Length: 11.9 km (7.4 miles). Toughness 1/10
Make your way to Stratford station in east London (Elizabeth, Jubilee and Central lines, mainline from Liverpool Street, etc) and use the directions to meet by Signorelli Café in Endeavour Square at 11:15. Stratford is in TfL Zones 2/3.
This new walk by Mike A is being posted as a 'pre-amble' to the Aardman exhibition at Young V&A. After a meandering route through Olympic Park and Victoria Park you'll get to the suggested lunch pub at about 1pm, the Approach Tavern in Bethnal Green. For those without tickets to the exhibition there's an extra hour's walking “through the rich architectural mix and cultural heritage of inner East London” to Liverpool Street.
Please bring the directions from the L=short.74 page. They contain lots of interesting stuff as well as the important bit at the start for the meeting place. #2026-11-01T11:15
10 comments:
I would like to thank Mike A to design this walk especially for the Young V&A visit.
A table for 10 has been booked for 1pm at the pub: 47 Approach Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9LY, all seats have been taken.
Good news! Another walker has booked a table for 8 at the lunch pub, three seats are still available for grab. If you wish to take a seat, please request here. First come first served.
I’m coming tomorrow with Jayne Kennedy and would like to join you for lunch at your table
How far is this cafe from Stratford station please Mike and Co? The area is always super busy and need to know which exit to take.
Will add both you and Jayne to lunch table. This table of 8 is now full. Looking forward to seeing everyone!
Marion - there is a WhatsApp group for the V&A event, walkers attending the walk and lunch are also on it. If you wish to join, please email your mobile to the email address in the V&A event posting. Look forward to seeing you and Jayne on the walk. Thanks
@Marion - the cafe is about 400 metres from the Westfield exit of Stratford Station so about a 6 to 10 mins walk 🚉🚶♀️☕
Treat or Trick…? 🎃
Well, most of us got the treat, but three unfortunate souls were definitely tricked — two by sudden-onset illness and one by a particularly nasty bout of Halloween exhaustion. Clearly, all that trick-or-treating takes its toll!
Fourteen walkers assembled outside Signorelli Café at 11:15am. We were soon joined by three pairs, bringing the morning walking contingent to a very respectable 20. Not a bad turnout for a Sunday morning, especially for those of us who had managed to survive a Halloween party the night before!
En route, we stopped at our dear friend Stephen Backes’ bench in Victoria Park, where we paused to pay our respects and say a few prayers before continuing on to The Approach Tavern.
There, we were joined by another three walkers for lunch, bringing the day’s total to a near-record n=23 for a Sunday outing, with 19 opting to eat at the pub.
The pub was extremely busy, and unfortunately our food seemed to be taking the scenic route. With the clock ticking and 2:30pm — our exhibition time — rapidly approaching, a few rounds of gentle encouragement were directed towards the bar staff. By “gentle encouragement”, of course, I mean we hassled them until something happened!
Eventually, the food arrived and, thankfully, it was delicious and well worth the wait. Sadly, one walker had to cancel her dessert.
Eleven lucky ticket-holders eventually managed to make their escape from the pub in time for the exhibition. For the others, presumably, continued with the rest of the walk. Perhaps someone who took part in the afternoon walk could shed some light on what happened next.
Before I sign off, we would all very much like to thank Mike A for taking the time and trouble to design a bespoke walk for our social outing. It was a great route and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.
All in all, a very nice day out combining walking, remembrance, pub lunch, expo in good company. What more could you ask for from a Sunday?
I know of 4 who continued to Liverpool Street where the day was rounded off with a visit to Hamilton Hall, the lavishly decorated Wetherspoons by the station.
Others were spotted disappearing into Bethnal Green station, and other others visited the museum without going in the exhibition.
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