of 17½ km (10.9 miles) you could do the full Main Walk, ie. continue past Cheshunt to return from the next station on the line. Broxbourne has four trains an hour back (not the Overgrounds), departing four minutes before the times at Cheshunt. See the walk document for more details.

  • Fri, 11-Feb-22

    probably going, it's due to rain about 2pm but majority of the walk will be completed by then

  • Sun, 13-Feb-22

    Getting Herford East train from Tottenham Hale🤞

  • Mon, 14-Feb-22

    6 turned up on a day that was chilly first with light rain later A bit windy too.

    On we went past a lake. After that, we went past another lake. Then a lake. Actually, there were lots of lakes. Also, bridges, ducks, swans cormorants, and geese. Eventually we reached Waltham Abbey where, after a bit of a wander, following someone’s upside-down phone app, we finally found the Crown. It was OK I suppose. Inescapable wall to wall football, but at least it was empty, which was more than can be said for the Welsh Harp.

    We didn’t do the tour of the Abbey gardens cos the rain had started. We returned to the Country Park and headed forthwith for the station, reaching it at about 3.

    Did I mention the lakes?

  • Mon, 14-Feb-22

    6 on this walk, quickly splitting into faster and slower threes.

    The faster lot took a tour round the Olympic water sports centre, where there is a cafe with a terrace that's agreeable in summer. On this day the menu was confined to pasties, sausage rolls, baked potatoes and baked beans, which reminded me of university lunches from the 1970s. It was odd to see such a throwback in a place expensively constructed within the last decade. It's probably not at its most popular in February.

    So we moved on to Waltham Abbey, where just as we reached the edge of town the two groups reunited, the slower lot having saved time by going straight past the water sports place.

    Incompetent navigation by yours truly gave us an unintended tour of the surprisingly down at heel town, before locating The Crown. This pub is most charitably described as unpretentious, though the service was efficient and quick enough, and the prices low. Once a table of drinkers had left, we were the only customers, in contrast to another pub we had passed, the Welsh Harp, which had staff posted outside to announce that every table was taken.

    The forecast rain arrived during lunch, leading us to take the most direct path back to Cheshunt Station, but it was never more than drizzle .

Friday 03-Jan-20

Thomas G
Length: 17.0 km (10.5 mi) [shorter, circular walk possible: see pdf]
Ascent/Descent: negligible; Net Walking Time: 3 ¾ hours
Toughness: 1/10
Take the 10.28 Cambridge North service from Liverpool Street (Tottenham Hale 10.40), arrives Cheshunt at 10.48.
From Stratford , take the 10.16 Meridian Water service to Tottenham Hale and change there.
Return trains are 4-5 per hour to Liverpool Street and 2 per hour to Stratford.
Oyster PAYG can be used at both stations but a simple return to Broxbourne (or Cheshunt for the Short Circular Walk) might be better value. Cheshunt is in TfL Zone 8 but Broxbourne is outside the numbered zones. Freedom Passes are not valid on West Anglia trains, but can be used on the Overground to Cheshunt.
The Lea Valley is a wide floodplain which has long been both an important transport corridor and a natural boundary (eg. between the Saxons and the Danes in the Dark Ages). Its rivers provided water and power for many mills and factories, although nowadays the journey out of London seems to offer an unbroken line of light industrial estates, warehouses and retail parks. This does not exactly lift the spirits when seen from the train, but on the Herts/Essex border just before Cheshunt the view abruptly changes to the tree-lined lakes of River Lee Country Park. There are good opportunities for bird-watching in this wetland landscape of rivers and filled-in gravel pits, and several locations where orchids can be seen in late May and June. A series of sculptures are dotted around the park and the walk route goes past many of them.
The lunchtime stop is in the historic market town of Waltham Abbey. In about 1030 a black crucifix was brought to the town and one of the pilgrims attracted by this ‘Holy Cross’ was Harold Godwinson, then Earl of Essex and later (briefly) King Harold Ⅱ in 1066. He built a larger stone church on the site and this in turn was rebuilt in Norman style after the Conquest. It was extended again in the 12thC when Waltham Abbey was built by Henry Ⅱ as part of his penance after the murder of Thomas Becket. It was the last monastic house to be closed by Henry Ⅷ in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and most of the abbey was demolished in 1540. Fortunately, part of its medieval nave survived to become the present Church of the Holy Cross: reminiscent of a scaled-down Durham Cathedral, it is well worth a visit.
The walk route goes back past Cheshunt station so it is possible to complete a Short Circular Walk. The full Main Walk continues to head north through a less-frequented section of the Country Park, at first on woodland and lakeside paths following the course of the Small River Lea and then on the River Lee Navigation's towpath. An optional stretch through a water meadow leads into the Broxbourne Waterside area, a centre for boating and canoeing with a café and a pub for refreshment before the journey home.
Lunch : Pubs and Cafés in Waltham Abbey (7.3 km/4.5 mi). See pdf for details.
Tea: Old Mill Retreat Cafe (open to 16.00) or The Rose & Crown (open all day) near Broxbourne Station.

For summary, map, height profile, some photos, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.311
  • Fri, 03-Jan-20

    10 overcast then sunny

    With about half the distance on tarmac or gravel and the rest on relatively firm earthen paths, this proved to be a good winter route: no deep mud and just small bits of standing water. With plenty of birds (lapwings, kormorants etc, but no herons or egrets) on the plentiful waterways (rivers, streams, mill stream, lakes, flood channels, river navigations and flooded grasslands) and some interesting wooded areas passed through, this is a varied walk never far from the trainline (and several stations) and with an interesting village for a lunch stop (1 abbey with its gardens, 5-6 pubs and 3-4 cafes: one is spoilt for choice). We stayed together to Waltham Abbey and dispersed there to the various lunch options.

    1 moved on early, the other 9 re-started as a group, soon passing enclosures with picturesque Old English Goats, employed there to be munching away at brambles and shrubs. 1 of the 9 walkers then finished at Cheshunt station, the rest marched on to Broxbourne. 5 of those got the 16.10 Stratford train, the other 3 had to wait a few minutes longer for the next Liv Street train.

Saturday 05-Jan-19

PeteG
Cheshunt Circular swc.311

 Length 7.1 miles ( 11½ km) . Two hours 30 minutes walking time. There an option to continue on to Broxbourne after passing Cheshunt station on the return leg, making a walk of 10.6 miles ( 17 km ) .

A walk on mainly surfaced paths among the tree-lined lakes of River Lee Country Park . There are good opportunities for bird-watching in this wetland landscape of rivers and filled-in gravel pits, and several locations where orchids can be seen in late May and June. A series of sculptures are dotted around the park and the walk route goes past many of them.
The lunchtime stop is in the historic market town of Waltham Abbey .

Travel: Get the 1010 Cheshunt train from Liverpool Street (Seven Sisters 1022) arriving 1039. Returns are xx15 & xx45. Note that there is a rail replacement bus service from Broxbourne to Cheshunt xx13 xx43. Buy a return to Cheshunt or Broxbourne, but you can use Oyster or contactless payments on this route.

There is also a London Overground service (0945 Liverpool Street arr 1026) which takes longer but would be free for Freedom Pass holders and may have better connections.

Lunch: There are various suggestions for lunch in Waltham Abbey in the directions.



  • Thu, 03-Jan-19

    I hear that North East London Ramblers are getting the same train and doing a Cheshunt circular on Saturday.

    This is a heads up for those us who were NELR walkers that then moved to SWC - best keep your heads down and be prepared for some opprobrium if you do get spotted

  • Anonymous
    Sun, 06-Jan-19

    Curiously this walk (previously posted as a Tunbridge to Tonbridge) shared it's start and finish with a walk posted by the North East London Ramblers. Six SWC stalwarts extracted themselves from the melee of 40 or 50 walkers at Cheshunt station and were quickly joined by two from the NELR members who found their numbers too onerous. The walks writer joined later making a total of 9 on this dismal and dank day. The walk was a Birdie's delight with hides and other vistas to spot the wild fowl. Walkers had forgotten to bring fish to entice the otters out to play, however apparently there was some rustling in the reeds which may have been indications of same.

    The recommended pub in Waltham Abbey "The Crown" was a delightful 20th Century time-warp with friendly staff and well priced food and drinks.

    After lunch, the walk continued visiting the Church, a small part of the original Abbey where a Church helper/warden gave a fascinating insight into the Abbey's history and it's connection with Durham Cathedral. The Romanesque architecture was stunning.

    Back to the wetlands via Sun Street and the Greenwich Meridian for the afternoon leg, with more artwork/sculptures and a visit to the white water rafting centre for an afternoon cuppa before returning to Cheshunt station to catch the 4:15 back to the Great Wen

  • Sun, 06-Jan-19

    Seven Saturday Walkers were joined by two North East London ramblers to make 9 on this walk. A mile or so into the walk we came across Lea Valley information boards announcing the good news that otters have re-inhabited the area. Would we see one? Further on we trundled, keeping our eyes eagerly peeled for otters. In a staffed hide we watched great tits and blue tits peck away at hanging bird seed while ducks hoovered up the residue underneath. No sign of any bitterns though, although they had been spotted further up the River Lea at Ware. Shortly after leaving the hide there was a wave of excitement as we all agreed we definitely, definitely saw an otter. It was a similar experience to definitely, definitely seeing the Loch Ness monster. Proudly continuing, after seeing the otter, we admired some of the excellent artwork around the lakes, the sculpture of a dragonfly being particularly good.

    Passing the Olympic White Water Rafting Centre we headed into Whaltham Abbey for lunch. Fish and chips for a fiver, friendly staff and most importantly warmth. Refreshed, we all went off to explore the Abbey, the high street with its meridian line and the Abbey grounds which had poor King Harold buried in it.

    Back in the nature reserve we admired more public art, before finally ending up watching the canoeists at the White Water Rafting Centre. Afternoon tea was taken there as well. A great day out in good company.

Sunday 01-Jul-18

Sean
Extra Walk 311 – Cheshunt to Broxbourne, via Waltham Abbey
Length: 17 km (10.6 miles), with the option of a shorter circular walk. Toughness: 2/10

10:28 Cambridge train from Liverpool Street (Tottenham Hale 10:40), arriving Cheshunt at 10:48. You can use Oyster PAYG or contactless at Cheshunt and Broxbourne but both these stations are outside the main TfL fare zones. You might well find that a simple return to Broxbourne is cheaper.

There are trains back from Broxbourne at xx:16 & xx:47 to Liverpool Street, and xx:25 & xx:55 to Stratford. All trains call at Cheshunt (4 minutes later) and Tottenham Hale.

A preliminary version of this walk had its début in February, so apologies to Sunday walkers for an early repeat. As much of it is on surfaced paths through River Lee Country Park it will doubtless get pigeon-holed as a winter walk, so this might be your best chance to see what the area looks like with leaves on the trees, orchids flowering in woodland glades and dragonflies flitting around the ponds.

Lunch is in the town of Waltham Abbey, which boasts a particularly fine Norman church: much smaller than in its heyday as an Augustinian Abbey, but well worth a look. There are plenty of possible watering-holes and two of the pubs are suggested – one in the western hemisphere, the other in the eastern. On the return route it's worth popping into the Terrace Bar & Café in the Lee Valley White Water Centre, either for some mid-afternoon refreshment or simply to watch the spectacle.

The route goes back past Cheshunt station so you could simply call it a day and complete an 11½ km Short Circular Walk. The full walk continues northwards through a less-frequented section of the Country Park to Broxbourne, with the reward of a nice riverside café (or pub) before the journey back.

You'll need to bring the directions from the Cheshunt to Broxbourne walk page. T=swc.311
  • Mon, 25-Jun-18

    Now I might do the Walk on Sunday. But I can't Guarantee I will. But if I do make it. I will take the Bus instead of taking the Train as I don't live far from Cheshunt.

  • Mon, 02-Jul-18

    10 9 at Cheshunt station and 1 catching us up at Waltham Abbey. Another hot and sunny day. No need to read the directions, the walks author took us on a whirlwind tour of the numerous ponds, lakes, sculptures, rivers, streams, and one orchid. Our disappointment at missing the orchid season was tempered by the profusion of pylons towering majestically over the park. Further compensation was provided by the numerous butterflies and dragonflies. No bitterns – we missed bittern season too. After a visit to the remains of Waltham Abbey and a nearby pub, we were off again.

    This time the others managed to shake me off by pretending to go left but really going right. But they don’t get rid of me that easy. I used the directions (after a little help from Google maps). When I got to Broxbourne the others were still queueing for a drink at the Crown. Some gave up in despair but, after they left, the queue soon disappeared and I was rewarded with a well-earned pint of cider. Thanks for queueing for me, guys.

Sunday 04-Feb-18

Sean
New Walk – Cheshunt Circular
Length: Up to 15¼ km (9.5 miles). Toughness: 1/10

11:12 Cheshunt train from Liverpool Street (Hackney Downs 11:18, Tottenham Hale 11:25, etc), arriving Cheshunt at 11:40. You can use Oyster PAYG or contactless but Cheshunt is in TfL Zone 8, outside the main fare zones, so a simple day return to Cheshunt might be cheaper.

Freedom Pass holders hoping for a free ride will be disappointed since engineering works have scuppered the alternative London Overground service today. You'll need an extension from Zone 6 to Cheshunt on the West Anglia service.

Trains back to Liverpool Street are at xx:20, xx29, xx:51 & xx:59.

It seems to be obligatory these days to claim that a walk will be mud-free so I'll follow the trend and say that much of this new walk is on surfaced paths through River Lee Country Park. Even so, I expect you'll have to negotiate a few gloopy spots. You won't see all the wildlife advertised at this time of year (an abundance of dragonflies? masses of orchids?) but there should be enough features to sustain your interest.

Lunch is in the town of Waltham Abbey, which boasts a particularly fine Norman church: much smaller than in its heyday as an Augustinian Abbey, but well worth a look. There are plenty of possible watering-holes and two of the pubs are suggested – one in the western hemisphere, the other in the eastern. As always, any feedback on the ones you try would be appreciated.

A glance at the document's Walk Map will reveal that this is really a 10 km walk padded out with various loops and whorls, which does at least give you the opportunity to take some short cuts if the weather's poor. In due course it will probably acquire some longer options (northwards to Broxbourne or southwards to Enfield Lock), but as it stands it should make a decent enough walk for this time of year.

You'll need to print the directions from this temporary New Walk page. T=swc.311
  • Anonymous
    Fri, 02-Feb-18

    Grateful to understand late start.

  • Fri, 02-Feb-18

    Re: start time. The chosen train does match the "train nearest to 11:00", a formula designed to get to the lunch pub around 1pm. There's usually a 10:57 train but with this Sunday's reduced schedule it was a toss-up between one 15 minutes earlier or later. Anyone who knows me won't be surprised to learn that I plumped for the latter. It does at least give us the opportunity to see how many of the "more walks with a late start" brigade show up (not heard so frequently nowadays, admittedly).

  • Anonymous
    Sun, 04-Feb-18

    13 walkers.

    Sunshine during the morning and a light shower just after lunch.

    Great walk.

  • Anonymous
    Sun, 04-Feb-18

    Brilliant walk, so many interesting features.

    Many thanks to Sean.

  • Anonymous
    Mon, 05-Feb-18

    13 sunny morning with a shower in the afternoon