Walthamstow Marsh

One of my favorite places for me and my dog to roam on a brisk morning. I love to start the day out by spending time on the marshes breathing the fresh air and meeting fellow dog owners.
Next to the marshes is the Lee Valley Riding Centre where you can meet some lovely, friendly horses, too, on your walk.
Be prepared for mud and water during winter months (Wellies definitely in order) and after a couple of rainy days. It is a marsh after all.

Part of my daily commute to work on my bicycle, this is probably the nicest bit of my journey.
At the moment there are loads of blackberry bushes along the main cycle/​bridal path. Spent an hour picking some last weekend and made delicious jelly and pannacotta with them afterwards.
Be quick, it’s so much cheaper than the supermarket, oh and learn from my mistakes and take long trousers… and a stick… and a container.

Is it possible to escape the hustle and bustle of East London completely? Yes you can. Here in Walthamstow marshes you can.
As a cyclist, I treasure this little-​known area of the big smoke. It is a great way to cut through the east side into the more central parts. It is also, well, very quiet. Stretching out all the way from the River Lea towards Essex, it is pretty vast. It is also an official nature reserve and contains many varieties of birds and insects.
It is possible here to go for a vey long walk indeed. And, during this walk, you will be lucky (or unlucky, depending on your point of view) to come across a single other person. It is highly likely that you will be passed by a cyclist though.