The River Lea

I’m a firm believer that country people who move to a big metropolis like London tend to naturally gravitate towards urban spaces with the wilderness and solitude available in the countryside. My relationship with the Lea is a prime example. I use any excuse — Sunday afternoon, spare 10 minutes, sudden need to watch swans take off — to hurtle down Leabridge Road on my trusty old racer, careering onto the tow path and into another world. The Lea stretches miles northward from the city, and most of it can be navigated by bike or foot. There are pubs and cafes dotted along the pathway, with other sights including some pleasant parks, a plethora of serene Hertfordshire barges and lock-keeper’s cottages, as well as the aforementioned swan airports. True, the industrial grime on frequent view renders it difficult to completely fool my hillbilly self into believing I’m back in the sticks, but a wander down the Lea is a fine remedy for that familiar feeling of London-​itis.

The River Lea runs from London, up towards the North, and about as far away as you can get. To be more accurate, it actually begins in Luton, and ends up in London. A this end it resembles a canal more than a river, and maybe that’s technically what it is. It is definitely used by canal type boats.
For the cyclist, it offers a short cut through town, via its tow-​path, and a way to avoid dangerous traffic.
For the walker, or basic pedestrian, it offers a pleasant stroll, or serious walk. At its bottom end, it takes in the Isle of Dogs and Newham. Further up, there are Walthamstow Marsh, a nature reserve and parts of Hackney. Where the river passes through Haringey, you can see some wonderfully creative graffiti.