{"id":32887,"date":"2023-11-27T11:16:30","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T10:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/447f6c26-b0c7-4315-a190-bde562e26303"},"modified":"2023-11-27T12:39:21","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T11:39:21","slug":"queen-elizabeth-olympic-park-walk-a-peaceful-amble-through-east-londons-wetlands-and-meadows","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/queen-elizabeth-olympic-park-walk-a-peaceful-amble-through-east-londons-wetlands-and-meadows\/","title":{"rendered":"Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walk: a peaceful amble through East London’s wetlands and meadows"},"content":{"rendered":"

This easy stroll from London Stadium explores some of the city’s most delightful green spaces, including Great British Gardens, the flowery banks of the River Lea and Tumbling Bay Playground. <\/p>

By Sonya Patel Ellis\n <\/p>

Published: Monday, 27 November 2023 at 10:16 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Head to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for an easy, inspiring stroll through a network of biodiverse habitats from curated gardens to wilder wetlands and meadows. <\/p>

Since opening for the 2012 Olympic Games, the park now includes 102 acres of managed green space around the River Lea and its canals including nearly 6,000 trees, over 120,000 flowers and plants, 6.5km of waterways, and designated landscaping for birds, bats<\/a>, pollinators, and other insects<\/a>. <\/p>

For self-directed walks there\u2019s an online series of mapped routes such as the nature-led\u00a0 Parkland and Wildlife Trail<\/a> (described below). Or sign up for a 90-minute guided tour with a\u00a0 Park Volunteer Champion<\/a>.<\/p>

Looking for more walks in London?<\/strong><\/p>

Kew Gardens to Richmond Park walk, London<\/a><\/li>
Finsbury Park to Stoke Newington walk, London<\/a><\/li>
Sydenham Hill Wood walk, London<\/a><\/li>
Bushy Park walk, London<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Great British Garden in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park\/Credit: Jim Osley, Geograph<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walk<\/h2>
2.8 miles \/ 4.5km | 1.5 hours | easy | 58m ascent<\/em><\/p>
1. Start\u00a0<\/h3>
Enter the park via the main entrance on Westfield Avenue and through Endeavour Square \u2013 location of the park\u2019s main information point and landscape designer Tom Massey\u2019s \u2018mobile\u2019 orchard of fruit trees \u2013turning left at the end of the London Aquatic and crossing Thornton Bridge to reach Anish Kapoor\u2019s monumental looping sculpture, the Arcelormittal Orbit.<\/p>
2. London Stadium<\/h4>
Explore the strip of land between Waterworks River and the London Stadium including the ecologically zoned 2012 Gardens designed by Professors James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett, featuring 70,000 plants from 250 different species with a focus on durability, increasing biodiversity, and attracting pollinators. See flocks of goldfinches in the North America and Europe gardens.<\/p>
$\"Waterworks$
Waterworks River at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park\/Credit: Geograph<\/figcaption><\/figure>
3. Great British Gardens<\/h4>
Cross City Mill River at Bridge 1 to follow Champions Place around the northern arc of the stadium, crossing the River Lea at Bridge 3 to reach the Great British Gardens. Created by landscape architect Sarah Price, this bronze, silver, and gold themed garden includes existing canal-side sycamore trees, fiery-toned planting, a symbolic oak tree, bird hotels, and one of the park\u2019s four frog ponds.<\/p>
4. Mandeville Place<\/h4>
Wander north through the fruit orchard at Mandeville Place to access the area around Carpenter\u2019s Road Lock where drifts of seasonal, pollinator-friendly planting include Californian poppies, irises, oxeye daisies, knapweed, and devil\u2019s bit scabious. Staying west-side of the river, head under the bridge to enter the north section of the park and its meandering waterways and wetlands.<\/p>
Britain’s best city walks<\/a><\/li>
Divine water worlds: Discover 9 extraordinary wetlands of the British Isles<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
5. River Lea<\/h4>
Ducks, coots, reed bunting, kingfishers, herons, cormorants, smooth newts, and damselflies are just some of the wildlife found around the River Lea and its system of wetlands, grasslands, and reed beds. Pick a pathway and follow the twists and turns through layers of wildness with information boards situated throughout detailing species such as bullrushes and honey-rich lady\u2019s bedstraw.<\/p>
British duck guide: identification, species, facts and where to see<\/a><\/li>
Coot: identification, diet, habitat and distribution<\/a><\/li>
Kingfisher guide: where to see them in the UK<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
6. Olympic Rings<\/h4>
Crossing over the river just before Hopkin\u2019s Fields, enjoy a picnic by the Olympic Rings, pampas grass and wildflowers in Alfred\u2019s Fields, grab a cuppa or bite to eat in the Timber Lodge, or take the kids to the wooden-structured Tumbling Bay playground, nestled between coniferous trees, evergreen shrubs, and grasses.<\/p>
7. East Bank<\/h4>
Look out for creature-sheltering \u2018hibernacula\u2019 wood piles in the wetland bowl ponds, kestrels<\/a> flying in the sky above, and bat sensors monitoring nocturnal activity. Then head south to finish the walk along the newly built East Bank, a unique collaboration between leading cultural institutions such as V&A East, Sadler\u2019s Wells East, London College of Fashion, BBC Music Studios, and UCL.<\/p>
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park map<\/h2>
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walking route and map<\/a><\/p>
$\"Queen$ <\/a><\/figure>
Useful information<\/h3>
Starting point <\/h4>
There\u2019s paid parking at Westfield or Stratford International Car Parks, or arrive via Elizabeth or Central Lines, London Overground, DLR, local buses, or national rail networks. The park has good step-free access, hard-standing surfaces, regular seating, and accessible Blue Badge Car Parking.<\/p>
Terrain<\/h4>
Flat with the odd low hill.<\/p>
Map<\/h4>
OS 177 East London Billericay & Gravesend<\/p>
Eat\/drink\/stay<\/h4>
Eat at the Greek-inspired Taverna in the Park or The Breakfast Club at Here East Canalside. Head to Barge East, or Hackney Bridge for drinks. Parkside hotels include low-fi but arty Snoozebox. Or put your feet up at The Gantry or The Stratford, both with rooftop bars.<\/p>
Need new walking kit? Check out our guides to the\u00a0 best walking boots<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking shoes<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking trousers<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking socks<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking sandals<\/a>\u00a0– and lots more.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walk<\/h2>2.8 miles \/ 4.5km | 1.5 hours | easy | 58m ascent<\/em><\/p>

Useful information<\/h3>

Terrain<\/h4>Flat with the odd low hill.<\/p>

Map<\/h4>OS 177 East London Billericay & Gravesend<\/p>

Eat\/drink\/stay<\/h4>Eat at the Greek-inspired Taverna in the Park or The Breakfast Club at Here East Canalside. Head to Barge East, or Hackney Bridge for drinks. Parkside hotels include low-fi but arty Snoozebox. Or put your feet up at The Gantry or The Stratford, both with rooftop bars.<\/p>

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walk<\/h2>
2.8 miles \/ 4.5km | 1.5 hours | easy | 58m ascent<\/em><\/p>

Terrain<\/h4>
Flat with the odd low hill.<\/p>

Map<\/h4>
OS 177 East London Billericay & Gravesend<\/p>