I’ve just been on the Royal Gunpowder Mills walking tour. What a great experience. The history at Waltham Abbey is fascinating, and was brought to life by the knowledgeable volunteers/guides. We were a small group of 8, so plenty of opportunities to ask as many questions as we liked. The tour allowed access to many of the buildings and structures that you only see from afar on the tractor tour. For anyone with an interest in military history, explosives, or industrial architecture l’d highly recommend this tour. Many thanks to the guides for giving us their time.

Fantastic day at the Gunpowder Mills. Greeted before entry by welcoming volunteers. The site is huge with attractions and information. We made a rocket and launched it which was fun. The tractor was great with a very informative guide. The volunteer who gave us the talk in the rocket vault was exceptionally good. We went on the miniature train and the bigger train where we saw more of the site. There is so much to see and do here. Our visit was four hours and worth every penny of the entrance fee. Looking forward to booking a walking tour when they are organised.

I had been recommended the Royal Gunpowder Mills by a friend, and with the kids now a slightly bit older we decided it would be worth a try. It's only open to visitors a couple of times a month on a Sunday, and on our visit from 11am to 4pm. We got there at 11am as it opened, there is a big sign as you come off the main road, but the site is located at the end of the drive once you have driven past all the housing. Car park is a fair size, and the entrance is located to the right once you have got into the car park. Once you have gone in, it's probably worth getting yourself booked on to the tractor ride. It leaves at specific times. We went straight towards the miniature railway which took us up the site to the gunpowder mill railway. Again, there are some set timings for this, but when we got there we pretty much had the train to ourselves. The railway takes passengers for a ride further up the site, stops and then comes back again. We managed to see the deer as well as bits of the site. The guys running the railway did a fab job at showing us all about the railway, and even let the young 'uns sit in the main cab. The tractor ride was incredibly informative and really gave a good idea of how big the place truly is (massive!) and how much history is here (loads!) Again you get to see the deer, and lots of the old buildings - lots of areas are covered in greenery where nature has taken over. The kids were also given a sheet of things to look out for on the journey. At lunch we popped back to the car to get our picnic and sat at the benches next to the play area (obstacle course / zip line). There is an area where you can get a free tea / coffee - as well as toilets if required. Post lunch, we went to create some rockets and had a little competition to see who's rocket could go the furthest - kids enjoyed this! (Well, the adults did too!) After the rockets, we went to look around the exhibition and armoury. Lots to read here, and kids did do a few little interactive games (mixing the substances at the factory etc.) but they weren't quite so keen to stand and read! The armoury was literally a room full of different guns, rifles etc. When we came out of the exhibition, we just had time to have another trip on the railway. The volunteers were great and radio'd up to ensure we would catch it on time! Once our second trip on the railway was finished it was closing time... we had been there all day! We thought the dedication and hard work by the volunteers was great - we even thought about volunteering ourselves, but it's a bit of a journey away! (Although if they ever do a family volunteering day where the kids can get involved, we would certainly consider it!!)

If you want to learn about the history of gunpowder and explosives, The Royal Gunpowder Mills provides a fascinating day out. In many respects, this is the place where it all started. Our tractor guide was quite knowledgeable and provided interesting insight. The Mills is run completely by volunteers. As the MOD has been involved in siphoning off material, it's too bad the MOD doesn't promote it as the volunteers care dearly and they can use some help.

I visited with my two children and another family, on an open day during the summer holidays. There were varied activities for the kids (rocket making/launching, tie dying, slime making and nature crafts) as well as the train that runs further up along the grounds. It was a really nice day out without the extensive crowds that you often find with children’s activities in the holidays! When booking the tickets I noticed that numbers were capped quite low so I can’t imagine it would ever be uncomfortably busy. Having a mixture of fun activities for children alongside the educational side of the small museum and exhibitions was a good balance. They particularly enjoyed role playing in the village shop with ration books! I would say the open day activities etc are probably most suited for children under 10 (which all of ours were). We also saw some beautiful deer and the children enjoyed the playground as well. Everything was staffed by volunteers (I think) giving up their time to run it. Drinks and snacks in the cafe were very well priced - i bought ice lollies for 5 children for barely more than the price you’d pay for one at an ice cream van!! We brought a packed lunch with us as suggested on the website - I don’t think there is much in the way of food other than snacks available in the cafe. All in all a nice day out, something a bit different and easy to drive to and park.

A great place to learn a little history. With a bonus tractor and train ride.

I took the walking tour today. Absolutely brilliant experience! We started in the cafe with a tea/coffee before heading out in a small group with the volunteers. They really knew so much about the site and were so passionate about its history that it was a real pleasure to listen to. Look out for the wildlife too- we saw lots of deer around!

Jordan was great. Parking easy. Open gendered changing rooms with showers. Also had a mirror and hairdryer which was nice. Lockers were easy to use. Had a group of 9 for the whole raft, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you see it, one person at the helm doesn’t paddle. This position can rotate between within your group, which might be a good thing, so you can take a break because this was a tiring activity for sure. Great fun though!

This sports venue is truly delightful. It’s such a pleasure to watch the determination of those battling the powerful water and waves, whether in team boats or individual kayaks. I genuinely enjoy the atmosphere here, and I try to visit once or twice a week. The café adds to the charm—coffee on cold days and beer on warm ones. Altogether, it’s an outstanding place with an incredible vibe

Fantastic facility, make time for coffee or food on the terrace because it's lovely. As described on the website, great fun white water rafting. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a thrill!

Fantastic place to practice your open water and white water rafting skills there is an equipment hire area on site so you dont need to bring your own gear, ample parking the largest car park is just 100 yards from the entrance. Staff are super friendly, there is a cafe on site too with inside or outside (on balcony) seating. The road leading to the place is only a normal 30 mph road and it gets busy quickly so try and give yourself plenty of time to get there.

Amazing facilities. Second time Ive done the rafting which is great. Shaun was a top instructor Can't wait to go back Very clean and tidy highly recommend

I went white water rafting with 7 mates for a birthday. An excellent experience, we loved it. Ask for Sean as your instructor he made it a 5/5 experience. We did 6 runs on the Olympic course and Sean upped the ante each time. Would highly recommend it!

Lee Valley White Water Centre delivered a brilliant day out. The staff were welcoming and made the whole experience feel easy, even for first-timers. The course has the perfect mix of fun and challenge, and everything is run smoothly from start to finish. I’d happily come back and recommend it to anyone looking for something memorable.

Beautiful. Nice afternoon adventure to see Waltham Abbey and Gardens. Not very busy. Decent parking.

Loved looking round the Abbey. Stunning ceiling. Check out King Harold's Grave.

Free to visit these monastic ruins and gatehouse. Nice walking paths interspersed with medieval abbey ruins and interesting signs providing some history - very nice. Also has a lovely rose garden area, and some benches throughout. Car park was decent, though the physical machine wasn’t working so had to faff with downloading their app to pay. Prices ok for English car park.

If you love history then you need to have a visit, buried king and all the history that goes with a place like this

Visited here on Saturday afternoon. Plenty of parking and not expensive, nice easy walks around the grounds. Ideal for families with little kids. You pay for parking on exit.

We had a nice but brief walk around the Abbey and gardens. There is a lot of interesting history surrounding the Abbey, which you can read about as you walk. We will definitely visit again in the summer to take a longer walk.

Green and peaceful oasis in the middle of town. Car park very reasonable - £1 for 1 hr and £2 for 24 hrs. In summer rose garden must be beautiful, but even in winter dullness was refreshing to walk around and enjoy greenery and wildlife.

Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park was an absolute joy to visit. From the moment we arrived, the experience was delightful and engaging. There were loads of animals to see, providing an excellent opportunity for my three boys, who are of varying ages, to enjoy and learn. Each of them found something exciting and captivating, thanks to the diverse range of activities available on site. The park also offers good refreshments and food, ensuring that we stayed energised throughout our visit. Additionally, the staff were welcoming and friendly, which really enhanced our experience, making us feel right at home. There were plenty of play areas, which kept the boys busy and entertained for hours, allowing us to relax and enjoy the surroundings. In summary, Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park is definitely worth a visit, offering a fantastic day out for families.

We went for the oz event with kids ranging from toddler to teen and it proved to be a good option with plenty to keep everyone busy. Enjoyed a picnic in the sun, played mini golf and bounced on the giant pillow before the heavens opened and we dashed for cover in the big top tent. Despite concerns about animal welfare from a previous post, all the animals we saw seemed well cared for.

Highly recommend it! Amazing place with so many activities for the little ones. We loved the Foam Party and the Barn Theater. There is a variety of animals for children to see as well such rabbits, wallabies, meerkat, pony, pigs, guinea pigs, tortoises, goats etc. We enjoyed the food at the cafe as well. Really liked their jacket potatoe. We will be back!

We had such a fun day out at Lee Valley Farm! There was so much to do – from rides and mini golf to meeting princesses and pirates, sand pit, wallaby enclosure plus a super fun foam party. The kids especially enjoyed the bugs encounter and getting to feed the goats and meerkats – such a special experience! There’s something for everyone, and my two absolutely loved it. A fantastic family day out that we’ll definitely remember. 🐐🦜✨

It was nice to visit on a sunny day. I particularly liked seeing the wallabies hopping about in their enclosure. I counted 9. They also have tortoises, meerkats, pigs, rats, goats, turkeys, rabbits. A meerkat themed mini golf is there wurh facts about them in every round. I spent about 4 hours here, and they udually gave something going on at a specific time (such as feeds, or a particular place being open). All the better it's in a huge country park.

Tried marsh farm last week so decided to try Lea Valley AAP today. It was good. Kids had fun. We definitely had a good time and was similar but different to Marsh farm which was good. Only downside i would say is there is no indoor soft play area & only 1 toilet other than the ones at the entrance was annoying. Got tickets less than half price so was worth it. Got 3 free pumpkins 🎃 to take home 1 for each child which was nice.

Went this weekend for the Pumpkin patch and oh what a disaster this was. Literally no animals, saw a few wallabys, barely any Halloween decorations, the cafe was closed, the coffee machine wasn't working. There was ONE BARN where they did shows back to back. We did it last year and it was great, this year it was an absolute waste of money. If you're going to cut back on an event, you need to have your prices reflect that, especially as this cost almost £50 for a family of 4. Don't waste your time families, pay a little more and head to Chelmsford where you are guaranteed a good time !

This museum was advertised as telling the story of the people of the Epping Forest District, so we did think it might be a bit too much for our two small people - thankfully we didn't need to worry! Yes there is some stories and history of the area, but rather randomly there is other stuff like the current exhibition on mummified animals. For the kids, there are a few activities, and the opportunity to grab a torch and magnifying glass (and an adventure waistcoat) and look round the museum. The museum feels fairly laid back, which again is useful when your brining kids to visit! We all enjoyed the museum and spent more time than we originally expected - extra bonus - it's FREE to enter!

Good for local history, local artists (eg. Walter Spragg). Interesting building, previously residential, until 1970s-ish.

I came to the Tiger who came to Tea exhibition with an under 2 and a 5 year old. There was lots to entertain them not just in the exhibit but around the rest of the museum. We particularly loved the torches/binoculars for the children to help them investigate artefacts!

Nice free museum run as a charity, lots of local history

Excellent, I always pop in when a new exhibition is on, there are no public toilets to use if you just want to go to the toilet, but make a donation and you can, this enables the museum to stay open

Epping Forest District Museum is a wonderful place to visit. The museum has a great collection of local history, art and artifacts. The exhibits are presented in a way that makes them easy to understand and appreciate. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, and were happy to answer any questions we had. We also enjoyed the interactive displays, which gave us a chance to learn more about the area's history. My kids also enjoyed the special events and activities, which were a great way to spend the day. All in all, we had a great experience visiting the museum and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and educational outing.

Impressive little museum with a surprisingly extensive collection, wide range of material and great interpretations which (grouped by by genre) piece together a fairly detailed history of the area. It also has public toilets, disabled access and lots of kid-friendly activities! I don't know why there isn't more publicity about it because it's worth coming up into the town to visit.

First time visiting since opening and wasn't disappointed service was great and the place felt warm and cosy on a rainy day like it was the perfect place too eat. Can't fault the pies my preference I like a little gravy in my pie but these pies were great. Mash was lovely nice and mashed with a few lumps which was tasty add tons of chilli vinegar salt and pepper and it hit the spot. Will deffo be visiting again just what ipswich needed

Not bad pie and mash Bit of a walk from the train station Plenty of room inside

Absolutely fabulous place to eat or take away. Great prices. Friendly staff. Go here every time I visit dad in Waltham Abbey. Clean, plenty if seating. Very popular so gets very busy. As londoners we love pie, mash with green gravy (parsley sauce) lots of vinegar on. Pies are very unique recipe, very special. Tony's shop has easily access for walking as its in town centre, pedestrianised but parking around there not so easy. Highly recommend.

Top draw 👌 Had a friend over from Canada who was itching to try Pie n Mash. We both had 2n2 with liqueur and it was fantastic.

The best pie and mash shop! Me and my wife pretty much order from here every Saturday and I used to come here a lot with mum and sit inside the shop and my auntie and uncle are visiting in a couple of weeks from Canvey Island and they have never tried it and I’m going to bring them here with other family as well

Always pop in here if I’m in the area. Just a one and one and school cake today 👍. Best PML Shop about 👍

Popped in with my partner while we were in the area. Lovely food, quick and friendly service and very fair prices. Thank you!

Very lovely roast with generous portions. I had the lamb which I would definitely recommend. They also come with 3 sides - broccoli, carrots/ parsnips and cauliflower cheese. The drinks were a bit disappointing which is why I have only given 4 stars

Went to the Standard last night. Absolutely shocking experience. Something has changed in this place. The food was inedible, old and cold. Had stomach pain all night. Are you trying to poison people? If you do not have enough staff you should close the kitchen. One person working in the whole restaurant. And one in the kitchen. Glasses were dirty on the tables. Very disappointed.

pretty tasty roast dinner - roast beef with all the trimmings (potatoes, veg, cauliflower cheese, carrot & swede mash and a yorkshire pudding) for only £19.50 - potatoes were really good, beef was tasty but a bit tough and they didn’t have any steak knives so quite hard to cut. yorkshire pudding was a bit burnt and didn’t taste like much. mocha didn’t have much coffee and the service was decent. all in all would probably recommend for a roast dinner as it is quite good value for money :))

Came here for a baby shower with some friends & family and was horrified when i saw that the upstairs women’s toilet was covered in thick mould !!!!! The hand dryer was something from a horror film! It was vile & made me feel incredibly sick. We were also informed that the upstairs outside deck area (how you had to entire the room might i add) was out of bounds, you could not drink or have a cigarette and we’re asked to walk down slippery wet (it was raining off & on) metal stairs & stand next to the road. Not only were the stairs themselves incredibly dangerous but to stand next to a busy road when you’ve been drinking alcohol is something else entirely. The staff were very nice & polite however and did apologise for the circumstances but quite frankly someone saying sorry for a bucket of mould doesn’t really cut it.

Had a few beers here recently. Nice place, friendly staff. Very central, busy. Lots of bronze Adonis's with duck lips flailing thier arms around looking important.

Had a brilliant time here, great service. Our waiter Oni was so attentive and friendly. Would definitely come back here.

Gorgeous decoration and a very relaxed atmosphere. The staff were so friendly, they really make you feel welcome. The drinks were also great. I had a Bloody Mary and my friend had an Espressotini, and the presentation was beautiful on both of them. Only took a star off because the food was underwhelming, I paid £5 for lobster mac and cheese but there was no cheese! Overall a good experience.

The food was ok, though a bit pricey (£10 for a small panini). That said, it tasted good and the coffee was really nice. The place has a cool vibe, inspired by an American café, which makes it worth a visit.

Amazing place to catch up with friends. The crepes are delicious and the staff welcoming and bubbly. Thank you, we will be back!

My boyfriend took me here and we both loved it. Great options on the menu and the food is excellent quality with generous portions! Love the atmosphere it’s so nice and the staff were beyond friendly and attentive.

Had the gluten free crepe and home made lemonade and was amazing. Excellent customer service, highly recommend this place and would be back again

Really lovely place! I have been coming here for years! The food never disappoints!!!

It’s just lovely place , I can’t express my gratitude for the grate people and service !!! ☀️ I definitely will come back here , because the food is so delicious too 😍

Best crepes I had outside! The crepe with cheddar and feta cheese is amazing! Great service. Located on pedestrian street, perfect to relax and enjoy the food.

Very nice indeed. Lovely waitress although I think she was doing too much as we had to ask 3 times for table water. Excellent wine and cheap cocktails. Food generous portions and overall tasty. Almost feel like your on holiday. Expresso martini was a let down as not served with cream. Excellent prices. Will definitely visit again

We tried this restaurant for the first time with my partner and were really impressed by the quality of the food. We had a pesto and ham pizza and a tiramisu. It was excellent! The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice and relax and the music wasn't too loud. The staff is very friendly. I highly recommend this place and will definetely come back again!

Three of us have been working in Chingford. Having been once, we liked it so much that we returned the following evening. The welcome from Antonio is warm and the food is superb. There is an excellent selection of fish, all cooked to perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed my halibut and then swordfish. My two companions had meat dishes, and they were equally impressed. I can't recommend this restaurant enough. 😊

I recently visited Trattoria Iblero with high expectations, especially when it came to their pasta dishes. Unfortunately, my experience with the pasta carbonara left much to be desired and fell short of the traditional Italian standards. As an Italian cuisine enthusiast, I was genuinely disappointed to find that the carbonara was prepared with bacon and cream, rather than the traditional combination of yolks, pecorino cheese, and guanciale. This departure from the authentic recipe was disheartening, especially considering the restaurant's claim of having an Italian chef/owner. On the positive side the liver was good 👍🏼

Me and my family decided to go to Trattoria, and the restaurant was a nice and clean, but that's it, the food was so bad, there was no flavour in the food, and worst if all the chicken was undercooked, which could of made us ill. We will not be going there again, as for e recommendation, I think not....

Great, authentic restaurant! Friendly staff and very generous portion sizes!

Really good service and great food. Will definitely come back soon !

Top quality highly recommended lovely owners and amazing food me and my wife have been coming here for a while now and it’s the first place that pops in our heads when we want authentic Thai food with welcoming atmosphere, our baby also comes along with us and is more than comfortable with the surroundings 🙏 👍 🇹🇭

Fantastic food and service. We really enjoyed our meals. The staff were great and really very accommodating. My only issue really was in terms of the cost and serving size. For the portions it's very expensive. The crackers we were served when we came in were in a small bowl and I don't think they were worth £3.50. The portions of rice that you pay for separately also were not worth it for the size. Other than that the meals themselves were outstanding and I look forward to coming back at some point to try other things on the menu.

A beautiful venue, great food and an amazing service. 👏🏽 😏🔥

Free glass of wine to the mother’s on Mother’s Day. My wife was happy to be welcomed with such nice gesture. We been there for Mother’s Day lunch joined by my friends family. Kids enjoyed the Thai mee noodles, while the adults enjoyed the curries and Pad Thai. Small but nice place, we went all the way from Hainault and was worth it. Staff was very warm and welcoming. Loved the food, a definitely must visit place.

I had the pleasure of visiting this place with my mates who has highly recommended this place. What can I say. The food tasted amazing. The service was 10/10 and the the place was such a vibe. A complete package. Looking forward to going there again.

Without a doubt the best Thai restaurant for miles. The food is always top notch, the service friendly and the prices reasonable. If you want to eat food to remind you of a trip to Bangkok, or maybe inspire you to visit Thailand, this is the place to go.

I had to give 5 on all 3 options The service was first class all 3 of the ladies working there served us and made us feel valued. Service 5/5 The Atmosphere they were playing some serious RnB Bangers throughout the time we were there 5/5 Food was amazing! Honestly we live about 10 miles away and we would come back for the food alone!!