Market to Marsh

I had every intention of sorting out the garden today, I decided that I would get up early and tackle the general disorder created by the the winter months. Sitting outside with a cuppa yesterday morning, I told myself that there was absolutely no reason why I shouldn’t spend my Sunday weeding and pruning. Nothing would be allowed to distract me for the task at hand. Fast forward to this morning and I woke to see the sun streaming through the bedroom window. My other half suggested that we should get some breakfast before we tackled the jungle outside the back door. To make the most of the sun we walked up the high street and got a couple of sausage rolls from the Giggly Pig stall on the farmers market. We sat on the circular steps near the big screen to eat, the resolve to carry out house hold duties slowly vanishing. The town square and market were pretty busy, not the rugby scrum busy of a Saturday but there was a nice buzz on the high street. Local musician Andy Green and singer Mishka were playing on the square, we finished breakfast but hung around for while enjoying the music and warm weather. Neither of us admitted it but I think we had both given up on any plans to exercise our green fingers in the garden.

The high street has a very different feel on a Sunday, gone are the crowded pathways of normal market days ringing with the sounds of stall holders shouting about their goods. The usually hectic street drops down a gear, frantic shoppers are replaced with people who are out for a stroll, gleeful children zooming along on scooters replace the rattle of tartan shopping trolleys. Walking through the Sunday buzz we decides to distract ourselves further and stop in at Riccos cafe near the St James Street end of the market. This section of the market has become a bit of a hub for cafes. Most of them, including Riccos, have tables outside. On warm days like today these tables are always occupied, the air fills with the sound of dozens of languages and the clink of spoons and cups.

Finishing our drinks we agreed to abandon gardening plans and instead take the dog on his first visit to the marshes. We paid up and strolled down Coppermill lane towards the marsh and the mighty river Lea. At this time of the year the marsh is just starting to spring to life, meadow grass is getting taller and trees are bursting in to life. The dog seemed suitably impressed by the marsh and wore himself out charging around and barking at nothing in particular. Putting the dog first, we decided that he would probably need a rest before walking home, we crossed the river and dropped in to the Anchor & Hope pub. Sitting in the sun we looked out over the river as walkers, cyclists, runners and other march users made the most of the lovely weather. The dog looked suitably recovered when we finished our drinks so we headed back across the marsh, past the pump house museum on Low Hall lane and headed home.

Wandering from market to marsh was not just a great way to spend a sunny Sunday, it also let me indulge in the variety that makes this corner of London a great place to live. During one walk we visited a market, busy high street, town centre, and the wide open space of the marsh.  All of this within walking distance of home and my still untidy garden. I’ve seen posters that read “time you enjoy wasting  is not wasted time” which seems to fit perfectly with today. We could have stayed home and tidied the garden, but I’m glad we spent the day wandering around, doing nothing but enjoying sunny Walthamstow.