River Lea walk from Pickett's Lock to Springfield Park

Past Sunday Katia and me took bus 102 from Muswell Hill to Edmonton Green. From there we walked through Edmonton, down St. Martins Rd, Monmouth Rd, Montagu Rd, Pickett's Lock Lane to Pickett's Lock at River Lea Navigation.

On the way downstream we saw anglers and couple of barges. There were many ripe blackberries on the side of the walk so we treated ourselves with sweet fruit. We witnessed the shanty town erected behind the fence enclosing William Girling reservoir. Further down, just before the North Circular Road bridge we passed the London Waste facilities - a huge building with high chimney I always check out when driving on North Circular.

Our first break was at Stonebridge Lock where we rested on a bench in front of the Waterside Centre. It was amusing watching one young lad passing the lock and mooring his barge. He left his little dog at the lock and the puppy was looking across the water and was looking how to get on the other side and reunite with his owner. Young man had to walk back and show puppy that it had to cross the bridge.

We continued the walk, passed Tottenham Marshes, under Ferry Lane where we saw the place where Pymmes Brook joins river Lea. Here we had another break. 

Section of the river adjacent to Warwick reservoirs, down to Springfield Park is packed with barges. We saw remains of two cranes which I guess used to be used for moving goods from barges onto bank. One wall had interesting mural - a man in a sleeping position with animals in boats within him, Above it was some gallery space with a one-day pop-up pizza restaurant!

We left river just before Springfield Park and walked up the Spring Hill to Clapton Common where we took the bus home, via Finsbury Park, Holloway Rd and Archway.