The River Lea is one of the longest, and most important tributaries of the Thames  – taking a 42 mile journey from Bedfordshire to join the Thames at Bow Creek in East London. The Lea has formed the boundary between Saxon’s and Danes, been home to medieval mills, London’s furniture industry and flows through the Olympic Park. This series of walks will look at the history of the River Lea, tracing its course on its way to the Thames.

Meet up at Ware Station for a walk along the River Lea, with a brief detour to Amwell Spring, the source of the New River. The walk visits the pretty village of Stanstead Abbotts before pressing on along the Lea to Rye House where an early brick gatehouse still survives

The walk is about 5.5 miles in total and finishes at Rye House Station