Mooring south of Lea Bridge during the London Olympics will cost a lot more than usual.

The growing row with British Waterways is reported in The Independent.

The Grapes, one of two riverside pubs at the end of the Lea Valley walk, has been taken over by one of its neighbours.

Sir Ian McKellen, along with former partner Sean Mathias and newspaper owner Evgeny Lebedev, has bought the lease and promised not to change it too much.

The Evening Standard has a feature.

“The Upper Lee Valley is one of London’s forgotten gems,” says London Mayor Boris Johnson in the foreword to the Upper Lee Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework document.

“As London’s Lake District it has the potential to be one of London’s top places to live, work and visit,” he adds.

Sadly the 180 page consultation document makes scant reference to the Lea Valley walk. There is one mention and ‘Lea’ is spelt ‘Lee’.

Comments are required to be in by 13 January.

The new suspended towpath beneath the very dangerous Bow flyover road junction has won the Best Cycling Facility prize in the London Cycling Awards 2011 run by the London Cycling Campaign.

This is just below Bow Church reached by taking the path off the towpath and walking past McDonald’s.

Bow Church is 700 years old today.

It stands in the middle of the road just above the River Lea floodplain. This was the last church in London before crossing the bridge to Stratford in Essex.

An anniversary feature by someone on the spot is here.

A surprising plan for Fish Island could spoil the view from the towpath.

This winter there will be the opportunity to stop and watch people battling the Olympic rapids at the White Water Centre near Waltham Abbey.

Walkers on the path between Cheshunt and Waltham Abbey will find the centre open during February and March. It closes on 9 April just 16 weeks before London 2012.

Warm drinks are available at the cafe.

A bittern has been seen at the Rye Meads nature reserve. The first of many coming for the winter it is hoped.

The reserve, once known as the Rye House Marsh nature reserve, is open daily. The admission charge was dropped some time ago.

See pages 79-80.

A further attempt to highlight the delights of the Lea Valley is being made by its cucumber growers.

The Lea Valley Growers’ Association is making a bid for Lea Valley cucumbers to receive protected status from the EU like Cornish clotted cream, Melton Mowbray pork pies and Arbroath smokies.

Lea Valley cucumbers have thin skins and do not require peeling.

The Olympic whitewater centre next to Waltham Abbey will close on Sunday 16 October in preparation for the London 2012 games.

It is open free to spectators and visitors daily until that closing weekend. The cafe makes a good stop on the walk between Cheshunt and Waltham Abbey.