Highams Park Lake (Waltham Forest, London) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Highams Park Lake |
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 Highams Park Lake
Location in Greater London
Highams Park Lake
Location in England
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| Location | Highams Park, Waltham Forest, London, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°36′38″N 0°00′36″E / 51.61056°N 0.01000°E |
Highams Park Lake is a beautiful lake in The Highams Park area of north-east London. It's located in the Waltham Forest district. This lovely water feature is a popular spot for locals and visitors.
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History of Highams Park Lake
Highams Park Lake was created a long time ago, in the early 1800s. A famous landscape designer named Humphry Repton helped make it. He changed the path of the River Ching, which then flooded the area and formed the lake.
The lake was once part of a large estate called the Manor Of Highams. A big house was built there in 1768. Later, during the Crimean War (1853–1856), this house became a hospital for soldiers. Today, it is the Woodford County High School for Girls. The lake was given to the public in the late 1800s, so everyone could enjoy it.
Boating Fun on the Lake
For over 100 years, people have enjoyed boating on Highams Park Lake. There used to be an "old boat house" here. Today, the Corporation of London leases the boathouse to the Waltham Forest South District Scouts. They have worked hard to fix up the boathouse and make it useful again for their activities.
The lake even appeared on the BBC children's TV show "Blue Peter" in the late 1970s! A large yacht was restored inside the boathouse by club members. To get it out, the whole roof of the boathouse had to be lifted off! A big crane then moved the yacht onto a lorry to take it to the sea.
Young people helped raise money for the yacht club. They collected old newspapers from the community every week. Then they sold the papers by weight. The yacht club owner helped them build their own club boats. These were small, single-sailed yachts, mostly called "Flies," made for kids. Club fees were very low, and some kids could even join for free.
Other types of yachts, like the Moth IV, were also used on the lake from the 1960s to the 1980s. The "Fly" class boats were built right at the clubhouse by the owner, Ken Ford. The young members of the Lee Avon Sailing Club learned valuable skills like woodworking, sailing, and teamwork.
Highams Park Area
Highams Park is a large green space right next to the lake. It's a great place to relax and play. In the 1940s, some temporary houses called "Prefab" homes were built above the lake. These houses were taken down in 1969. The park is close to Woodford Green and reaches almost to Chingford Hatch.
Keeping the Lake Safe
Experts have looked at Highams Park Lake to make sure it's safe. It's now considered a "Category A Reservoir." This means that if there were a big flood at the lake, it could cause serious problems.
Because of this, major work is planned for the lake area over the next few years. The Highams Park Forum, a local group, wants to make sure any changes are done carefully. They want to protect the original design of the landscape by Humphry Repton. The existing dam will need to be made stronger, which will be a challenge to do while keeping the area looking natural and beautiful.
