In Memoriam: ^Tom
Capital Ring Walk Stage 12
Highgate to Stoke Newington - we are in familiar territory but we are seeing it in a new light. For the most part this stage of the Capital Ring walk is a pleasant off-street stroll through Victorian infrastructure. We start with a couple of easy miles along a disused railway track that has been reclaimed as a parkland walk, we cross Finsbury Park, and we meander beside the New River. The New River is not really a river, it’s an aqueduct designed to bring fresh water from a spring in Hertfordshire into London. It used to flow right through to New River Head in Finsbury, but nowadays it terminates at the East Reservoir in Stoke Newington.
As we approached East Reservoir a voice said: “Do you realise that you are on public land?” I turned to see who would ask a question like that and found myself looking into a familiar face. Paul is an old friend from my days of work with Hackney Council. He is still with the firm and is currently Clerk of Works for the major upgrading of Woodberry Down estate. He apologises, due to the works our path is diverted and instead of a dreamy waterside stroll we find ourselves striding through the reality of Britain’s largest council housing estate.
On Green Lanes, prompted by my memory of Clif’s recent posting of a Victorian folly, I point my camera through the drizzle to take this picture. We like our follies big in this neck of the woods; this is ‘The Castle’. Of course it never was a castle, it was built in 1855 and is a water pumping station in fancy dress. Nowadays the Castle is an indoor climbing centre. The reservoirs are used in part as a water sports facility and in part as a nature reserve.
The rest of our walk is through even more familiar territory, Clissold Park, Stoke Newington Church Street, and Abney Park Cemetery. Back home I open my e-mail and see that this week’s Nomad theme is ‘19th century’. Well there’s a coincidence, for the most part our morning’s walk has been a stroll through the 19th century.
Capital Ring Walk Stage 12
Highgate to Stoke Newington - we are in familiar territory but we are seeing it in a new light. For the most part this stage of the Capital Ring walk is a pleasant off-street stroll through Victorian infrastructure. We start with a couple of easy miles along a disused railway track that has been reclaimed as a parkland walk, we cross Finsbury Park, and we meander beside the New River. The New River is not really a river, it’s an aqueduct designed to bring fresh water from a spring in Hertfordshire into London. It used to flow right through to New River Head in Finsbury, but nowadays it terminates at the East Reservoir in Stoke Newington.
As we approached East Reservoir a voice said: “Do you realise that you are on public land?” I turned to see who would ask a question like that and found myself looking into a familiar face. Paul is an old friend from my days of work with Hackney Council. He is still with the firm and is currently Clerk of Works for the major upgrading of Woodberry Down estate. He apologises, due to the works our path is diverted and instead of a dreamy waterside stroll we find ourselves striding through the reality of Britain’s largest council housing estate.
On Green Lanes, prompted by my memory of Clif’s recent posting of a Victorian folly, I point my camera through the drizzle to take this picture. We like our follies big in this neck of the woods; this is ‘The Castle’. Of course it never was a castle, it was built in 1855 and is a water pumping station in fancy dress. Nowadays the Castle is an indoor climbing centre. The reservoirs are used in part as a water sports facility and in part as a nature reserve.
The rest of our walk is through even more familiar territory, Clissold Park, Stoke Newington Church Street, and Abney Park Cemetery. Back home I open my e-mail and see that this week’s Nomad theme is ‘19th century’. Well there’s a coincidence, for the most part our morning’s walk has been a stroll through the 19th century.