IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Wharf Road, ENFIELD, EN3 4TA

Heading towards the river Lea. The Valleylink business estate is on the right.

The original River Lea flowed 70 miles from Leagrove Marsh near Luton to the River Thames at Bow Creek. The River Lee Act of 1766 provided for the construction of 15 new cuts to straighten the course of the river by eliminating loops which made it difficult to navigate. The Lea passes a little further to the east here, beyond King George's Reservoir. Historically the river is spelled Lea while the navigation is Lee. This is a short branch of one of those cuts and it is seen here from Wharf Road. As the River Lee Navigation is a navigation rather than a river this is also a navigation although it looks more like a river here.

This is one of the remnant reaches of the old River Lee (or Lea) in this area that was not canalised when the Lee Navigation was built. It is in fact the original bypass channel around the flour mill, but today the mill channel is disused and this is the main route. The black bird in the disturbed water in the mid-distance is a cormorant. This view was taken from the Wharf Road bridge.

Canal scene on the River Lea Navigation

The mill is off to the left. Some houses are in there too by the look of it.

The original River Lea flowed 70 miles from Leagrove Marsh near Luton to the River Thames at Bow Creek. The River Lee Act of 1766 provided for the construction of 15 new cuts to straighten the course of the river by eliminating loops which made it difficult to navigate. The Lea passes a little further to the east here, beyond King George's Reservoir. Historically the river is spelled Lea while the navigation is Lee. This is a short branch of one of those cuts and it is seen here from Wharf Road. As the River Lee Navigation is a navigation rather than a river this is also a navigation although it looks more like a river here.

The original River Lea flowed 70 miles from Leagrove Marsh near Luton to the River Thames at Bow Creek. The River Lee Act of 1766 provided for the construction of 15 new cuts to straighten the course of the river by eliminating loops which made it difficult to navigate. This is one of those cuts and hence it is a navigation rather than a river. The Lea passes a little further to the east here, beyond King George's Reservoir. Historically the river is spelled Lea while the navigation is Lee. An inlet flows into the Lee Navigation on the other side, below where the steaming chimney can be seen. The bridge on the right crosses the Lee Navigation and the inlet to reach the industrial estate at Brimsdown.

The River Lea (or Lee) is on the left and the Lee Navigation on the right. Wharf Road Bridge crosses both.