My Longest River Lea Walk - Leytonstone to Hertford (4K)
Vložit
- čas přidán 26. 07. 2020
- Epic walk from Leytonstone along the River Lea to Hertford
Support my channel on Patreon / johnrogers
This walk starts in Leytonstone and picks up the River Lee Navigation at Leyton Marsh and follows the Lea Valley Walk all the way to Hertford - a total of 30 miles. We walk via Tottenham Hale, Ponders End, Enfield, Waltham Abbey, Broxbourne, stop for a pint at the Fish and Eels at Dobbs Weir, then pass through Rye House, Stanstead Abbotts, Ware and finish in Hertford Town Centre.
Get the Sacred River Lea t-shirt here: tspr.ng/c/sacred-river-lea
Filmed on 21st July 2020
Open Street Map “© OpenStreetMap contributors” www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
Links mentioned in the video:
Alex’s fundraising page for Haven House gf.me/u/ygvfgb
Marshlands video • Across the Marshes fro...
Edith Walks by Andrew Kötting andrewkotting.com/ak%20web/edi...
Watch here (affiliate link - I earn a small commission) amzn.to/30Tm1G3
Music
Fern by ann annie
Meeting Again by Emily A. Sprague
Wandering and Floating by Au.Ra
Ambiment - The Ambient by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Fresh Fallen Snow by Chris Haugen
Little Drunk, Quiet Floats by Puddle of Infinity
Tupelo Train by Chris Haugen
_________________________________________________________________________________
Please subscribe for regular videos: bit.ly/1EJjIB8
My shop teespring.com/stores/the-lost...
Book: This Other London amzn.to/2zbFmTd
Audiobook & Kindle: amzn.to/2xLGb8s
My blog The Lost Byway: thelostbyway.com/
Please consider supporting me on Patreon / johnrogers
Follow me on Twitter: / fugueur
Instagram / thelostbyway
Make a donation to help support the channel paypal.me/JohnRogersLondon - many thanks!
Shot in 4K on a Panasonic GX80 (affiliate link) amzn.to/2QUrtXo
My Walking kit (amazon affiliate link - I earn a small commission on purchases)
amzn.to/2Xky2UA
I live right by Enfield Lock John, would have been great to have bumped into you. In 1980 i was 14 and was fishing right opposite what is now Enfield Power Station. Back then there were 2 enormous concrete cooling towers, and the day i was fishing there was the day they were to be demolished with dynamite! A man shouted across the canal to hold my ears and to protect myself from the dust. Nowadays i would have been moved away from the area. The alarm sounded and then bang, down they came. The sound was incredible. Even more incredible was the soot! The whole area covered with black dust. Oh, and next to the little white footbridge at 21.54 is a pool called the Swan and Pike pool. People think it's because it has pike and swans in it but it's so named after the pub that sat next to the pond and which served the Royal Small Arms factory workforce. And right opposite the lock itself at 21.58 was the brewery. Sorry to rattle on!
Great comments, keep em coming. I had a flash of Fred Dibnah in there too!
Myself and my brother stood at the top of the big slide in Durants Park in Ponders End the day they blew up the cooling towers. One was only partially destructed. So much industrial history in East Enfield, all gone now. Dirty and polluting, gave a very dystopian feel walking the Lea from Ponders End to Enfield Lock. Used to swim in the relief channel that runs around the East side of King George reservoir.
Alfie was the legendary lock keeper at picketts lock since the 80's, he's retired now. They renamed the lock from pickett's lock to Alfie's lock temporarily in recognition to his contribution to the Lee as lock master. He is a larger than life character and would always engage with all that crossed his path in a friendly fashion. I use to fish the lock for many hours on my way to and from work and he would always recall his pike fishing antics at the lock with me whenever he saw me fishing. Wish him the best.
thanks so much for that info Ustaadth
I admire your attitude and fortitude. Many people that live in suburbia would just complain about being forced to live in a concrete jungle. They miss all of the beauty and history that you find in inner London, and don't think to take the time and exercise to do these fantastic walks that you seem to find. This one was very impressive. Thanks.
I'm so envious of you having so much history all around you! I'm in NZ and while there is an abundance of natural beauty, we don't have ancient ruins or riverbanks that people have been walking beside for thousands of years (the rivers have always been here, but not the people!). Thanks so much for sharing the wonders of your beautiful country with us 💚
I feel exactly the same. I grew up in the UK south of London. I now live on the Canadian prairies. I miss those lovely quiet walks and the history of everything.
Fellow Kiwi here, Eastern Bay of Plenty. Much as I love our bush tracks and deserted coastal bays, how I long to get some British dirt on my walking boots once again! Kia ora.
adventuresinbelieving
Ah, a deserted coastal bay sounds don’t divine.
@@written12 Deserted coastal bays are definitely stunning (I grew up on the West Coast of the South Island, which is mostly deserted coastal bays and rainforests, as well as stunning cave networks!) but gosh.. sometimes I just crave being able to stumble across ruins built by people who lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago, which is something one just doesn't have here in NZ sadly.
I envy you for having a prime minister who actually cares about you.
30 miles epic walk complete with dodgy back & wobbly knee nothing stops this man 👍😎😉
All your walks are fascinating but I do, of course, have a soft spot for anything on the towpath. Cheers for the mention 😀
thanks so much David, I'm very fond of a towpath myself, it's about time I started exploring a few outside the London region
You two should collab.
@@RenaissanceEarCandy ohh I would definitely watch that. Love walking, history and the Canal, these two together ❤️
Life , The Universe and Everything gets my vote
Just driving up to Hertford used to knacker me out
The building next to the Anchor & Hope pub was another pub called the Beehive, built in 1915 closed shortly after after the war.
thanks Michael
Great. I will watch this after my midday nap.
Sunday dinner wasn't the same with no JR walkies.
I came home from a guided local walk last night and wondered where the usual Sunday upload was!
@@julieblackstock8650 sorry about that Julie, technical issue with the original export and as it's such a long video took a long time to re-export
Brilliant walk - but you forgot to bring a towel! Love the stop at the pub - that should be how each hike ends. Cheers.
Very nice. Who in the %$#!! would leave a thumbs down? This is better than anything on TV. Cheers from the West Coast.
I tip my hat off to you sir.
I walked the 35 miles from Maidstone to Folkestone in seven stages with my longest mileage totalling a mere 14.9 miles on the day when I walked from Ashford to Chilham via Wye and Crundale.
W O W ! Not sure I could do 31.9 miles these days, even without a bad back!! We kept saying ‘he’s going to do a marathon...’ But 26 miles came and went and you kept going! Lovely video. We do find you videos and walk commentaries very calming. Thanks for sharing. Hope you slept well that night without too much pain.
I spotted a narrow boat on the Trent and Mersey in Rugeley that was called 'Butty Sark'! Well I thought it was funny ...
Bob & Brad's Physio videos on CZcams have helped me with my back pain.
"Cruising the Cut" is a favourite of mine, as well. If I had a narrowboat, "Life, the Universe and Everything" would have been in the running for a name. Not that I ever will own such a vessel, but I guess I would have to find an even more epic name if I did.
I was born in Nazeing (named for the tribe who sailed down what is now the Naze, and settled at the top of the village), and The Crown was my local for many years when Charrington sold a great pint of Bass there... The Fish and Eels was a great place for darts and pool, and the Rye House Tavern (as it was then) was a hub for new and aspiring local bands... great memories of that stretch of the Lee /Stort Navigation. As a Cub Scout we were sponsored from Spellbrook to Broxbourne alonmg the Stort - a long way for a boy of 10 - I never forgot the cows along the path, and the sense of feeling truly in the country. It really was all fields when I was a boy ! Thanks for the memories .... I seem to recall there were at least 17 pubs in Ware, when we ran pub crawls in the 80's. I bet there are half that now...
John, I could listen to your voice for ages, love your little snips of info you chuck relative to your past. You have refueled my walking drive again and made me see that there's more to walking than climbing mountains.. thank you.
You forgot to mention the famous Lea Rowing Club next to Springfield Park. World Champions and Olympians came from there.
A magnificent long walk. The viewer is almost willing John on to complete it!
Not sure whether you are interested John but those pylons that run from Tottenham marshes all the way to Turnford are the Waltham cross, Brimsdown, Tottenham Circuits. The power comes in from the Waltham cross substation at 400kv and drops down to 275kv as passes through Brimsdown and Tottenham substation. It picks up the enfield energys powerstation output along its way. Im lucky enough to work for NG and the sites based along the river are always a nice place to be.
Thanks for that info Mark, very interesting indeed
Brought back so many memories from going past my old school on Marsh Lane (was Church Mead School) to Hertford where I went to university. Many familiar places along the way. Thank you!
Good lord, man! 30 miles! Hopefully, there was good tea and a hot bath waiting for you at home... Thank you for taking us on a wonderful adventure! Greetings from NYC.
I walked straight into my local pub when I got home CRS and my wife came and joined me for a pint of Camden Ale aptly enough. Hope all is well in NYC - one of my favourite cities
@@JohnRogersWalks Well, perhaps when you've got the UK sorted, you can begin an NYC walk series..... :D
My husband I really enjoy your channel. Watching from New Hampshire, USA.
We also watch Cruising the Cut as well as The Narrowboat Experience. Great way to see England along the towpath.
thanks Marcia - I remember scoring a great goal against New Hampshire College football team when I was 15 and they were touring the UK. I had one of their t-shirts for many years until it was full of holes. Glad you enjoy exploring the UK canal network
What a lovely walk to celebrate the end of a kind of drought, and with a draught along the way. The rivers and bodies of water are so glassy, the skies so blue, with gauzy white clouds, and all those greens all around, really wonderful. As always, thanks for sharing these walks :-)
Well done John 30 miles is what IS a walk. Love the banks of the River Lea very tranquil and peaceful. Enfield looks interesting with its munitions works and famous football team. Look forward to your next walk wherever that may be. In a West Virginia context 30 miles is just short of halfway from Hedgesville to Washington DC
thanks for that John - I like the sound of walking to Washington DC
@@JohnRogersWalks I'd rather walk away lol
I believe the smallest public bar in Britain is in The Dove at Hammersmith - keep up the great work! I really enjoy your videos
Well, now, wasn’t that nice! Thank you so much for the post! And Hello to Samuel Stone, I was born in Hartford, CT. It’s a small world! 👍🙋♀️🥂
Dear John that's a great day walking the Lea, my dad lived right next to it on Leabridge road, I was born nearby in Tottenham, I worked next door to Lea Enfield factory in the sixties, brings back many memories, thank you so much and I hope you get better soon, I have Sciatica so I can sympathise, I use heat patches which help relax the muscles, take care see you next one wherever that may be .....♥
looking forward to this, I just cycled up the Lee to Hertford from the Greenway at Stratford
Lovely. That was a favourite bike ride for me, when I lived in London, starting from King's Cross.
Did exactly the same as you, but done it a few years back. Rode all the way back as well but came back a slightly different route as it was getting quite late.
I find it amazing how many narrowboats are moored up the Lea,Well done you have done well and once again reminds me of my failure to get out and explore, Exceent wander John.
I’m exhausted just watching John. An amazing walk I hope your back wasn’t too bad next day. Stunning 🙏🏻😔🧡
thanks Tomgirl - the back was actually ok the next day, it was my knee that was playing up next day - all better now though
A really enjoyable walk John. I loved every moment. So glad your back held out for the distance. I had to laugh at the "real dedication to do a walking shot at this stage". I have a channel for my runs around the Essex countryside and know that after a good few miles, the desire to stop and film a bit of running evaporates. It is nice to be recognised and meet with viewers though. I did empathise with the "footpath closed" part, had this happen to me right at the end of my country run yesterday. Keep up the good work, I love your videos and hope you get out in the Essex countryside sometime soon.
thanks for that Essex Trails, glad you enjoyed that comment, had to have a couple of those shots in there whatever the pain. Can't wait to get back out into Essex
As a kid growing up and living in Chingford Essex I’d ride my push bike up and down the river lee . I have fond memories of them days . I now live in Australia . Thank you for this beautiful video
Fascinating walk you made it very interesting surprised we didn’t see a single fisherman on the whole of that walk down the Lea 😮
Superlatives fail me - what a fantastic walk and video. Nice to see the 'Fish and Eels' at Dobb's Weir, again - one-time favourite watering hole of Gazza (and myself, in a former life). Excellent work. Atb 👍
That was wonderful, though I don't think you'll see this comment. I've walked through that rusty-dusty area of Edmonton but cut off east there and wanted to see what Ponders End lock and Enfield lock look like. You've convinced me to do that walk and far above, thank you again.
Wow, Ponders to Cheshunt is about my limit these days. Very impressed!
Great to see you John Rogers.
You done the longest walk you ever have. 😁
cheers Athos
Think you very much.
I was sitting in my flat pissed off cos Chelsea lost Then I found your video Adjectives escape me but Wow will do I am 67 and suffer with nothing more than legs that ache when I walk to far but thankfully I do not suffer any pain that putting my feet up won't cure You have made my life a better place than it was before
thanks for that Robert much appreciated
I walked from Leyton underground station to the Lee River, then continued walking the canal path to Hertford today. A gorgeous day to walk this path. Thanks to your video!
That's a heck of a long walk! Fair play!
About 15yrs ago I lived in London and I walked everywhere my longest walk was lewisham to lewisham via Greenwhich , North London, Chelsea and Croydon, it took me 30 hrs and I grazed mostly on cheap £1 pizza slices, I also walked extensively around Leytonstone and Walthamstowe and regularly walked from the Lea river industrial estate home to Leytonstone also worked at TCR in Bloomsbury and occasionally walked the length of mile end rd through Stratford along Leytonstone high st
Perhaps your best vlog. Epic indeed. The absolute precise point where you stand in Francis Road E10 at the start, is where cricketer Freddie Truman would park his Aston Martin when he played at the cricket ground in the 60s. He would be mobbed.
Hi John, just a quick comment to let you know that I find your videos so interesting but more so for me, so relaxing also! Thanks again John
Amazing ..i know that feeling walking through that route
I remember when i lived in Harlow
The 'Say No to Stansted ' signs every where .1960s and now its one of ""London's"' ? biggest Airports
Oh yes been waiting for this 👍🏻
I was sorry to hear that you were in pain with your back. It's not nice, I know.
Try lying on your back, on the floor for one night. It will be uncomfortable trying to get to sleep on the floor, but when you wake up in the morning, your back will feel relaxed and more subtle. Give it a go!
Well done on your 30 mile walk, that's a great achievement with your bad back!
Good luck to you. 🙂👍
Its really funny when Aussie's hear people mention how hot the weather is at 23°. Here in Australia its not hot until it reaches 40°
Love the content. Keep up the great work👍
I remember those Sydney summers well, William. Funnily enough my Aussie wife was complaining about the heat today and it was just 35
@@JohnRogersWalks
Wow, I didn't know your wife was Australian, thats great. She is entitled to complain I suppose. 35 is starting to get hot.
Hope your back is improving John. Thanks. Dave
Much better thanks David
Very glad to hear that John. Dave 😊👍
My exploration of the New River was bourn out of back pain. Walking helped but as you say wasn't a cure! I had the op in the end!
Douglas Adams for real my favorite author
Incredible WALK for any human. I'm not yet capable of a walk like that I think so my son 16 and I set off about 2:45 from Wanstead by bike, cycling to chingford mount and over to the reservoirs and then along the lea and up through the lea valley country park (which is wetlands and amazing). Setting off so late we got as far as the lea fork at Broxbourne where there is a great tea and sandwich hut just on the Ware branch. Turned around after a snack and came back via the canal leaving at Tottenham Hale and back to Wanstead about 7 (dark)
The Tottenham Hale route onto the canal from Wanstead is much less flat (still a bit hilly) than going via chingford and means a little less roads.
Thanks again Mr Rogers!!
Totally mesmerising. I am breathless at the distance you walked! The most I have walked in a day is 34 miles (Winchfield to Winchester on the Three Castles Path in Hampshire), but that was decades ago- I struggle to do a third of that distance now. I too suffer from back problems but I seem to be the opposite of you- no pain when I'm sitting down but agony when walking. Glad you're back on public transport- isn"t a nice long walk in the Chilterns overdue or how about another stage of London Loop? By the way, I discovered earlier this year that the Hertfordshire Way takes a fascinating route between Ware and Hertford (not just straight along the Lea). You'd need to get the Hertfordshire Way guidebook to follow it, but there is a video of it on my channel. Hope the pain in your back goes away soon.
Wanstead park down to barking lived that as a boy .teenager fishing. Loved your filming 78 now .will follow you from now on ..thank you
Excellent walk John, last year I attempted a walk from Dalston to Cambridge, busking in the towns along the way, made it most of the way under my own steam but resorted to hitching when I got too worn out. The stretch out of London and up to Hertford & Ware was one of the highlights, and I spent a memorable evening on a narrowboat shown in this video moored by Waltham Common lock with two chaps called John and Ky I had met whilst walking. Will be exploring the River Stort navigation soon on your recommendation!
Love your laid back commentary John and obvious your great love for the Lea Valley Navigation , continue what you do , which is thoroughly entertaining , hope your back gets better, The Hobbit gets my vote by the way 👍
thanks for that Allen - I think the Hobbit seems to be winning so far
Good luck with your back, John. I hope you experience a rapid improvement! 🚶♂️
Thanks Ashley- mostly better now bar the odd twinge
Crackin video, really enjoyed watching it, some distance that you covered, well done John 🦸
Epic 30 miles ! But I'd be so sore after! thanks John.
cheers Little Acorns
I'm glad for one the camera didn't capture the sewerage treatment smells :) A fellow back sufferer here :( Same though - moving helps! All lock down I'm working from home so barely walking anywhere. I need to do some walks!
Highly recommend a book called 'treat your own back' by Robin mckenzie. Hope your back is better soon. Sounds like sciatica
thanks Maria
Great Walk....
thanks Chris
Cheers John just having a beer watching this chill video of yours sure I've seen it before but it still does it for me keep up the good work
Thanks Georgina
Hi John. Love your walks, particularly the river walks. May I suggest you take a holiday on the lovely Isle Of Wight and walk the river Medina (east, there are two Medinas on the island, east and west) from Niton to where it enters the Solent at Bembridge. You won't be disappointed because the Island is mostly rural with lovely footpaths and lanes. Regards Paul.
After watching this rather epic walk of yours, I fully expected a crowd of well wishers and an award ceremony at the end. Under any circumstances a monumental achievement in my book. I fully appreciate, admire, & enjoyed it in its entirety!
Wonderful video John, one of my faves from you!
Amazing......love your walks 🙌🏽
wonderful...
Fantastic 👏👏👏
Awesome!
Enjoying the video, and watching previous ones too. Very chilled and relaxing.
One of my favourites is "Never Mind The Bow Locks"
@@garym0630 lol, enjoyed the Van Gogh with Ian Sinclair.
Amazing Walk John, Cheers Mate.
Beautiful. Thankyou.
Superb video as per usual John. Your videos are soo relaxing to watch!
thanks Gary
Wonderful video!!
Brilliant video John - the river looks fantastic at this time of year. Hope the back improves soon!
thanks James
Super walk again, John.
Wonderful - thanks.
I’m finding your videos so relaxing, much needed at a time like now! Thanks for teaching us all along your walks :)
Well done enjoyed every bit . Hertford on my list to visit
Wow what a walk! I really enjoyed that - such beautiful scenery and activity along the river.
Hello John
What a great video thanks very much.
Epic walk, thanks for making this, hope your back gets better soon.
Walking-off a bad back, what a great idea. I had to pause at around 8 and a half minutes in ... the barking dog set my three off! 😀
Epic walk John. Thanks for a great video.
This was a Fab walk John .So much to see. I'm inspired to do more walking.
Did this walk many years ago to er, Tottenham Hale. Luckily was on the right side of the river to enjoy a pint in the Hope and Anchor. Which became more than a pint... Grand afternoon chatting with strangers, one of which gave me advice on building wooden staircases. Not that I needed a new one. Roast potatoes on the bar as well so must have been a Sunday. It was a grand afternoon anyway :-)
What an incredible walk this video was. Fantastic..... thank you for posting, thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope your back is better. Have a good week!
Oh how this brings back memories ☺️
Epic John, epic. So calming and tranquil. Hertford looked beautiful, I must visit one day. Glad your back survived!
Fantastic! Your exploring the area I plan to hopefully canoe soon 😉 thanks so much for the videos and chatting to us ☺️
😊❤ I did this ride as a kid many times wow the positive memorys you have brought back thank you John.
What with abandoned buildings, pylons, magnetic searching for prehistoric metal work and Dobb's Weir (almost Hobs), you should be focusing on a Quartermass adaptation rather than a Heart of Darkness one.
Ha, I think you're right Tim
Very interesting and brilliant place.
brilliant stuff.
Another superlative presentation John. I've had my share of back issues so I feel your pain. Cruising the Cut happens to be one of my favorite youtube channels as well. Keep walking.
Great video john
Fantastic walk John! I'm glad you showed that get up and go spirit in the good old rogers traditional ;0)