Wonderful Wet Meadows

Starting point: Waltham Abbey Gardens car park, Abbey View, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 2ES

A circular river route around Cornmill Meadows. Experience and discover the wealth of wildlife that feed on the wetland meadows.

Directions

• From Waltham Abbey Gardens car park follow the pathway into the gardens towards the building

• At the pavement sign at the end of the railings of the Parish Office, turn right and head north crossing the wooden bridge over Cornmill Stream

• Follow the path through the underpass and into Cornmill Meadows

• Bear to the right along the fence line until you reach the kissing gate

• Proceed through the gate, passing an information panel and Abbey Fish Ponds

• Continue on the grass path alongside the river heading north, passing the inlet sluice

• Proceed through the kissing gate and continue on the pathway past an information panel

• From the weir, continue along the pathway, following the Old River Lee in a westerly direction, bearing to the left to head south

• At the third information panel, proceed through the kissing gate and over a wooden bridge

• Continue on the pathway passing a path on the left

• Proceed south alongside the river and the Royal Gunpowder Mills site on the right, crossing over the large bridge and onto a footbridge over the outlet sluice

• Turn left before the kissing gate and follow the pathway east, keeping the road on the right

• Continue through a kissing gate and turn right, retracing the route through the underpass returning into Waltham Abbey Gardens and car park