Greenway footpath, London facts for kids

The Greenway is a special path in London, about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) long. It's a great place for walking and cycling! This path is built on top of a big underground pipe called the Northern Outfall Sewer, which carries waste water away from homes.

Exploring the Greenway's Path

The Greenway starts in Victoria Park in the Tower Hamlets area. It then goes past Fish Island and crosses the River Lea. The path continues through Stratford and West Ham before ending in Beckton.

This path is also part of the Capital Ring Walk (section 14) and the 2012 Jubilee Greenway, which connects many Olympic and Paralympic venues.

What's the Path Like?

For about half its length, the Greenway is raised up, giving you cool views over the area, almost like looking from a rooftop! The path has a smooth, new tarmac surface along its whole length. There's short grass on either side, with bushes and trees along the edges of the raised bank. The path is wide enough for people walking and cycling to pass each other easily.

In 2018, Transport for London named a part of the Greenway as "Quietway 22." This means it's a special route designed to be a calm and safe place for cyclists.

Making the Greenway Better

Work has been done to make the Greenway even better, especially near the Olympic Park. The path was resurfaced and improved.

A group was started in 2016 by people who use the Greenway. They wanted to make it safer and more enjoyable. Newham Council even tried out better lighting, hoping to open the Greenway 24 hours a day.

The big improvements to the Greenway were finished in July 2019. This included finishing important water pipe work and opening new bridges over the Waterworks River and the City Mill River.

The View Tube

Along the Greenway, you can find "The View Tube." This cool spot is made from old shipping containers! It's a viewing platform where you can look out over the area, and it even has a cafe called the Container Café.

A Look Back at the Greenway's History

The Greenway used to have an older name: Sewerbank. The name Greenway was introduced after the path was updated in the mid-1990s.

Mahatma Gandhi's Walks

In 1931, a famous leader named Mahatma Gandhi visited London for three months. He was there for important talks about the future of India. During his stay, he lived at Kingsley Hall in Bromley-by-Bow.

His host, Muriel Lester, wrote about his long morning walks. He would start before the sun came up and often walked along the Sewerbank (now the Greenway) through Stratford to Plaistow. Gandhi liked the elevated view the path offered. On these walks, many people would gather to greet him and talk.

Images for kids

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  Greenway bridge over the River Lea looking north

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  Greenway junction with Stratford High Street (A118) looking west

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  Northern Outfall Sewer (Greenway) over Manor Road A1011

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  London Greenway footpath looking towards Canary Wharf

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  Greenway footpath, London looking south east

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  Greenway footpath, London looking at Abbey Mills pumping station

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  Greenway overlooking Brampton Manor Academy

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  Greenway overlooking Newham University Hospital

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  Greenway entrance at Newham Way (A13) looking east