I'm mad, I know, but its part of a bigger plan...

November 12, 2009 8:16 AM

For various reasons, I'm planning on walking the A10 from London Bridge to the North Circ (Shoreditch, Kingsland Rd, Stoke Newington Rd, Stamford Hill, Tottenham High Rd, Bruce Grove, Roundway, Gt Cambridge Rd). I'll have my camera with me...

Without detouring from the route by more than a couple of hundred yards, I'm looking for suggestions of places to visit that are photographically worthy for their interest, beauty or hideousness.

I'm very early in my plans, so all I've really considered so far is the bridge itself and Abney Park.

What else should go into my plan?

Oh, and while I know London is hardly Baltimore, is there anywhere on that route where a country boy like me should be very clearly Not A Tourist™?

posted by twine42 to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

Ha. That's right where I grew up (Edmonton) and lived in my early 20's (Hackney). I'd say you seriously shouldn't look like a tourist for any of that route, if I had to pick though, I'd say the stretch from Tottenham on up. Sure, London isn't Baltimore, but it's not as safe as the movies would have you think.
posted by crabintheocean at 8:22 AM on November 12, 2009

Oh, and hiding your camera and phone should go into your plan!
posted by crabintheocean at 8:24 AM on November 12, 2009

Noted crabintheocean.

Oh, and to prove I'm not completely insane, this will be middle of the day on a Saturday, not 1am on a Friday or Saturday night. :)
posted by twine42 at 8:27 AM on November 12, 2009

Pretty much what crabintheocean said, though I'd say that the dodgiest bit of your route is probably the Roundway, and to a lesser extent Tottenham in general, but you should be fine at that time of day, provided you don't look too obviously 'from out of town'. Just exercise the normal Big City Caution.

In terms of stuff to photograph, have a look at Bruce Tower and also Bruce Castle itself, both of which are off of Lordship lane and only 5 minutes walk away from your route (not exactly 200 yards from your route, but not much more than that).
posted by Chairboy at 8:31 AM on November 12, 2009

I've done you a little map from the City to Dalston. There are a million more places you could put on it, but hey, you'll spot things as you go.

The City will be quiet on a Saturday. Dalston will be heaving. You'll be walking up a seriously busy road all the way up to Tottenham, where it gets more suburban. I wouldn't expect any bother at all. The Hasidic jews in Stamford Hill might be a bit offended if you treat them as a tourist attraction.
posted by col at 10:09 AM on November 12, 2009

Cool, thanks col.
posted by twine42 at 10:49 AM on November 12, 2009

Not mad, brilliant. I love the A10. I'm curious about your bigger plan...

Dalston will be heaving and we have had a recent influx of trendies which has changed things recently, though that will make for some great street people photos if that's your bag. Is she really wearing a carpet and a flowerpot on her head? Why yes, yes she is.

But I would just be aware of your surroundings, especially if you're flashing a fancy camera around. Mostly because it'll be heaving. I've lived here for 3 years with no bother though.

The junction is being transformed into the "slums of the 21st century" along with the extension to the East London Line which means there's some big holes hidden behind big hoardings. You get a better view from the top of a double decker, but that might negate the walking objective. Demolition work has opened up vistas that you don't normally see, like glimpses of the Hackney peace mural (on Dalston Lane) from Kingsland High Street.

Further up Kingsland High Street/Stoke Newington Road, some of the Turkish places have little old ladies sitting in the window making flatbreads and dumpling things.

There's also a couple of cool turkish mosques along the way, one not far north of the Geffrye Museum that I heard was the biggest in Europe (not so sure if this is true), and then another one on Stoke Newington Road which has some beautiful decoration. You'll be hard pushed to miss them though.

As a complete contrast to Ridley Road, I think it's Stoke Newington Farmer's market on a Saturday. In a school playground on Church Street.
posted by Helga-woo at 1:47 PM on November 12, 2009

For the Hackney section of your walk Kingsland Waste, a somewhat chaotic flea market, and further up the wonderful Art Deco Rio Cinema, may be worthy subjects. Also have a listen to this edition of the Hackney Podcast. Iain Sinclair has written quite a lot about this part of London.
posted by amestoy at 12:38 PM on November 15, 2009

Wanted to say that I also don't think you're crazy and would love to know what the bigger plan is. My high school boyfriend and I walked the entire length of several tube lines, station to station, as our weekend and vacation project when I was 16. It was great exercise, showed me parts of my city I'd never have seen, and was also romantic!
posted by crabintheocean at 1:44 PM on November 16, 2009