New River Action Group: Photos of New River Walk from Islington to Enfield Summer 2006

New River Action Group
Registered Charity No. 803282

Photo-gallery of New River walking route
between Sadlers Wells and Enfield

The photos here were taken in Summer 2006, on a walk participated in by around 50 people (and at least two dogs!), of whom more than 20 completed the full distance (others joined and left the walk at different points). The walk took place on 3 September, and was organised by BTCV (the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) as part of the programme of community activities they carry out for Haringey Council. The walk organiser was Catherine Perry (BTCV), who worked with Bob Hare (NRAG, also a Haringey councillor). Photos here were taken by CP and BH, also by John Polley and Mike Kensey (both of NRAG). Some pictures were taken on 9 August, when CP & BH walked the route to gauge timings and check for en-route pick-up points.

The photos are displayed here both to show the route itself, and as a record of an enjoyable and quite challenging walk. The photos are organised as thumbnails. Clicking on a thumbnail displays the picture at full screen-size. For anyone who would like a copy of any photo, you are welcome to download it to your computer (which is why all the usuable pictures are displayed, in case a particular photo shows a person or scene of interest).

If you have some photos from the day, we'd be happy to add them here - please get in touch ( mail@newriver.org.uk ).

Apologies - not displaying - will fix in next day or so - this msg Tue 27/2/2013)

For more information on downloading pictures, see .

Start of walk - at New River Head viewing area off Myddelton Passage

New River Head - The Laboratory Building (1938 Listed Grade II)

New River Head - The former offices of the Metropolitan Water Board (built 1914-20). These contain the Oak Room.

Sadlers Wells Theatre

The start of Colebrooke Row gardens = old course of NR (at gate on City Road)

Beside the Grand Union Canal (the NR was carried over the canal on the bridge)

Looking down over the Grand Union Canal from the bridge

At Islington Green with statue of Hugh Myddelton

Looking north up Duncan Terrace beside Colebrooke Row gardens.

Charles Lamb's house (Colebrooke Cottage at 64 Duncan Terrace) overlooking the old course of the NR

Charles Lamb's house

At Asteys Row on the north side of Essex Road

At Asteys Row on the north side of Essex Road - looking back

On path called New River Walk

Bridge on Willow Bridge Road

Bridge on Willow Bridge Road looking towards Marquess pub

Marquess pub from Willow Bridge Road

Continuing on path called New River Walk

On path called New River Walk

Near end of New River Walk where joins St Pauls Road

At south end of Petherton Road with old course in centre of road

At south end of Petherton Road

Houses on Petherton Road

Tree on line of old course on Petherton Road with notice saying 'Help - Please water me'!

At south end of Aden Terrace (old course)

Aden Terrace

Allotments on old course beside Aden Terrace

Looking back (southwards) down allotments on old course beside Aden Terrace

At north end of Aden Terrace (Clissold Park in background)

Old course with water in Clissold Park

Old course in Clissold Park

Old course in Clissold Park with Clissold House in background

Walkers in front of Clissold House

New Church (built 1855-8) from Clissold Park

Array of walking routes from the Castle

The Castle (former pumping station now climbing centre)

Old course of NR where terminates at Green Lanes beside Castle

Primary Filter House at Stoke Newington West Reservoir (now sailing centre)

Stoke Newington West Reservoir

One of the old control panels in the Primary Filter House

New River beside the West Reservoir

Looking back from the NR towards the Primary Filter House

Looking from the NR over the West Reservoir

Looking back from the NR towards the Primary Filter House

Continuing along NR beside the West Reservoir

Signpost at the south end of path beside East Reservoir

Where the flowing NR enters the East Reservoir

Blocks of flats viewed over East Reservoir

Looking back (south) down path beside East Reservoir

Sluice house on NR beside East Reservoir

Sluice house on NR beside East Reservoir (also boat hoist on right)

Crossing Seven Sisters Road

NR just north of Seven Sisters Road

NR north of Seven Sisters Road

NR between Seven Sisters Road and Green Lanes (Alexandra Palace on horizon)

Looking back as approach Green Lanes

View back (south) from bridge over Green Lanes

Finsbury Park

From bridge over NR in Finsbury Park with walkers (visible on path) not far from Endymion Road

NR looking north from Endymion Road bridge (no public path)

About to leave Railway Fields after lunch

New River from one of the many bridges in the Harringay 'Ladder' area (no public path)

Path north of (parallel to) Wightman Road

Path north of Wightman Road near to Hampden Road (boat launching crane in foreground and Wightman Road mosque in background)

Flats at north end of Tottenham Lane (N8)

NR path north of Hornsey High Street bridge leading to Penstock Path with New River Village buildings under construction

Former Hornsey Pumping Station now the Pumphouse Restaurant and Art Gallery at the entrance to the former Hornsey Water Works now New River Village

The Campsbourne Well House Pumping Station beside Cross Lane

Looking back (south) from close to the Penstock Path along the path towards Hornsey High Street bridge

New River Village buildings under construction viewed from the north end of the path from Hornsey High Street to Penstock Path.

Alexandra Palace from the Penstock Path

The NR beside Wood Green Common where it emerges from the south of the 1100 metre Wood Green tunnel (1859). Photo taken from Station Road bridge.

Water being pumped into the NR from the new well beside Wood Green Common (where the NR emerges from the Wood Green tunnel). The pumphouse is just visible among the trees.

Station Road bridge

NR Path sign

Wood Green Common (looking along the line of the former Seven Sisters to Palace Gates railway towards Wood Green over the abutments (all that remain) of the bridge over Park Avenue.

Rejoing the flowing NR north of Myddleton Road (N22) (another spelling of Myddelton)

The entrance (north end) to the Wood Green tunnel under Myddleton Road (N22)

New well and pumphouse just south of Whittington Road

Whittington Road bridge

Looking east from Whittington Road bridge

Continuing on the path north of Whittington Road bridge

The path north of Whittington Road (Russell Road parallel to left)

The NR emerges from the U-bend under the North Circular Road

NR Company stopcock cover in pavement

Mystery picture (JP)

North Circular with the pavement and railings in the background showing the shape of the bridge that used to cross the NR. Putting the NR into a U-bend allowed the North Circular Road to be flattened. An automatic weed catcher was required just to the north of the North Circular to prevent blocking of the U-bend.

Pymmes Brook flows under the railway (Kings Cross to Hertford North line) and under the NR.

On the NR embankment above Pymmes Brook

On the NR embankment between the North Circular and Green Lanes (Palmers Green)

Looking down to nearby houses on Palmerston Crescent from the NR embankment

Looking back (south) from near to Green Lanes (Palmers Green)

Green Lanes bridge (Palmers Green)

Rear of Palmers Green Library (1940 - part of former Southgate Town Hall)

NR looking east from the Green Lanes bridge (Palmers Green)

NR Path sign at Green Lanes (Palmers Green)

Taking a rest just east of the Green Lanes bridge (Palmers Green) while waiting till the rendezvous time here was reached

Hot! At Green Lanes bridge (Palmers Green).

Impressive warehouse or factory building. On stretch between Green Lanes and Oakthorpe Road (Palmers Green).

(Uncertain location - possibly from Hazelwood Lane bridge)

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Barrowell Green Pumping Station

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Looking up Fords Grove past the characteristic building at the junction with Farm Road with the raised road of the bridge over the NR just visible where the car is (Winchmore Hill)

Looking up Farm Road past the characteristic building at the junction with Fords Grove with the raised road of the bridge over the NR just visible where the car is (Winchmore Hill)

NR path and footbridge from Fords Grove (Winchmore Hill)

Looking south back down stretch from Fords Grove to Firs Lane (Winchmore Hill)

Looking north on stretch from Fords Grove to Firs Lane (Winchmore Hill)

Looking north towards the houses on Beaulieu Gardens on the stretch from Fords Grove to Firs Lane (Winchmore Hill)

Looking back (south) towards the houses on Beaulieu Gardens on the stretch from Fords Grove to Firs Lane (Winchmore Hill)

The view over the fence into the Paulin Ground and the cricket club

Nearing Firs Lane on the stretch from Fords Grove to Firs Lane (Winchmore Hill)

Descriptive sign at the Clarendon Arch

Descriptive sign at the Clarendon Arch (includes the text carved on the memorial stone)

The Clarendon Arch memorial stone (see previous picture for the text)

The Clarendon Arch memorial stone (closer)

Looking through the Clarendon Arch. The Arch originally carried the road Bush Hill over the Salmons Brook. The NR was carried separately in a lead-lined wooden frame which survived 173 years before being replaced by the earth embankment.

The Clarendon Arch and memorial stone

Walkers around the memorial stone

Walkers on the steps down the bank of the Salmons Brook

On the NR embankment on the east side of Bush Hill opposite the Clarendon Arch

Between Bush Hill and Bush Hill Road

Bush Hill Sluice House (just north of Bush Hill Road)

Blue Plaque commemorating Bush Hill House (now demolished) home of Hugh Myddelton (now Cunard Crescent)

You have to leave the operational NR here (no public path could be agreed). If you walk along Quakers Walk you pass this interesting house called The Tower.

The gates to The Tower

From Bush Hill Road you walk via Carrs Lane to rejoin the old course of the New River at the bridge in Enfield Town Park in this picture (Carrs Lane joins from the right).

The Horse Chestnuts alongside the NR in Enfield Town Park were a rich golden yellow colour - regrettably highly suggestive of infestation with leaf miner.