Cedar Park and River Lea Walk

Saturday 12th August saw nine of us - Louise, Madeline, Fozi, Ken, Cathy, Richard, Elaine, Dave and myself - meeting at Cheshunt Station for a leisurely 5½ mile walk. The walk was originally going to be partially along the new river, but unfortunately the footpaths were closed for works so we had to change plans (you wouldn’t believe the problems it caused me the previous week trying to recce a suitable route!)

We headed from the station towards the High Street, before heading off the main road to a track adjacent to a sports ground and turning south to emerge opposite Cedars Park, which is the former site of Theobalds Palace. The Palace itself was destroyed in the Civil War, but parts of it remain and it’s a nice tranquil park.

After having a wander around the park we exited and headed east toward Theobald’s Grove Station, and continued eastbound, crossing the railway line to enter the Lea Valley Park and headed to the White Water Rafting Centre for lunch, having watched the canoeists and rafters braving the wild water rapids. It looks like fun.

Suitably refreshed, we continued to the somewhat calmer waters of the River Lea Navigation and headed south to a lock before turning back alongside the River Lea, northwards. We followed the river for a couple of miles with the Gunpowder Mills over the river to our right, before turning left and crossing over the Lea Navigation to exit the park, then back to Cheshunt Station to return home.

 Trev.   10th September 2023