Woohig two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 60.00% of reviewers

I walked in reverse from Highbury and Islington tube station to Wood Green tube station. It is a pleasant route through parks and quiet residential roads that mostly avoids busy roads except for two short stretches, one to get past the railway at Harringay overground station, the other at the Wood Green end to get to the station. It goes through three green spaces, Highbury Fields, Gillespie Park and Finsbury Park. The GPS is slightly confusing about getting into Gillespie Park, and I took the Drayton Park entrance. Gillespie Park isn't particularly wheels accessible as far as I can see, there is a sloping path with shallow retaining edges rather than steps down to the lower level path on the route, but the lower path itself is relatively smooth. However it would be possible to detour along quiet and pleasant St Thomas Road just past Arsenal station in the other direction. I would normally walk straight on through Gillespie Park to Seven Sisters Road but there are steep steps at the Finsbury Park end so I checked out this route as an alternative. Finsbury Park was marred only by the setting up of an events space, but the north end is quiet and there is a cafe and toilets. Harringay Passage was a revelation, reminiscent of times gone by. It crosses a number of residential roads on the Harringay Ladder but most are quiet apart from one or two rat runs. There are some lovely raised flower beds to prevent people (kids) whizzing straight out the passage and across the roads. There isn't a pedestrian crossing directly at the Turnpike Lane junction, it looks like there's one at Alexandra Road but I'm afraid I dodged the not very heavy traffic. The walk took me roughly an hour and a half, maybe a bit more, but it was muggy so I wasn't hurrying, plus I spent some time checking out Gillespie Park for access. All in all I enjoyed the walk as urban walks go, and I'm a seasoned urban as well as rural walker.

Errm, interestingly odd route in parts. The start of the route along Wood Green High Road involved weaving in and out of a lot of Sunday shoppers. Perhaps, a side road start would and could have been a more suitable option. The same said of a Gillespie Park entry point at Finsbury Park Station. Worth doing the route to go through Harringay Passage, getting into Gillespie Park (almost feels like a secret garden) and into Highbury Fields for the finish.

Fairly direct route between Wood Green and Highbury. Spoiled a bit by the start on Wood Green High Road which is always very busy with pedestrians. From there it is on to the Harringay Passage towards Finsbury Park, and through the park including the infamous parkrun hill (total elevation gain on the route was 64m). From Finsbury Park the route goes along the road, where we felt it might have been more pleasant to head through Gillespie Park - though it does go through the southernmost part of the park before leaving the park and heading up the second big hill of the route: Highbury Hill. After this it was a relief to turn down Church Path and through Highbury Fields to the station.

Fairly direct route between Wood Green and Highbury. Spoiled a bit by the start on Wood Green High Road which is always very busy with pedestrians. From there it is on to the Harringay Passage towards Finsbury Park, and through the park including the infamous parkrun hill (total elevation gain on the route was 64m). From Finsbury Park the route goes along the road, where we felt it might have been more pleasant to head through Gillespie Park - though it does go through the southernmost part of the park before leaving the park and heading up the second big hill of the route: Highbury Hill. After this it was a relief to turn down Church Path and through Highbury Fields to the station.

I walked from Wood Green to Highbury.
Quickly away from the town centre along suburban pavements to the Harringay Passage which runs across many roads but is free of traffic and full of interest. There is a kink around Railway Fields (only one entrance/exit) past Harringay Green Lanes Rail Station to the entrance of Finsbury Park by the New River. Lots to see and do in this beautiful park Exit the park past Finsbury Park Station. A few streets to Gillespie Park past Arsenal Tube to Highbury Fields with a café. This open space leads directly to Highbury Station.
A pleasant walk over 50% traffic free through London.

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