Beam Valley Country Park
As the River Rom flows onwards it becomes the River Beam and enters the Beam Valley Country Park South of the railway line. This area of river floodplain, scrub and grassland habitat supports a wide range of wildlife. Hidden amongst the vegetation you may notice pillboxes and other historical features dating back to the second world war.
In 2014 a new footbridge was installed, which links Beam Valley to Bretons Park, opening up the valley for informal access on foot or bicycle. Look out for the Sustrans portrait bench with 3 life-size sculptures of historical and cultural figures from the area, chosen by the local community.
Key Information
Getting There
Location
Beam Valley Country Park, RM10 8UL
Contact
Telephone 020 8227 2332
Email rangers@lbbd.gov.uk
Parking
No parking. To make your visit easier and stress‑free, we kindly recommend using public transport, such as Dagenham East station or the 103 and 145 buses.
Accessibility
Entrance and most surfaces and gates are accessible to wheelchair users. No toilets or tearoom on site.
Eastbrookend Discovery Centre
In the heart of Eastbrookend Country Park is the Discovery Centre, the focal point for visitors to the Dagenham Corridor. The building forms a natural gateway into the wide-open spaces of Eastbrookend Country Park, the Chase Local Nature Reserve and beyond. A self-guided, circular nature trail, which begins and ends at the Discovery Centre, provides an easy way to explore some of the surrounding woodland and lakes.
The Discovery Centre was built using a variety of environmentally-friendly and sustainable building methods and materials. The centre is fully accessible and features a display introducing the history of the site along with the following facilities:
- café and seating area
- public toilets (including accessible toilet and baby changing facilities)
- education room (available for school visits, events and private room hire)
- bicycle racks
The centre is also the base of the Park Ranger Service and is one of the venues for outdoor learning in the borough, which you can find out more about on our school visits section.
Key Features
Tearoom – The cafe offers a great value, varied menu.
Local Nature Reserve – A mosaic of habitats including wildflower meadows, wetlands, and woodlands.
Wildlife Spotting – Home to birds, butterflies, amphibians, and other native species.
Conservation Area – Recognised as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation.
Childrens Play area – Located beside the Discovery Centre, featuring inclusive and sensory play equipment.
State of the art outdoor gym – To help you keep fit out in the open air.
Themed Sculpture Trail – Following Arty the turtles visit to Eastbrookend with children’s book that can be purchased from the Discovery Centre.
Walking Trails – Well maintained paths ideal for walking, jogging, and nature exploration.
Picnic Areas – Open green spaces with benches, perfect for family outings.
Do's
Be kind to wildlife – Enjoy watching animals and birds, but don’t disturb them.
Walking your dog? Keep them under control and always keep them on a lead near:
- Playgrounds, play areas
- Lakes (to protect nesting birds)
- Public buildings
- Always clean up after your dog using the bins provided
Picnics are welcome! Just remember to take all your rubbish home with you.
Countryside byelaws
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, like other councils, has wide powers to make byelaws in relation to a range of areas under its control. Generally, byelaws seek to uphold good order, government and public health
Report to us
Please help the Ranger Service by reporting any problems you see or ideas that you have that will improve your enjoyment of the parks and nature reserves in the borough.
Don'ts
Don’t harm or disturb wildlife – It’s against the law to hurt or scare wild animals or birds.
Don’t damage or disturb animal homes like nests or burrows, especially during breeding season.
No hunting or capturing. No traps, nets, or snares – These can harm protected animals.
Birds of prey can only be brought in with permission. Please see the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
No fishing, except at Eastbrookend Country Park (with a valid rod licence). Check fishing rules here.
No swimming in lakes or walking on them when they are frozen.
No model boats.
Fires, and barbecues are strictly forbidden.
Camping is not allowed.
No setting up tents, gazebos, or marquees without permission.
Don’t climb on:
- Fences, walls, or railings
- Trees or park structures (enclosures, posts…etc)
- No motorbikes in the park
- No model aircrafts or drones
- No selling or trading in the park
Visit Us
We love welcoming young people to the parks and inviting them to experience the wonders of nature here, so we have several options for schools and similar groups visiting the parks:
- Ranger-led Education Sessions
- Self-led School Visits
- Forest School Activities
Visit Trewern Outdoor Education Centre
Trewern is an excellent outdoor education centre run by Barking and Dagenham Council in Herefordshire. They offer outdoor activity and field study courses to Primary and Secondary schools and facilities are available to other groups or individuals throughout the year.
Room Hire and Private Functions at Eastbrookend Discovery Centre
Our classroom can be hired for many uses including; training days, meetings, events or parties.
The room is a good size with great views of the country park.
We have a projector you can use for training or presentations and the room can hold up to 35 people.
At the Discovery Centre we have the following facilities:
- Toilets
- Baby changing
- Accessible access
- Free parking
- A tearoom
Outdoor Enclosed Picnic Area
We also hire out our outdoor enclosed picnic space. This is good for various activities.
Enquiries and Bookings
- Weekdays – Book with the Rangers using the below forms
- Weekends –Contact the tearoom by email info@eastbrookcountryparktearoom.co.uk
- View the room – Email Rangers@lbbd.gov.uk
- Prices & details – See our terms and conditions (DOCX, 82.1 KB)
Keep an eye on our events calendar for upcoming events
The Dagenham Corridor is a fantastic place to experience and learn about the natural environment. The Ranger Service provides a wide range of events and activities for everyone throughout the year from fun family events to themed guided walks.
To find out what’s going on and how to get involved please see our Eventbrite events.
Wild and Free in LBBD
Each year the Barking & Dagenham Park Ranger Service invites local residents to share their experiences of LBBD’s parks through the Wild & Free Photo Competition.
Volunteering
Do you enjoy being outdoors and engaged with nature? Can you spare a few hours each week to help keep your local park a pleasant green space for people and wildlife?
Friends of the parks
Are you interested in making a positive contribution to the management and development of your local park? Then please join the Friends group to help make a difference.
Community groups
Read more about some of the brilliant local organisations (that we sometimes partner with) who support the local community and help make our borough a better place to live.
Things to do -
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More Information
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