Islington U3A Shorter Walks Group

Walk/Distance Parkland Walk and Woodberry Wetlands 5.7 miles PLEASE NOTE DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE SHORTER WALKS

Date/Time Wednesday 2 November, 9.45am start. Half-day walk

Meeting up & 9.45am station. Meet outside the Rail station entrance travel (NOT TUBE) by the bus stops. Great Northern Train (7 mins) to Alexandra Palace. Return from Manor House tube station ()

Route & Terrain The walk is mostly flat with a short uphill stretch to Alexandra Palace at the start. Otherwise it’s level and will probably be a bit muddy in places. We walk uphill through Alexandra Park past the Palace with extensive views south, and onto the Northern part of the Parkland Walk (the longest Nature Reserve in Greater ). Continuing through Wood we rejoin the Parkland Walk near Highgate station and follow it walking very gradually downhill all the way to Finsbury Park. Here we cross the park to Manor House and after a few minutes on the pavement are soon in the Woodberry Wetlands, where we will walk around the reservoir, on the lookout for birdlife, ending at the Coal House café for lunch. It’s 5 mins walk back to Manor House station for tube/bus.

Timing This walk is about 5.7 miles and will take approximately two and a half hours plus a coffee break at the café in . We should stop for lunch at about 1.00pm. There are options to shorten the walk: tube at Highgate station, buses on Archway Road, or ending the walk early at Finsbury Park.

Clothing/footwear The paths are generally good, but will be a bit muddy in places at this time of year. Watch the weather forecast and be prepared for rain if necessary. A Bird ID book/App and binoculars might be useful in the Wetlands.

Toilets Highgate Wood café, Finsbury Park, and Wetlands café.

Opportunities to Bird-watching at the Wetlands extend the walk Path Leader’s Contacts Kate Grant email: [email protected] Phone: 07973 760206

Links http://www.parkland-walk.org.uk http://www.urban75.org/london/alexandra1.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_Palace http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/highgate- wood/Pages/default.aspx http://www.woodberrywetlands.org.uk