Since children have come along, my travelling desires have had to be curbed slightly to pay for fun things such as nappies! But the one silver lining to my lack of air miles over the past 6 years is the discovery of how beautiful holidays on our fine shore can be. You don’t even have to go far, my most recent planning obsession is taking a boat along the Lee, past the Olympic Stadium and into London for a weekend canal mini-break.
The River Lee has always been a wonderful place for me. Many teenage years were spent canoeing there with friends, and now as an adult I have watched my daughters play there with their Grandparents, making lifelong memories on the river bank.
There is something almost overwhelming about the River Lee, Viking longships are known to have sailed those waters over 1000 years ago, think how many memories have been made over all those years – so much rich history on my doorstep! Why have we not explored it by water before?
I couldn’t believe when LOOK recently published the ‘Top 5 canals in Britain’ article and they left my beloved Lee Valley off the list. Starting in the town of Hertford the canal runs past bow-window cottages on its way of out of town to the stunning Essex countryside. On reaching Ware, and the famous 18th century gazebos, you will find yourself sailing though the centre of town (perfect for a pub lunch or picking up some supplies). Within Lee Valley Country Park you will find a RSPB nature reserve and nearby is both the Royal Gun Powder Mills museum and Lee Valley White Water Centre.
Carrying on towards London you will see Stratford and the Olympic site before reaching Central London where the canal passes through London Zoo, with moorings allowing easy access to the many London attractions
I’m seriously thinking this will be the first trip on our list for spring 2015. How very exciting.
In partnership with LOOK.
