Wild camping this close to London seems wholly improbable. Impossible
even. Yet, less than five miles from the M25, this magical riverside
collection of woodland glades and hidden tent pitches is very much the
real deal. Campfire smoke wafts its way through a leafy canopy and
canoes rest, rolled onto their sides, against tall, native trees. Many
campers arrive by bike, pedalling the 16 miles from the towering stadium
in Stratford’s Olympic Park, others hop on the train and ride the
30-minutes from London Liverpool Street. However short the journey,
though, once here the campsite certainly still feels a million miles
away.
Created by Lee Valley Regional Park, this ‘almost wild’ campsite
has been specifically left untamed and untouched to allow everyone, from
escaping urbanites to out-of-towners, the chance to get back to nature.
There are only 17 pitches and facilities are little more than a
composting toilet, a clean water supply and logs for your campfire.
Other than that it’s up to you to use your imagination. Hammocks swing
between trees where some hardy campers have decided not to bother
bringing a tent and a chatty coupe nudge a canoe into the water, setting
off for the short paddle to the local pub. It’s a serene scene. And
while some choose to bring the bare ‘expedition’ essentials, the
campsite is still an thoroughly approachable place, with families and
friendly groups, too, occupying the larger clearings.
The real joy of this campsite is the escapism that hiding away in the
woods allows. It’s easy to come here for the weekend and never real
leave the fireside, save for a brief evening lying silently on the
riverbank hoping to catch a glimpse of an otter. If you do venture out,
though, the Lee Valley Park has plenty to offer. Covering a vast swathe
of countryside either side of the very river that even Adele sings and
reminisces about in one of her famous pop songs, the park encompasses a
collection of reservoirs and pools set aside for wildlife. On the
largest reservoirs there’s still place for people to play, too. Sailing
and kayaking are popular and there are several nearby activity centres,
while the Lee Valley White Water Centre is renowned as one of the best
white water locations in the country. That’s right, despite the flat,
edge-of-London location they’ve even managed to craft some of the UK’s
best white water. Improbable? Impossible? That seems to be what wild
camping in the Lee Valley is all about.