New towpath to be unveiled on River Lea

The new towpath on the River Lea. Photo: British Waterways

The River Lea will see its new towpath celebrated in style this weekend, with a range of activities and giant games arranged to mark its inauguration.

The opening celebration will also see a group of local volunteers plant 800 bulbs and scatter a wild plant seed along the edge of the new towpath to create a natural boundary between the local park and  the river.

The £400,000 maintenance project, which began in July and was part funded through a grant of £250,000 from Hackney Council, involved extensive improvement work to the riverside path.

Sections of the towpath totalling 150m were improved and access ramps installed near the Kingshead footbridge to make strolls by the river possible and enjoyable for all residents.

The walls of the river bank were also repaired with special areas built into the new brick work to provide nesting sites for rare birds such as sand martins, known to be regular visitors to the borough.

The new towpath, along with other improvements, will allow visitors to access the Olympic Park and Lee Valley area more easily, providing a traffic-free pathway through East London.

Jon Guest, British Waterways’ waterway manager said “British Waterways attracts over 13 million people onto its towpaths every year and I am delighted that the local people in Hackney can once again access this stretch of the River Lea Navigation.”

“As well as improving this stretch for walkers, cyclists and mobility users we have also provided new homes along the edge of the river bank for birds such as sand martins and kingfishers in a bid to boost the numbers of these striking waterway visitors.”

As part of the launch, Hackney Council has put together a new walking map to encourage residents to explore Hackney by foot. Saturday’s launch will also include a trail around Lee Valley, complete with a quiz and the chance to spot local wildlife on Hackney marshes.

Laura White, Sustainable Transport Planner from Hackney Council said: “These walking trails are great for the whole family and are perfect for those wanting to get out and about and explore their local neighbourhood.  We are really pleased that this section of towpath is open as it means that more people can ditch the car and step onto the towpath for a real adventure or to just enjoy a leisurely afternoon stroll.”

The official opening of the new towpath and the Lee Valley Walking Challenge will take place from 11am to 12pm on Saturday 13 November by the river at Lea Bridge Road (E10 7QL).