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
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2 comments:
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.
N=10 9 at Cheshunt station and 1 catching us up at Waltham Abbey. Another w=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.
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