Walk Report

Waterways & Parks in North London, Sunday 13th January 2013
22 walkers, 16.5 miles - leader Gordon Parker
22 people met at Mile End for a 16.5 mile journey through history which included a 400,000 year old stone axe factory, the site of the 6th century Battle of Hackney, medieval common land, a beautifully refurbished Victoria Park, the site of the first all-British powered flight and the birthplace of Marc Bolan. We passed through several fine north London parks & enjoyed a mid-morning break in the Springfield Park cafe followed by lunch at the Finsbury Park cafe: both were excellent. Coming right up to date we witnessed a large Kurdish demonstration protesting the murder of 3 women PKK leaders in Paris the previous week. Marshes and water figured prominently including the Old River Lea and filter beds dating from 1849 in response to a serious cholera outbreak that had killed 14,000 East Enders; the second half of the walk followed the course of the New River to New River Head, just south of the Angel, Islington: 2013 is the 400th anniversary of this vital source of the metropolis's fresh water.

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