Walking along the River Lea
4.4 miles (7 km)
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| The bridleway between points 3 and 4 Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
A pleasant circular that includes parts of several other walks on this site. It starts and ends at The Candlestick, West End, and includes a stretch of a bridleway along the Lea Valley before returning via the outskirts of Essendon.
Directions
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| Map for Walk 36: Lea Valley Long Loop Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors Note: There is a larger, more-detailed map embedded at the end of these directions |
1: Turn right out of The Candlestick car park and take the lane on your left heading WSW for 370m. Continue along this lane until you reach the end.
2: After the last cottage on the right you turn right on Essendon footpath 11 and head NW for 990m until you reach a gate with a step stile. You continue N down to road, which is still Essendon footpath 11, later becoming Hatfield footpath 96, for another 990m until you reach the point where the road bends to the left.
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| The River Lea between points 3 and 4 Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
4: Turn right, cross the road and walk up the pavement heading S alongside the B158, Essendon Hill, for 660m until you reach the 30 mph speed limit sign on the outskirts of Essendon.
5: Here you take the footpath on your right, Essendon footpath 5, which heads diagonally SW for 350m across the field. Head for a point to the right of the last house and you will emerge on West End Lane.
6: Turn left on West End Lane and walk SE for 30m looking out for a footpath on your right. Turn right on this footpath, Essendon footpath 17, and follow for 370m it as it goes SW past the church, through a gate, then SE and SW below Essendon Cricket Club to the woodland.
7: When you reach the woodland turn right and follow Essendon footpath 13 SW for 400m through the woodland and down the hill to a wooden bridge.
8: Cross the bridge and climb the hill for 240m until you reach the BOAT (byway open to all traffic)
9: Turn left on Essendon BOAT 14 and head S for 20m before turning right on Essendon footpath 13 and following it SSW then NW for 430m back to The Candlestick.
