Get active now

Discover Waltham Forest with our walking and cycling trails showcasing a number of famous people and places in the borough and sharing some of Waltham Forest’s lesser-known secrets.

The nine routes can be followed on your own or with family and friends and are a great way to learn more about our borough while enjoying the great outdoor spaces and finding new favourite places.

There are nine routes to choose from. Check out the full Waltham Forest Wandered guide (PDF), or find the individual routes below:

• Murder and the Orient
• Planes, bike and automobiles
• Swimmers, Bakers and Olympic Games Makers
• Arts and crafts
• A wander down the hill
• Leyton and Leytonstone
• Waltham Forest's industrial past
• A tale of three boroughs
• Highams Park animal sculpture trail

Please note that the Vestry House Museum is currently closed for works, and will reopen in early 2026.

Walking groups

• North East London Ramblers
• West Essex Ramblers
• Lee Valley Walks
• The London Strollers
• Lea Valley Friends Ramblers
• Walthamstow Walking Facebook Group

Other walking routes and maps

• Walks Past: Free self-guided local history walks
• Wood Street Walls: Local street art maps
• Go Jauntly: Walking route app
• Walk London

Feel Good Walks

Feel Good Walks are free and open to everyone. Find out more about them using the button below.

Free sports and activity sessions for Waltham Forest residents 

The Feel Good team are delighted to offer free sports & wellbeing sessions across Waltham Forest, providing opportunities for local residents to get active, improve their health, and take part in community activities.

Absolutely no experience is necessary, all the sessions are indoors, and everyone is welcome.

The sessions are:

• adult Swim for Confidence (Feel Good Centre): Mondays 1pm to 1:45pm
• children's girls only Basketball ages 8 to 16 (Pastures Centre): Mondays 6pm to 7pm (starts October 2026)
• adult Women's only football 18+ (Salisbury Hall Playing Fields): Mondays 8pm to 9pm
• adult Community Yoga (Chingford Library): Mondays 5:30pm to 6:30pm
• adult Community Yoga (Walthamstow Library): Mondays 5:45pm to 6:45pm
• adult Walking Cricket (Leyton Sports Ground): Tuesdays 11am to 12:30pm
• adult Pilates (Pastures Centre): Tuesdays 12:30pm to 1:30pm
• adult seated Tai Chi (Leyton Sports Ground): Tuesdays 1pm to 2pm
• adult Stretch and Mobility (Leyton Sports Ground): Wednesdays 12:30pm to 1:30pm
• adult Women only Beginners Boxing (Leyton Sports Ground): Thursdays 6:30pm to 7:30pm
• adult Chair Based Reggae Exercise: Thursdays 1pm to 2pm
• adult Zumba (Pastures Centre): Fridays 12:30 to 1:30pm
• adult Chair Based Boccia (Salisbury Manor Community Hub): Fridays 1pm to 6:30pm
• children's Junior Tennis (Over 9s) (Higham Hill Park): Saturdays 9am to 10am
• adult Women’s only Bollywood Fitness (Leyton Sports Ground): Saturdays 9am to 10am
• children's Junior Tennis (Under 9s) (Higham Hill Park): Saturdays 10:00 to 11am
• adult Couch to 5K Programme (Feel Good Centre): Saturdays 10am to 11:30am
• adult Beginners Tennis (Higham Hill Park): Saturdays 11am to 12 noon
• adult Walking Tennis (Higham Hill Park): Saturdays 5pm to 6pm
• children’s Multisports (Pastures Centre): Sundays 9:15am to 10:15am

For more information, please email Feel.Good@Walthamforest.gov.uk

More free sessions

Here are more free activities and sessions led by community groups across Waltham Forest, offering opportunities for residents to get active, connect with others, and improve their wellbeing.

The sessions are:

• adult beginner Hockey (Walthamstow Academy): Wednesdays 8pm to 9:30pm, email join@walthamforestHC.co.uk (until 8 July 2026)
• adult Move & Groove dance & movement (The Snug, E17 6QQ): Wednesdays 11 to 12pm, email  linda.mccairns@crestwf.org.uk
• adult over 50's chair exercises (Waltham Forest Community Hub): Thursdays 2 to 3pm
• adult women's only jogging / walking group (Abbotts Park): Wednesdays 9:30am to11:30am
• adult Cycle Sisters women only cycling (various locations)
• adult Chair-based Hip hop dance (Seddon Centre): Saturdays 11am to 12:30pm, contact theblairacademy@gmail.com
• adult communiy-tea chair based yoga (Good Shepherd Studios): Thursdays 2pm to 4:30pm
• adult Visually Impaired cricket session (Leyton Sports Ground): Wednesdays 11 to 1pm, contact wfblindassociation@gmail.com
• children's multi sports session ages 11 to 21 (YMCA Walthamstow): Tuesdays 3pm to 5pm, contact youthteam@ymcaspg.org
• children's basketball ages 16 to 21 (YMCA Walthamstow): Fridays 6pm to 8pm, contact youthteam@ymcaspg.org
• children & adult inclusive hockey (Walthamstow Academy): Tuesdays 7 to 8pm, email flyerz@walthamforesthc.co.uk 

Please contact the relevant community organisation before attending to confirm that the sessions are still running.

Parkrun takes place at The Peter May Centre, 135 Wadham Road, Walthamstow E17 4HR.

Parkrun is a 5 kilometers weekly timed event open to all ages and abilities, you need to register to get your barcode and take part.

To find out more, contact Peter May Leisure Centre.

Junior parkrun

Junior Parkrun takes place at Leyton Jubilee Park, Marsh Lane, Leyton, London, E10 7BL

Junior Parkrun is a free, fun, and friendly, consisting of weekly 2 kilometers event for juniors (4 to 14 year olds).​

To find out more, contact leytonjubileejuniors@parkrun.com.

Anybody who lives, works or studies in Waltham Forest can receive free cycle training through Cycling Instructor. You can receive training 1 to 1 at a time that suits you. The training is also tailored to your needs, whether you are a complete beginner, or want to try cycling on the road for the first time. 

Free Activities include:

• Dr Bike sessions: free check-ups of your bike (details on Cycle Instructor website)
• All ability cycling club: weekly cycling session for people of all abilities using a fleet of adapted cycles (details on Bikeworks' website)

For more information, please email: cycling@walthamforest.gov.uk

Everyone is welcome to join the Free Park Tennis Session every Saturday at Abbotts Park in Leyton from 10am to 11am, and every Sunday at Higham Hill Park in Walthamstow from 10am to 11am. 

These sessions are completely free, led by volunteer tennis activators and are open to adults & children, regardless of ability. It’s lots of fun and all equipment is provided!

Spaces need to be booked in advance, to book a session visit the Barclay Free Park Tennis website and select Abbotts Park or Higham Hill Park. 

For more information, please email Feel.Good@walthamforest.gov.uk 

Leyton Marsh, behind Lee Valley Ice Centre

Open 24/7

Free sports equipment from our outdoor locker for use on Leyton Marsh

Take advantage of the sport equipment located in the BoxUp outdoor locker – it’s free and available for anyone to use in the green spaces of Leyton Marshes

This solar powered storage lockers, which you access for free using a smart phone and the BoxUp app have six lockers which contain the following equipment:

• Badminton kit including rackets, net and shuttlecocks
• Spikeball kit with a small trampoline and balls
• Pétanque outdoor boules kit
• Dumbbell kit with various weights
• Coordination kit with skipping rope and agility ladder
• Adjustable kettlebells

For more information, visit the BoxUp page on the Lee Valley website. 

Want to get active, but sports aren't for you? Or want to get active, whilst helping out in your local area? 

Then try our gardening and nature conservation volunteering sessions, in the borough's beautiful parks and open spaces. 

Our sessions can help you improve your health and wellbeing, whilst you enjoy the outdoors, plants, and nature.

Meet new people, feel part of your community, and gain new skills and confidence. 

Our sessions are inclusive and no experience is necessary!

Find out more about Volunteering on our Volunteering in our parks pages.