Walking with Keilyn: Stoke Newington to Abney Park Cemetery... and beyond

'Ghost' signs.

Wednesday October 30, 2024.

Following my minor leg operation, last Friday (25th), this was my first chance to venture out for a walk. So, with Keilyn at my side, we headed out for a short walk to test my leg. However, this 'short walk' ended up being longer than I expected. Still it was good to be out and about again.

We grabbed a taxi to Watford Underground station and caught a train to Finchley Road, where we waited for an Aldgate train that would take us to Liverpool Street. 

At Liverpool Street we caught a London Overground train bound for Cheshunt, which we alighted from at Stoke Newington. 

Some of these flats were owned by the Kray twins.

We headed along Cazenove Road to Cedra Court, where the Kray twins once owned properties, before heading down Geldeston Road in search of my grandfather's old family home. Unfortunately, the house had been demolished, with flats taking up the space. 

The Royal Sovereign public house.

However, on the corner was the Royal Sovereign pub, which was used as a location in the Scott Adkins 2018 movie 'Accident Man'.

Site of the first attack on London by a foreign military power in nearly 1,000 years.

We then turned down Northwold Road, stopping at 16 Alkham Road, site of the first bomb to be dropped on London during World War I, before reaching the Yellow Warbler coffee shop, where hot drinks were purchased.

The Egyptian revival entrance to Abney Park Cemetery.

With drinks in hand we crossed Stoke Newington High Street and entered Abney Park Cemetery via the Egyptian revival entrance.

Abney Park Cemetery was one of the original eight private garden cemeteries which were built between 1833-45 and was our main reason for our walk today.

Abney Park Cemetery.

Much like Highgate cemetery Abney Park has wide avenues and smaller criss-crossing paths, but is not on the same scale. Plus, many of the residents are not as famous as those found in Highgate. It is still a wonderfully peaceful place to explore.

The War Memorial is under repair.

There were some staff from 'Commonwealth War Graves', who were doing some work on the War Memorial, which remembers those lost in World War I.

Once we had seen what we wanted we headed back to Stoke Newington High Street and headed south, in the search of somewhere to eat lunch.

Coronation Avenue is now called Imperial Avenue.

We discovered commemorative plaques and 'ghost' signs as we made our way towards Dalston, where we stopped for lunch at Subway.

Although feeling energised, from the food, my leg was beginning to ache, so we crossed the road and caught the 149 bus to Liverpool Street station, where we caught a train to Baker Street and from there a train towards home.

The passenger bridge at Baker Street station.

The ride on the train did my leg the world of good, but as we exited the station I decided that, after sitting for nearly an hour, walking home would be best. So, we walked at a comfortable pace enjoying the mild temperature until we reached home.

A great day out, even if it turned into a longer walk that I had envisioned.

Distance travelled:

• Bus - 2 miles
• Cable Car - 0.0 miles
• Car - 0.0 miles
• DLR - 0.0 miles
• Ferry - 0.0 miles
• Overground - 3.7 miles
• River Boat - 0.0 miles
• Taxi - 1.4 miles
• Train - 0.0 miles
• Underground - 42 miles
• Walking - 5.4 miles