The swimming lake is just a short train ride from Tottenham Hale station and it’s been receiving a lot of praise online – even from locals who had no idea it exists
With news on the latest London heatwave forecast showing temperatures might become more pleasant, it’s pretty standard for all of us to think of ways to cool down fast.
Now if you’re looking for things to do before the rain finally turns up, a swimming lake is just a short train ride from London and it’s well worth a visit since even the locals hadn’t heard of it. All you have to do is take a six-minute journey from Tottenham Hale where you’ll arrive at the place – and we promise you won’t be disappointed. So have you heard of this spot?
Zoe, known as SheWalksInEngland to her 53,100 followers on TikTok, recently embarked on the adventure which has plenty of walking trials, accessible paths and even a butterfly sanctuary.
She travelled to Cheshunt where she visited the River Lee Country Park.
In the post, she said: “This swimming lake is just a 6 minute train ride from London surrounded by nature, it’s a spring-fed lake and there’s lifeguards too.
“It’s located in a country park with tons of walking trails, accessible paths, rugged paths and a butterfly sanctuary so you can make a bit of a day of it. Have a lovely nature walk before cooling off in the lake.”
Speaking about the next steps, she added: “Here’s how you do it, get the train from Tottenham Hale to Cheshunt. And the entrance to the River Lee Country Park is located just outside the station.
“The lake is at the end of the entrance too but I recommend going for a bit of a walk first, there’s 1,000 acres you can explore. I kept it chilled though and did a three-and-a-half mile loop along the Walton’s Walk and the River Lee.”
Once she was “nice and sweaty”, she headed to the lake at the Herts Young Mariners Base where you can book swim tickets online.
You will be required to wear a bright-coloured swim hat and tow float so the lifeguards can spot you in the water. If you don’t have any of these, you can hire them there.
She added: “When you enter the lake there’s a section where you can stand if you aren’t ready to swim yet and just want to get yourself used to being in open water and my gosh it’s refreshing, especially after the walk.
“There’s also a grassy chill out area, I made use of that. If you want some extra adventure, they also do stand-up paddle boarding but I’ll be back again soon.”
In the comments section, people were amazed by the recommendation. One said: “I’m sorry I live near here and didn’t know this hahaha.” Another added: “I wanna go here.” And a third commented: “Looks amazing.”
The Herts Young Mariners Base is an outdoor activity centre next door to YHA London Lee Valley. There’s something for everything, whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or beginner.
There you can enjoy climbing, canoeing, kayaking, caving, archery, fencing, stand-up paddleboarding, sailing and even birthday parties. You will have to book in advance.
As for the River Lee Country Park, this is nestled along the board of Hertfordshire and Essex. It’s made up of wide open spaces, wildlife havens, sporting venues, farm land and a myriad of water and walk ways.
According to the website, the 1,000 acre park has a huge variety of activities to enjoy and it “never sleeps” as it’s open 24 hours a day.
