Gilwell Park - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

It occupies the southwestern part of the county at the northeastern edge of Greater London. The name also refers to an ancient tract of woodland that crosses the district. The original forest was a royal hunting ground that was gradually enclosed. It contains areas of woodland, grassland, heath, rivers, bogs, and ponds, and its elevation and thin gravelly soil historically made it unsuitable for agriculture.

The Abbey Church of Waltham Holy Cross and St Lawrence is the parish church of the town of Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. It has been a place of worship since the 7th century. The present building dates mainly from the early 12th century and is an example of Norman architecture. To the east of the existing church are traces of an enormous eastward enlargement of the building, begun following the re-foundation of the abbey in 1177.

This was once one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the country. The remains of some of the abbey buildings can still be seen today, including the gatehouse and the passage from the cloisters to the sleeping quarters. Its beautiful rose gardens also provide plenty of benches and picnic tables to relax.

Lee Valley White Water Centre is a white-water slalom centre, that was constructed to host the canoe slalom events of the London 2012 Olympic Games. It offers a range of white water activities including white water rafting on the London 2012 Olympic course, corporate days, hen and stag parties, children's parties, and much more.

The Royal Gunpowder Mills is a great place for families to spend days out exploring the secret history of gunpowder, explosives and rocket propellants and so more. It is a Scheduled Monument with over 20 listed buildings. It is also designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for it wildlife. Its alder woodland is undergoing conservation.

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority comprises of 10,000 acre park with its huge variety of award winning green spaces, world class sports venues and ecologically vital wildlife havens. The park was created by a unique Act of Parliament as a “green lung” for London. Now over 50 years on, the Authority has world class sporting venues, award winning green spaces and habitats in its portfolio.