Exploring Park WALK 6

Top tips and healthy hints

Put a spring in your step By adopting a good posture, you’ll make walking more comfortable and reduce the risk of aches and pains. Start by assuming a straight posture, with spine and neck straight, shoulders relaxed, arms hanging loose, belly pulled in and pelvis tucked under slightly. Stand tall without standing sti!y to attention. Walk smoothly, putting energy into And remember to be gentle on your each step. Allow your arms to swing muscles – especially your hamstrings naturally by your side to aid balance and calves – by doing some simple and conserve energy. And walk from stretching exercises to warm up and your heel to your toe, ‘pushing o"’ with cool down before and after your walk. your toes. Breathe deeply, expanding your stomach, and try to breathe in “Walking is man’s best medicine” rhythm with your steps. Hippocrates, ancient Greek physician

Step-by-Step The Step-by-Step programme is a 10-week walking action plan designed in conjunction with St Stephen’s Health Centre in William Place, just o" Roman Road. As you walk, you’ll be taking steps towards actively managing your health and wellbeing. And you’ll discover more about your local area too. Step-by-Step Weekly Walks St. Stephen’s For more information, contact Zahra Aden at Health Centre St Stephen’s on [email protected] or 020 8980 1760.

Weekly Walks St. Stephen’s Health Centre Devised by Graham Barker of Walk East (walkeast.org) for Tower Hamlets Active Travel Team, 2010. Exploring Mile End Park 5 Slope down on the other side 9 Follow the canal towpath behind Mile End Park runs like a green spine of the bridge. Another footpath the museum, past converted through the borough, with the merges in from the left – lined warehouses, a lock and under a Regent’s Canal along one side. As with turbine-topped lights. Just brick footbridge. Before you head you explore, you’ll discover there’s before reaching the bridge over under the Mile End Road bridge, something for everyone: an art gallery, the canal, curve o" to the left. explore terraced #ower gardens sculptures dotted around, an open air The path passes between trees. to your right. gym, woodland walks, an adventure playground, an ecology park with ponds, 6 Just after the green signpost, 10 Continue along the towpath, a climbing wall, a youth drop-in centre, fork o" to the right. The footpath passing the New Globe Inn and a #ower gardens, fountains, a skateboard slopes up slightly, and curves lock. The buildings of Queen Mary park and young children’s play centre. to the right, giving you views University sit across the canal. across the adventure playground Walk under the railway bridge, – with a huge spider’s web past Mile End Climbing Wall, climbing frame – and youth Meath Bridge and the Palm Tree. 1 Leaving St Stephen’s Health 3 Cross Grove Road at the outreach centre. Centre, turn left. At the forked pedestrian crossing and 11 Leave the towpath at the orange silver birch tree, turn left again continue ahead to enter Mile 7 Follow the main path towards $shtail and $shing #oat sculptures. and follow the white slabbed End Park, facing the Art Pavilion. the park gates. You’ll pass Curve rightwards with the path pavement between Sleat House Go left and curve round until you information boards on the as it slopes over the grassed and Tay House. Cross Saxon emerge from behind the grassy park’s wild #owers, bugs and Ecology Pavilion. On the far side, Road and continue to the path’s mound, where the view opens up. mini beasties. turn left to leave the park along end, before emerging onto Haver$eld Road. St Stephen’s Road. 4 Continue on the brown gritty 8 Leave the park through the footpath as it snakes round and main brick gateway beside 12 Cross Grove Road and follow 2 Cross St Stephen’s Road and slopes upwards, broadly to the . Turn right Arbery Road to the far end. follow Antill Road to the $rst left, taking you up and across the and cross Copper$eld Road to Turn right and $rst left into junction. Turn left along Coborn ‘green bridge’ – a planted bridge reach the . Stan$eld Road, and onwards into Road, head underneath the spanning the Mile End Road, with Just into Rhodeswell Road, walk Viking Close and Saxon Road. railway bridge and by the views to the east and west. down steps behind the museum At St Stephen’s Road, cross and Morgan Arms turn right to walk (continued on page 7) to join the Regent’s Canal. turn left to return to St Stephen’s the full length of Lich$eld Road. Health Centre.

2 7 Look out for these... Along the way...

Peer across the canal to the bold new architecture Stroll beside swans, coots, moorhens, ducks and Stroll by this former pub on Antill Road, still with Spot the King George V Field plaques as you enter at Queen Mary University. geese on the Regent’s Canal. its sign for ‘prize beers’. the park.

Reach new heights at the Mile End Climbing Wall. Wander beside the Palm Tree pub, standing alone Enjoy a picnic beside the quirky sculptures, Avoid the busy Mile End Road tra"c by using the in the park. eco-ponds or !ower gardens. ‘green’ bridge to cross.

Encounter a huge #shing !oat and #shtail beside Get an aerial view of the ponds from the top of Watch out for ‘human spiders’ clambering Read the info-boards about wild !owers, bugs, the towpath. the ecology pavilion. around the adventure playground! birds and butter!ies living in the park.

6 3 WALK 6 Exploring Mile End Park

Starts: St Stephen’s Health Centre Ends: St Stephen’s Health Centre Distance: approx 2.8 miles Allow: 70 minutes

Mile End Park hosts a full programme of events over the year, including art exhibitions at the Arts Pavilion and children’s events such as Easter egg hunts and ‘Park after Dark’ at Halloween. To $nd out what’s on, call the rangers on 07951 321051 or become a friend at www.facebook.com/mileendpark

Park patron Joanna Lumley has recorded an audio walk around Mile End Park. You can download it at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/mileendpark

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