Explore the Greenway

Running from Wick Lane in Tower Hamlets to Beckton, the Greenway is a traffic free route that passes by historical buildings and along peaceful waterways. The Greenway is an utterly unique stretch of east London that is a haven for wildlife.

The Greenway is an easy to find pathway with huge potential for wildlife, particularly birds and insects. There are a few diversions due to building work on the Olympic Park, but it is still the best and free view of the new Olympic Park for London 2012. The nearest station to the start at Wick Lane is Pudding Mill Lane station where the Greenway is signposted from.

Where?

The yellow line shows the Greenway, stretching from Wick Lane to the Thames.

You can visit the View Tube on the Greenway overlooking the Olympic Park, to use the toilets, for a coffee or the viewing balcony when there are no classes taking place. The Greenway then continues, past Pudding Mill Lane station over Stratford High Street.

Did you know?

A few fascinating facts...

• The Greenway is just over five miles long (7.2km) and covers 30 hectares

• It crosses four waterways: River Lea, City Mill River, Waterworks River and Channelsea River

• It was designed by Joseph Bazalgette in the mid 1800s and we are still using his sewers underneath

• It passes by the Abbey Mills Pumping station, the East London Cemetery and Beckton Alps

Good for wildlife

In his London Plan, the Mayor of London has identified green spaces as integral in improving the quality of life of Londoners. The Greenway has been identified as a target for improvement and forms an essential link in London’s Green Grid network.

The main habitats and notable species along here are:

Grassland
Scrub (typically of bramble)
Dwarf elder and hawthorn
Sycamore woodland
Common broomrape
Common lizards
Bats
Kingfishers and house sparrows


Get involved!

Interested in becoming a Greenway volunteer? Find out more
 

Walk the Greenway

The Greenway is a level, almost continuous and straight traffic-free route that carves through East London at high level, overlooking houses and gardens with some interesting views. A broad, bonded gravel track has been constructed on top of the Northern Outfall Sewer Embankment, which carries effluent from north of the Thames to the mammoth sewage disposal works at Beckton. Note that The Greenway is actually a permissive path closed at night, and may also be used by cyclists. The distinctive, bright blue metal 'Greenway' banners at main access points can be seen for some distance, and frequent signs show names of roads where you can join or leave.

Most of the route is described in one of the Newham Walks and Section 14 of the Capital Ring follows part of The Greenway. Later you have a grandstand view of flower-strewn gravestones in the East London Cemetery. Near the east end is the 'Mountain Ski Village' known as Beckton Alps, whose summit is reached via a zigzag path from the Newham Way flyover junction. Though a mere pimple in comparison to the Swiss version, this volcano-like former refuse tip (now grassed over) is high enough to provide a superb 360-degree panorama over most of east and southeast London into Essex and Kent. At the east end a bus goes along Eastern Gateway (Royal Docks Road), or you can follow the cycle-track south to the Docklands Light Railway stations at Beckton or Gallions Reach (1.0km/0.6ml).

Access information:
All of The Greenway is level, with ramps at most entry and exit points, and a bonded gravel surface, except where you have to divert.

Partners
London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
London Borough of Newham
Thames Water