N London urban walk: Finsbury Park to the river

  • Total route: 9km/5.5 miles
  • Possible early drop outs at 4 and 7.5km and elsewhere
  • Easy walking on hardstanding throughout, mostly level
  • No public toilets except at Farringdon station and Paternoster Square (near St Paul's) but there are many cafes and pubs en route   
This route in some of the most built up parts of north London nevertheless takes you through many parks and gardens with surprisingly few roads to cross.

       Starting on the south east side of Finsbury Park station, on Station Place, you will see across Seven Sisters Road the tiny entrance to Gillespie Park (red arrow), up a short flight of steps.

        Take this and walk along the gravel path beside the railway.  This park was established as a local nature reserve by Islington council, and is a stronghold for biodiversity in the area. Continue always keeping to the right nearest the railway, following a tarmaced path down the hill past the Ecology Centre, then turn right onto Drayton park, past the Arsenal Stadium development.  After 0.5km just after the giant Arsenal sign, turn sharp left into Whistler St, following it round the corner.  About half way along this cosy terraced street there's a cut through to the left leading to Framfield Road.  This rises up until you emerge into Highbury Fields by the tennis courts.  

        Turn right following the grand 18th century terrace facing the park.  Turn left opposite no 13 onto the path through the park, continuing on past the Oasis cafe, then cross Highbury Grove at the zebra and go straight on into Aberdeen Park, lined with huge Victorian villas.  Just where it starts to bend to the left, follow a pedestrian route on the right through modern Islington council flats into Seaforth Crescent then forward to reach a roundabout in Highbury New Park.  Go straight ahead to the next road, Petherton Road.

        Here we turn right to join the New River Walk, which follows the route of what was once an open channel bringing fresh water from Hertfordshire to the City, constructed inthe early 1600s.  This was conduited in the 19th century, running down the middle of this wide tree-lined road.  We turn right and follow the road past the Snooty Fox to Canonbury Station, and beyond to the Balls Pond Road. Cross at the traffic lights and enter the next section of the walk, which has been developed for the next mile as a very pleasant ornamental linear park.  (At New North Road you can leave this route, turning left to Essex Road station (4km) on the Finsbury Park-Moorgate line.)

        The ornamental walk continues as Astey's Row Rock Garden, past a playground, until you emerge onto Essex Road next to Islington South Library.  Turning right, cross the road at the lights opposite Cross Street and continue for 400m then turn left into St Peter St then immediately right into Colebrook Row.  This continues to follow the old line of the New River, which once flowed along the green treelined space between the rows of houses.  We cross the Regent's Canal which enters a long tunnel here.

        Further along we reach a major junction: three major roads converge on the Angel here.  Cross each at the pedestrian crossings: first City Road and Goswell Road then take Owen Road ahead, named after Alice Owen, an Elizabethan philanthropist, who built an school and almshouses nearby.  Finally cross St John Street to Chadwell Street then immediately left into Arlington Way.  Follow this, with Sadler's Wells theatre on your left and take Myddleton Passage, just by the Shakespeare's Head pub.  Where the road turns to the right, you will find a little courtyard on the left.  This was the location of New River Head, the termination of the waterway. Originally a pool from which conduits took water down to  the City, a covered reservoir was later established and water pumped to it from here. 

        Return to Arlington Way and cross Rosebery Avenue to enter the small park called Spa Green.  References to the wells and spa refer to the fact that a supposedly health giving spa was established here by 1685 with a fashionable Musick Room attached, which by stages evolved into the theatre we have today.  

        Cross the park and turn left into Gloucester Way.  Continue on the footpath through the council estate ahead with a sports pitch on your right.  Cross Skinner St at the lights and walk a little way down St John St, then right into Sekforde St, past the Finsbury Bank for Savings.  At the end of the small park of St James Clerkenwell, glance to your right to see the 18th century Middlesex Assizes building.  Turn left into Aylesbury Street and immediately right into Jerusalem Passage.  Now we are in an open square at the heart of Clerkenwell.  This was the site of the priory of St John of Jerusalem, originally a religious order, now a charity supporting the auxiliary ambulance service.  Ahead we can see the medieval gateway to the precinct, built outside the City walls, and to the left is a modern building within which survives the chancel of the priory church of St John's.  There is a small museum split between these two buildings - well worth a visit.   

        Carry on through the gatehouse along St John's Lane then turn slightly right into St John's Street.  Ahead of you is the Victorian cast iron structure of Smithfield wholesale meat market.  (If you wish to stop at this point, Cowcross Street on your right will take you to Farringdon Station on the Underground and Thameslink main line, about 7.5km from the start.)

        For the final leg we continue along the road that passes right through the market building. Ahead is St Bartholomew's Hospital, with on the left the entrance to the 12th century St Bartholomew the Great church. Continue straight ahead along a road called Little Britain.  This continues with a right turn and then a curve to the left.  After a little way, where there is a massive plane tree, we find the entrance to Postmen's Park, a little city oasis.  Carry on through to the far end of the park and turn right into St Martins le Grand.  The splendid building on the right was built as the headquarters of the Post Office. Continue and cross to Panyer Alley, between the octagonal building and St Pauls Underground station.  

        At the end follow the elaborate railings to the left and enter the gardens of St Paul's Cathedral.  Carry on round the east end of the cathedral then cross over to the small garden across the road, with fine views of the cathedral. Continue to the right, with the Tourist information centre ahead of you, then take the passage to the left towards the river.  The College of Arms is the brick building on the right.  Keep going across Victoria St until just before the Millennium Bridge.  Take the steps down to the embankment, follow this to the right upstream and pass under the railway bridge, then take the steps or lift up just before the road bridge.  Now round to the right is Blackfriars Station (Underground and Thameslink).  And if you feel in need of refreshment, the magnificent arts and crafts Black Friar pub, one of the finest in London, is right ahead of you.  





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