Hackney Marsh

Once a true marsh but drained and turned into usable land in medieval times.  Then a dumping ground for rubble from WWII.  Now a lovely park alongside the Lea River. 

Which Movie?

It's driving me crazy which movie is this from? Not sure how they got to be floating under the water lilies but maybe a good start for the sequel.

Three Pillars

Sometimes it would be nice to know a little more about the street art you stumble upon. This work is under a bridge that crosses the Lea River. On the opposite side of the river from where this work sits is a housing estate. On this day directly opposite was cordononed off by the police.  I was not able to find out why.  Stories to discover here.

Wick

The borough of Hackney is located in east London and was for a long time very industrialised.  Since the redevelopment for the Olympics, the area has continued to get a make over and has become popular with young, trendy and artists.  Hackney Central, Hackney Marshes, Hackney South, these all give a clear indication which part of the borough they are.  So where is Hackney Wick?  Well it seems that Wick is a Gaelic word meaning Estuary town.   This quarter of Hackney sits on the river Lea alongside the marshland that leads out to the sea.

Lizard

A novel way to tell your story.  Check out the website.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping or should that be bargekeeping? A day in the life of a canal boat on the River Lea.

Riverside Walk

Still exploring Hackney Wick, go through the gate and the path takes you alongside the River Lea.

Frontside Gardens

I've been exploring Hackney Wick an area close to the Olympic Park that is undergoing a rejuvenation and becoming the new funky place to be, supported in part by the London legacy development corporation. They invite groups to compete with ideas for projects for "meanwhile use" of demolished areas and empty spaces, using recycled materials.  Locals Frontside Gardens is a leader here with plans for an event space, first project is a skate park and coming soon market stalls and an outdoor cinema for summer.

Beer in the Bath

The explosion of fantastic things to do in London in celebration of summer continues apace. Fancy a beer in the bath .. in this heat of course you do.  Well in the old Hackney Baths in Hackney Wick you can do just that with the friendly Urban Sessions crowd.

There are artisan beers from all over the world, with over 500 being on offer between now and the end of October.  There’s entertainment, great food at your fingertips, and even beer cocktails.  In fact there’s so much choice this could become a regular “watering hole”, without the bath water.