Finsbury Park and Woodberry Wetlands

On Saturday 13th July 2024, on a typical British summer day, eleven of us met at Finsbury Park Station for a 5 mile walk.

Mr. Toad by the New RiverIgnoring the temptation to join the throngs heading for the Wireless Festival, we entered Finsbury Park by the Stroud Green Road entrance and skirted round the festival barricades. We paused briefly by the lake where there was a grey heron, then passed the café before heading through the McKenzie Gardens. We then followed a short stretch of the London Ring as we headed for The New River. Probably because of the many new flats developments in the area, the path is well maintained and in some parts even landscaped.

Castle Climbing Centre, Clissold ParkAs we meandered along the river we spotted swans with their cygnets and coots and ducks with their young. There was also a small seating area near one of the newish flats developments where there were wood sculptures of Mole and Mr Toad from 'The Wind in the Willows'. A short distance further on we turned left over a wooden bridge and into the Woodberry Wetlands area, where there is the Coal House Café. This was an excellent place to stop for lunch, overlooking the East Reservoir.

Suitably refreshed, we then completed a circuit of the reservoir (on the recce the previous week I’d seen plenty of swifts flying in and out of the reeds, but they weren’t in evidence today) and rejoined the New River Path. We continued along past the West Reservoir until we came to the Castle Climbing Centre (a possible EFOG activity?) then turned right up Green Lanes. We then went along the road to the junction where there is Manor House Station. Two members decided to catch the tube there, and the others crossed over to walk through Finsbury Park and back to the station with the festival music (?) playing beside us. We saw the steam from a steam train going under the footbridge but were too far away at the time to see the actual train – a quick Google search at home suggests it was the locomotive 'Blue Peter' hauling a train on a special run from Kings Cross to Doncaster.

Also, due to the festival, there was a minor diversion via the roads back to the station.

Richard.  13th July 2024