The London Borough of Waltham Forest is a London borough located in north east London, England. Waltham Forest has urban districts in the south with inner-city characteristics, and richer housing development in the north. This is a fantastic place for you to visit with a rich history and a diverse culture. From its iconic and famous restaurant-dense areas, you will surely have an amazing time roaming around some of Waltham Forest’s breathtaking landmarks and exciting leisure activities.

1. What makes Waltham Forest unique?
2. Waltham Forest’s popular attractions
3. Nightlife in Waltham Forest
4. Sport in Waltham Forest
5. Food in Waltham Forest
6. Shopping Centre and Markets in Waltham Forest
7. Travel in and around Waltham Forest
8. Explore Nearby Boroughs from Waltham Forest

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1. What makes Waltham Forest unique?

Walthamstow has produced a number of well-known football players, poets, reality TV stars, models, celebrities and several other personalities from other spheres. Famous people such as Harry Kane, William Morris, Stephen Bear, Fleur East, Danniella Westbrook, and many others.

Waltham Forest was one of the host boroughs of the London Olympics in 2012, with the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre and part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park providing an ongoing legacy in the UK and London.

Historically known as the seat of the Arts and Crafts Movement, Waltham Forest also has continued to succour many contemporary artists & art groups including the North East London Independent Artists (NELIA) group, based at the Changing Room Gallery in Lloyd Park, the 491 Gallery in Leytonstone, and a number of independent artists.

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2. Waltham Forest’s popular attractions

Waltham Forest offers an abundance of fun activities and unique places to visit. Among them, you will find:

• Wild Card Brewery. For a microbrewery that’s only been around since 2012, Wild Card is already making a name for itself with its Lime Berliner Weisse, the Demi Peche, and Unite Forage, amongst others.

• L Manze. One of the oldest in the city which opened in 1929 and has remained so unchanged on the inside that English Heritage gave it Grade II listed status.

• Vestry House Museum. A repository of the area’s history from the Victorian period through the present.

• William Morris Gallery. The only free public museum in the UK dedicated to its namesake, who was a 19th-Century textile designer, novelist, and socialist activist.

• Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge. A Grade I listed building that was once owned by Queen Elizabeth I. Originally built by her father, King Henry VIII in 1543, the building exists today as a three-story museum dedicated to Tudor food and fashion.

• Walthamstow Wetlands. Certainly the greatest nature reserve in Waltham Forest, this is 211 hectares of urban wetlands that are vital to several bird species.

• God’s Own Junkyard. One of the funkiest art galleries in all of London, featuring a number of colorful and historic neon signs.

• Walthamstow Village. A perfect location for you to take leisurely walks along the beautiful greeneries and spend time with your friends and family at many restaurants.

• Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum. Lies in a Victorian sewage-pumping station, this museum displays the history of transport and industry in Walthamstow.

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3. Nightlife in Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is a fantastic place for you to not only experience breathtaking day views, but also enjoy the nocturnal life with an ever-growing selection of bars and pubs. Whether it is laid back drinks, or a full blown corporate party, this borough gets you covered.

When it comes to purpose-built nightclubs, Waltham Forest is somewhat lacking. However, if you venture just outside of the borough limits and into Tottenham Hale, you’ll find The Cause. Opened in April 2018, this place was fast to make a name for itself as one of London’s best clubs. For craft beer, head to the Red Lion in Leytonstone, which offers five key options on rotation, alongside plenty more boozy delights on tap. The Victorian boozer runs lively DJ nights on a Friday, and excels during the summer when the huge beer garden comes into its own.

Up in Walthamstow, there is Ye Olde Rose & Crown which feels like the hub of the area. It’s a big old place, hugely popular with the locals and bustling with activity at prime time. The beer selection boasts plenty of interesting options on tap, while there are also a decent number of whiskies available. It is much more than just a pub though, with various music, theatre and comedy nights. Another classic corner pub is the Bell. The decor inside has a traditional, but not dated feel with exposed brick and wooden furniture, making it a welcoming place, as does the bubbling, laid-back atmosphere. In the summer, grab one of the superb ales on tap and head outside to the garden.

For wine lovers, Yardarm is the place to be. It’s predominantly a shop that sells all sorts of delicious morsels such as bread, cheese, charcuterie, chocolate and so on. There is also a sharing table at the back, excellent for a glass of vino from its selection.

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4. Sport in Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is home to Leyton Orient Football Club, a professional football club who competes in League Two and is currently the second oldest football club in London to play at a professional level. Their home games are held at the Breyer Group Stadium.

Other state-of-the-art facilities open to the public include:

• Waltham Forest Feel Good Centre
• Chingford Leisure Centre
• Leyton Leisure Centre
• Leyton Gym
• Leytonstone Leisure Centre
• Walthamstow Leisure Centre

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5. Food in Waltham Forest

Like its wonderful landmarks and breathtaking views, the food scene in Waltham Forest will just get you as excited. From Turkish delights, poshed-up gastropubs, and modern European brasseries, you will always find amazing eateries that will fit with every budget.

Yard Sale Pizza is delighting Londoners with stone baked pizzas across two locations in Waltham Forest (Leytonstone and Walthamstow), and two further afield. Offerings range from the Holy Pepperoni made with London-based Cobble Lane pepperoni, to the vegan Herb Your Enthusiasm, topped with grilled artichokes, kalamata olives, red onions and salsa verde.

Another location you can visit is SpiceBox. Known as one of the capital’s most popular vegan street food stops this is surely a perfect location for you to enjoy your meal.The menu features the likes of a hot and spicy jackfruit jalfrezi with green peppers and onions, a cooler, creamier cashew and coconut korma with seasonal veggies, and SpiceBox’s award-winning tarka dhal.

Gokyuzu is also another great place for you to experience a change of eatery. This is one of the most famous family-run Turkish hotspot where you’ll come for the succulent, charcoal grilled kebabs, but find yourself piling the table with delicious Turkish pizza, and specialities including a sarma kuzu beyti of marinated minced lamb wrapped in lavash bread and cheese.

Spend your bees and honey on a traditional East End serving of pie and mash at L Manze on Walthamstow High Street. This historic cafe specialises in pie, mash and liquor, as well as jellied eels. The shop has been open continuously since 1929 and is even Grade II-listed.

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6. Shopping Centre and Markets in Waltham Forest

Your trip to Waltham Forest would not be fulfilled without a visit to it’s amazing shopping commutes, from the amazing malls, markets, and unique independent stores, you are sure to find something of your interest.

Every community within London has its own market, and Waltham Forest is no different. The Walthamstow Market features the best of local produce and street food if you prefer cooking for yourself to eating out every day. With 350 stalls, there is a lot more than just food here, and you can find antiques, vintage clothes, and a smattering of cultures that make London one of the greatest cities in the world.

If you want an exclusive shopping experience, The Mall Walthamstow is the perfect location. Here, you can roam around numerous fashion boutiques and shop at many renowned fashion brands including Clarks, Asda, Boots, and TK Maxx. When tired, you can definitely also rest at the many restaurants and coffee shops located on the first floor.

7. Travel in and around Waltham Forest

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London Underground

The Central line of the London Underground serves the south of the borough, running alongside the A12 road with stations at Leyton and Leytonstone. The Victoria Line runs roughly through the middle of the borough with stations at Walthamstow Central and Blackhorse Road. The Gospel Oak to Barking Line of London Overground gas stations at Walthamstow Queens Road, Blackhorse Road, Leyton Midland Road and Leytonstone High Road.

London Overground

London Overground runs services from Liverpool Street station in the City of London and serves stations at St James Street, Walthamstow Central, Wood Street, Highams Park and Chingford.

Mobility scooters

Shopmobility schemes lend manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and powered scooters to people with limited mobility. This enables them to shop or visit leisure facilities within a town, city or shopping centre. These are usually membership schemes, so you may need to bring some proof of identity the first time you use one.

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You can borrow a mobility scooter for up to one week from Shopmobility.

By taxi or minicabs

The flexibility of taxis is appealing to many people as they are now more accessible to most wheelchair users, and some also have induction loops to assist people who are hard of hearing. The safety of minicab firms is a concern for many people, therefore it is the council’s duty to ensure your safety and never use an unlicensed minicab. Of course, multiple ride-hailing apps like Uber, Ola and FreeNow are in operation 24/7.

8. Explore Nearby Boroughs from Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is an ideal base for you to start exploring the rest of London’s unique boroughs. Even though it is all a part of the same ceremonial county, Greater London, each district withhold different traditions and cultural heritage that is just worth exploring. From an array of iconic attractions, historic landmarks to stunning countryside, you are just a short ride away.

Hackney

Situated in East of London and formerly known as an industrial hub, Hackney has undergone huge regeneration in recent years to become one of the most liveable boroughs in the city. Home to young creative types, this area withholds strong community ties of new businesses, ranging from coffee shops to clothing stores. Famed for many great eateries and an unmatched nightlife, there is no way you can’t have a wonderful time exploring the picturesque landmarks and breathtaking sites in this rising borough.

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Newham

Formed in 1965, Newham is a portmanteau created between the now-abolished Essex boroughs of East Ham and West Ham. It was once an important manufacturing area with the building of The Royal Docks and largest in the world for accommodating ships. For this, Newham has a prospering business scene that has attracted many locals around London and until these days, Newham makes its name on the 20th most populous district in England.

It is also one of the most diverse places where more than 200 dialects are spoken. Alongside, you can also experience a range of leisure activities, from shopping, eating, and entertainment, to visiting some of Newham’s most popular tourist sites.

Haringey

The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough in north London. It became both nationally and internationally famous for the sporting events that were held in the Harringay Stadium and the Harringay Arena from the late 1920s until the 1980s. Despite its urbanisation, the borough still boasts some 600 acres of parks, recreation grounds and open spaces. Having achieved Green Flag status for 8 of its parks, Haringey has more than any other London borough, making it perfect for a family weekend trip.