We started this last Friday with the first 7 miles from Finsbury Park, accompanied by Gail. We had chosen a brilliantly sunny but cold day for it, ideal walking weather. We are very familiar with the first section of this: the park itself, then to the excellent new wetlands at Woodberry Down, where the lake was full of water birds, including subathiing cormorants spreading their wings. Then to Clissold Park and yummy mummy territory in Stoke Newington, and we took a swing through Abney Park Cemetery, looking less spooky than usual in the sparkling sunlight.
Next, into unfamiliar districts. A walk along Cazenove Street was a bit of a surprise. This seems to be dominated by Jewish and Muslim institutions and was full of young men either in shalwar kamiz or silk frock coats and fur hats on their way from the mosque or to synagogue. Quite a culture clash but everyone seemed to be quite content and used to it. After this we came to Springfield Park, which is on a knoll giving a wide view across the Lee valley and into Essex. From here, we followed the River Lee navigation for several miles. Very pleasant, lined with narrow boat homes (increasingly popular, not surprisingly given the absurd rents these days) with the sun bright on the water. The water meadows were once a major food source for London. Hay was cut, then cattle grazed in the summer, then it flooded in winter, enriching the soil each year. It was and remains a major source for the city's water supply. It's also an important recreation resource, with a world beating 80 football pitches on Hackney Marshes.
We found an on-trend canalside bar frequented by the local hipsters, No 90, and had possibly the best scotch eggs ever, made on the premises and served straight from the frier, washed down with a craft pale ale of course!
A promising start to our trek. More pictures here. I'll continue to update flickr as we continue.
No comments:
Post a Comment