Lee Valley Country Park

Straddling the Essex-Hertfordshire border, the Lee Valley Country Park is a 1,000 acre picturesque site teeming with wildlife and the home of the Lee Valley White Water Centre (where you can follow in the footsteps of the London 2012 Olympic canoers).

It’s also a surprisingly peaceful and calming place to while away an afternoon.

Aside from the odd cyclist, dog-walker and family picking blackberries and raspberries, I came across very few people during my two-and-a-half hour stroll along the banks of the River Lee and its surrounding wetlands.

I did, however, enjoy the company of lots of birds, including some very curious swans and a gaggle of traffic-stopping geese…

Here are some more photos from my trip to the park, starting with these wild blueberries:

One of the large lakes in the park:

Strolling along the River Lee:

These pretty lilac flowers are among the many lovely flora in the park:

Reflections in the water:

And finally, one of the gorgeous willow trees that call the park home: