Day Trip: Walthamstow, E17

Cycling to Walthamstow from Finsbury Park

Walthamstow, Awsomestow, East 17, whatever you want to call it. I can't believe I have only just discovered this fantastic foodie pocket full of art, beautiful streets and lovely pubs in the far east corner of London. Well connected by the London Overground (Walthamstow Queen's street) or the tube stop (Walthamstow) is at the end of the rapid Victoria Line.

House boats along the canal path

It was sunny so we chose to cycle a leisurely 20 minutes from Finsbury Park, along the canal. We saw swans, houseboats and lots of fields that wouldn't look out of place in the depths of the countryside.

The view from the bridge over the canal

Loved these wild yellow flowers

So I've heard of East 17 before, the 90s boy band named after the postcode and it's also home to Europe's longest market. With our bikes in tow, we avoided the hoi polloi of the market and headed straight for The Village, home to a beautiful church and a couple of wood beamed cottages.

Wood beamed cottages

Old post box

Wood Street Coffee 

Arriving late morning, just the right time for a Climpson's flat white from Wood Street Coffee in the middle of The Village on Orford Road. We got chatting to friendly coffee nut and owner Gareth who's just moved to Walthamstow from Bethnal Green for the "relaxed, creative feel". He gave us some local tips for the area and a coffee bean bag which I'm going to stuff with hay to make an outdoors big cushion for the garden. 

Chips in Eat 17

We had lunch in Eat 17, Orford Rd. The chips and scallops hit the spot but their bacon jam was what won me over. We bought a jar to dollop on our burgers at a friend's BBQ that evening and you can grab a jar from Waitrose for £2.99. We walked off lunch by exploring the rest of Orford Road...

Walthamstow pal's Kate and Keith's garden BBQ ready

I found the most beautiful sunflower in a little shop at the end of the street but then realised it wouldn't fit in the water bottle holder of my bike :( That was soon forgotten when I spotted an old Hovis sign above a shop. Beautiful.

A Sunflower

The Hovis sign!

Flowers at One end of Wood Street

Kegs outside one of the brilliant Walthamstow pub

After mooching around the pretty village, peering through the windows of second hand furniture shops and earmarking a handsome pub for a drink later, we rode to pretty Lloyd Park, home to The William Morris Gallery. Not just the exhibit of the famous artist, the gallery was awarded the 2013 Art Fund and was the first stop on Jeremy Deller's Venice Biennale UK tour. 

William Morris Gallery

Walthamstow is perfect for a day trip. If you're a Londoner, it really has a getting away from the city feel, yet it's only 20 minutes from the centre by tube. Wanting to find an excuse to return, I found that the E17 Art Trail will be celebrating 10 years from 31st May - 15th June with residents opening up their homes and studios. For a full list of events, including special gallery openings and exhibitions, have a look on their website. I'll be at Lloyd park on the 26th and 27th July for the Walthamstow Garden Party, hosted by the Barbican with lots of live music and entertainment. Sounds like Walthamstow is where all the fun is this summer and I couldn't be happier.