Wednesday 4 April 2012

Part 7 Highgate to Hackney Wick

Sunday 25th March was a beautiful day.

There was apple flapjack
and fabulous company in the form of Simon, Emerson and So-Shan.

We started in Highgate
Walking along a disused railway line

that had been turned into a nature reserve.

Disused platforms.
There was also loads of graffiti. I like to think there are graffiti artists who just really love nature and this was a way of them combining both of there interests at one time.


Trains to Scotland
And off the railway track and into Finsbury Park. Where people with strong North London accents were playing American football

We then walked along the New River (actually a 400 yr old canal) until the police tape meant we had to turn back and take a detour through Britain's biggest housing estate...

But we made it back to the route
Reservoir regeneration
This is the second ridiculously ornate Victorian pumping station on the route. Although this one they've converted into a climbing centre so you can climb up the towers.

Then more pretty parks. This is Clissold Park in Stoke Newington

We stopped for lunch in Stoke Newington for perhaps the best snack/food of all the walks so far. Chick pea and tahini burger with mango chutney and salads from The Blue Legume. Everyone else's lunch was of similar food-porn standards.

Then after lunch it was onto Abney Cemetery. Where the founder of the Salvation Army is buried

Unlike Highgate Cemetery this one is long disused and is now a nature reserve.


And that was the end of the first part

Next we walked through more housing and past mosques, synagogues and schools. Including this school which had some interesting poetry on the floor outside. Creative similes and spellings...

And into another park and out to Walthamstow Marshes


These people were protesting against the Olympics constructing a training building here and afterwards demolishing it and undertaking improvement works on the habitat. They thought the best way to protest against a beautiful natural space being temporarily utilised for something else was to play intrusively loud music across the flats to disrupt everyone's experience and enjoyment of a beautiful natural space. Ah well.

Walthamstow Marshes turned into Hackney Marshes and the Olympic site grew bigger on the horizon

Until we reached it. Stadium behind some tired but happy (I hope) walkers
And now there is only 8.4 miles to go! Final walk is Saturday 7th April. Would be lovely if you wanted to come along.

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