Blue, Blue, my first look into the world of Cyanotype printing

by Damien Walmsley 16/04/2025 17/04/2025

Cyanotype printing, The Old Printworks, Balsall Heath, April 2025

The Stirchley Observation Project exhibition took place at the Old Print Works in Balsall Heath. On the last day, Francesco Falciani had arranged for a cyanotype printing workshop led by Tracey Thorne to take place. Tracey is a documentary photographer with a particular interest in the colonial links between Jamaica and Britain. Tracey’s enthusiasm for cyanotype printing shone through in her presentation. Her PowerPoint covered the history of cyanotype and highlighted the work of contemporary artists, including some fascinating examples of large-scale printing. She has woven cyanotype into her documentary practice, including her current project Intended for Jamaica, which she also spoke about.

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Tracey demonstrated the cyanotype technique using dried flowers. Her website includes a detailed section on the cyanotype process, detailing the materials needed and where to find them. Tracey was generous with her time, answering questions and sharing prints of her own work.

Francesco then took over, having prepared laser-printed acetate negatives of selected photographs from the Stirchley Observation Project for each participant. For each of us he had chosen a photo. Mine was a portrait that I had taken of Ben who worked behind the bar at the Glasshouse Brewery in Stirchley.

Francesco explained the different types of paper we would use, all of which had been pre-coated and were ready to go. He had also brought his homemade ultraviolet light box. Each of us placed our previously prepared acetate negative onto a sheet of prepared paper, sandwiched between two clear plastic plates, clipped together temporarily with paperclips. We then exposed the image under the UV light for about 60 seconds, after which we rinsed the paper in clean tap water. Watching the deep blue tones gradually emerge was a highlight of the process.

Afterwards, we reviewed our prints and discussed the outcomes. Although the process seems deceptively simple at first, there is so much more involved—from preparing the digital image carefully in Photoshop, to choosing the correct exposure time, to selecting the right kind of paper. We had the chance to experiment with two paper types: a smooth cotton and a rougher variant. Paper selection merits further attention if you are to venture into cyanotype printing.

We spent the rest of the afternoon printing and experimenting. As a workshop, it was first-class. We were lucky to benefit from Tracey’s insight into how cyanotype plays a role in her own photographic practice, and Francesco’s meticulous preparation gave us everything we needed to immerse ourselves in the technique. One of the participants, Dom, even experimented with layering his image with toy horses, which showed how creative the method can be.

Here are more examples of the work from the participants.

This course was part of the Strichley Observation Project organised by the PRISM Photographic Network. The course leaders were Tracey Thorne and Francesco Falciani. The participants on the course whose work is shown in this blog are Nadia Malik, Dave Fennel Wells, Dominic Piras, Inderjit Deau and Damien Walmsley.

If you want to learn more about these projects that join the PRISM mailing list or visit Tracey Thorne’s website.

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Starting off the year with reflections

by Damien Walmsley 04/02/2025 06/02/2025

Reflections, Selfridges, Birmingham, January, 2025

The year may have started with plenty of rain, but that never stops me from hunting for reflections. I have a few favourite spots where I find good puddles, and here is a selection from the start of 2025.

Reflections, Kingswood Junction, Lapworth, Warwickshire, January, 2025 — Kingswood Junction after a very heavy downpour flooded the towpath.

Reflections, Gas Street Basin, Birmingham, January, 2025 — Taken with my Fujifilm x100vi of Gas Street Basin. There is smoke billowing out of one of the narrowboats.

Someone recently asked about my technique for taking such pictures. When capturing reflections, I use my iPhone, seeking out patches of water and anticipating how a reflection may appear. A key step is to get as low as possible to the puddle. This can be challenging, especially with particularly muddy puddles, like the one on Normandy Hill. One wrong step, and you could end up a muddy mess if you stumble into the water.

Reflections, Normandy Hill, Hillmorton, Warwickshire, January, 2025 — This reflection was taken from the surface of a very muddy puddle on Normandy Hill, Hillmorton, Rugby.

I position my phone so that the back lens is as close to the water as possible, just before autofocus engages. This creates a blurred background effect as the phone focuses on the nearest object. Since you are often crouching in muddy water while holding your phone, you must anticipate the outcome of your shot rather than seeing it perfectly in the moment. Using a larger camera—even a compact one—would be difficult in such conditions. Of course, larger cameras work well when photographing a lake beneath a mountain range, safely away from the water’s edge. However, the beauty of using a phone is its ability to capture reflections effortlessly during everyday walks. There are two pictures, in this gallery that have been taken with my Fujifilm x100v and I am still able to capture the magic of reflections.

Reflections, Dorridge Train Station, January, 2025 — Tow trains, one local, the other to London with the reflections framed by the footbridge.

Reflections, Paddington Basin, London, January, 2025 — This contrast of colours of the blue hour and the warm lights is enhanced by the reflections. The picture was taken with my x100vi.

Having taken reflection photographs countless times, I now appreciate that the real skill lies in composition. It is about anticipating the possibilities that even a small puddle can offer.

The final picture of Reflections at Selfridges was featured in the 52Frames project. I was really pleased that it was selected and I received many positive comments. I would recommend readers to get involved with the project.

Enjoy this small selection of my reflective photography—I am sure there will be more throughout the year, so check back for updates!

Here are two more links to follow if this section on reflections has “wetted” your appetite.

Reflections

Featured in the book – my reflections on Landscape Photographer of the Year 2023

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Photographic moments from Cannon Hill Park

by Damien Walmsley 05/12/2024 07/12/2024

Canon Hill Park, Birmingham, December, 2024

I have been involved with the Stirchley Observation Project over the last few months. I have not featured my experiences of the project on my blog, as I am waiting until the course is complete. We still have a portrait session and the all-important exhibition to look forward to, so these will form part of a later post. However, with the formal teaching now nearly finished, I found myself with a free Saturday morning. The photography group suggested a visit to the MAC (Midlands Arts Centre), followed by a stroll around Cannon Hill Park. Being near to where I used to work at Pebble Mill, I know the park well, particularly the Nature Centre entrance and, of course, the MAC.

Three of us from the group were free, and we met for coffee early in the morning. Inderjit and Dave were already waiting and both were sporting stylish silver cameras for the photographic walkabout. The park was bustling with runners participating in the Park Run, but the area quieted down once the event finished. As we began our walk around the park, we enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

Cannon Hill Park offers several photographic highlights. One iconic spot is where seagulls line up along the railings, seemingly watching the world go by. Another notable feature is the Golden Lion, a historic pub relocated from Digbeth. Sadly, the building is in desperate need of restoration, but Historic England is overseeing efforts to preserve it, with work expected to begin soon.

A more reflective part of the park is the memorial dedicated to the victims of the 2015 terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach. This quiet area is home to Infinite Wave, a fascinating metal sculpture designed by George King Architects. The structure features 31 tubes, each engraved with the name of one of the UK victims, brought together in a continuous loop. From a photographer’s perspective, the memorial is captivating, offering different viewpoints depending on where you stand.

Cannon Hill Park has many other areas of interest, each with its own story to tell. One such place is the Sons of Rest, a building I’ve often passed but never fully appreciated. Though it appears unused now, it was once a meeting spot where people gathered for social activities like board games and conversation. Another highlight is the Victorian bandstand, an ornate octagonal structure that serves as a focal point for park events, including the Park Run held earlier that morning.

I was also charmed by the Park Train station stop, a whimsical feature of the park.

Our walk took us into the northwest section of the park, where remnants of a tropical garden remain. Unfortunately, the area needs care and attention. The historic greenhouse was dismantled in 2012 after falling into disrepair, and the council’s plan to maintain the space as a subtropical garden has not been entirely successful. The area now looks somewhat neglected, with graffiti-tagged walls adding to the sense of abandonment.

Further along, we came across a model of the Elan Valley Aqueduct, another interesting and quirky feature of the park. However the park does need some tender loving care and the following set of photographs show how the park is being run down.

As we continued to explore, I was struck by the stillness of the park during late November and early December. With the vibrant summer crowds long gone, the park felt as though it were bedding down for the winter, waiting patiently for the warmth and liveliness of the summer months to return.

If you enjoyed this account of Birmingham then you may like to read about a visit to Edgbaston reservoir that was organised by my friends at IgersbirminghamUK.

IgersbirminghamUK invited by Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir to hold an Instameet.

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Majors Green Aqueduct and the North Stratford Canal

by Damien Walmsley 24/11/2024 24/11/2024

Stratford canal from the Drawbridge to the High Street, November, 2024

Discovering new places for a photography story requires good research. Many times, I have heard other photographers say they’ve exhausted their immediate area for pictures. I would reply that I have barely scratched the surface. So, as I was looking around on Google Maps, Majors Green Aqueduct caught my interest. I had two hours free while Monty, our dog, was being groomed. Yes, our dog is well looked after. I planned to park on Aqueduct Road and explore the structure before walking up to the Drawbridge Inn. Doubling back along the canal would allow me to take pictures of the aqueduct from above. Google Maps tags other people’s pictures to points of interest, so you can check the favoured points of view.

Parking my car near the aqueduct, I quickly gained an appreciation for the scale of the engineering that went into its construction. Many bricks had been used to allow the canal to cross over both the road and the River Cole. The River Cole passes through Birmingham and Coleshill before joining the River Blythe. At the bridge, the river passes underneath, and there are remnants of a walkway. I quickly discovered that the traffic around here moves quickly, and there are no pavements for pedestrians. You cannot access the canal from the bridge, so I carefully took pictures and then set off for the Drawbridge over the canal.

The Shirley Drawbridge sits over the northern section of the Stratford Canal. The bridge is always down to let cars pass over, and it will only open with a waterways key. There is a famous public house, the Drawbridge Inn, next to the canal, and the road is a bottleneck for cars as it is a popular shortcut through Majors Green to Shirley. Upon reaching the canal, I turned north and very soon encountered a heron fishing for its dinner. The heron was on the opposite bank, but fortunately, I had my 100-400mm lens with me, and I was able to get some great close-up pictures.

The aqueduct at canal level is covered with colourful graffiti, and there is a steep drop over the bridge. I’ve taken a documentary course, the Stirchley Observation Project, which has tuned me into alternative approaches to photography. I see interesting pictures that others may miss. As you’ll see, there are flamingo statues, abandoned chairs, and remnants of some form of canal gateway. I now appreciate the small things in everyday life, which often have a story attached to them. My time to turn back was approaching, but not before I discovered an abandoned canal boat and a Woodland Trust area.

I returned the way I had come, and again there were new views to be photographed. The canals are always full of surprises, with wildlife and historical artefacts thrown into the mix. Both dereliction and new projects go hand in hand. All this adds up to a photographic adventure for the camera enthusiast.

I have several posts on the Stratford-upon-Avon canal and I have included a link to the Kingswood junction which is further south.

Kingswood Junction

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HS2 gathers pace at Curzon Street

by Damien Walmsley 16/07/2024 16/07/2024

HS2 progress, Curzon Street, Birmingham 2024

The HS2 construction is transforming the landscape around the Curzon Street building. Once this was a sleepy backwater and a relatively quiet part of Birmingham. However first came Millennium Point and then the ThinkTank museum. Then HS2 rolled into town. Birmingham City University also moved location so that they were near to the station. This series of pictures provides a construction update of the area and the viaducts that will carry the trains into the station which are starting to appear. The area around the Birmingham canal allows a view of the enormous construction taking place.

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A few interesting stories developed whilst I was taking pictures. I added to my 100 strangers project whilst I was walking around the perimeter of the HS2 development works. As I was taking pictures over the canal bridge looking towards the new viaducts for the trains, I met Mace who was from London. He was on a stopover in Birmingham on his journey to Scotland. He immediately engaged me in conversation and was a lively personality. After discussing the state of play of the HS2 and Birmingham, he willingly posed for my 100 strangers’ project. (More of this photographic project at a later date). The sun was out creating lighting difficulties so I asked Mace to stand under the shade. In the portrait, Curzon street is to the right and the view is down towards the ThinkTank museum and Birmingham City University. The new Curzon Street station is further down the road.

Another interesting finding was that to my surprise I found a narrowboat moored up on the other side of the Curzon Street railway bridge near to the Birmingham Gun Barrell proof house. It is a rare sight to see canal boats on this stretch of the canal. However as the area starts to receive more investment then it is likely that such occurrences will be more frequent.

One of my photography projects is to photograph the changes occurring in other places of the HS2 development. You may wish to view the changes to 16 acre wood near Berkswell.

The continuing story of HS2 and 16 Acre wood

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From Square to Park – an IgersbirminghamUK instameet

by Damien Walmsley 09/06/2024 10/06/2024

Square to Park, IgersbirminghamUK Instameet walk, May 2024

With the long summer nights upon us, the IgersbirminghamUK team came up with the idea for a photowalk that started at St Paul’s Square and finished at St Philip’s Cathedral. Along the way we could photograph interesting views of Birmingham. The walk went down Ludgate Hill, over the Pedestrian Bridge towards Church Street finally arriving at St Philip’s Square affectionately known by locals as Pigeon Park. The call went out a week before on social media and on the evening a group of photographers assembled outside St Paul’s Church. A list of some interesting places and buildings had already been circulated on our social media channels. Many of these suggestions were taken up by our band of photographers. I usually have my iPhone and my Fujifilm x100vi on any city walk. I just find these two cameras so useful to tell the story of the streets as they are easy to carry and use. They also take good pictures.

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The walk started with lovely warm sunshine and St Paul’s Square looked good in the evening light. As we moved down Ludgate Hill towards the Birmingham Canal, the sky clouded over but it did not stop us taking pictures of our favourite Brummie locations.

The canal passes underneath the BT tower. There is graffiti and concrete posts yet the canal locks blend in well with the surroundings. Further along, the pedestrian bridge is always a favourite photography location. The light was dimming so it was possible to practice a few long exposures of the traffic passing underneath.

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As we approached St Philip’s Square along Church Street, we could see the recently installed Big Wheel lit up against the late evening light. Then came the rain. Just as we reached the square, the heavens opened and we got very wet. Some of us were fortunate as we had brough a water proof coat or umbrella. Others were less lucky. We first thought that this was going to be a miserable end to a good evening of photography. After the initial heavy downpour, we saw that the rain had created reflections on the surrounding pavements. The Big Wheel was lit up in different colours, and the resulting images with the reflections gave a range of interesting effects. Also people were walking past with umbrellas casting their shadows in the puddles. The picture opportunities were unending. After a while no one minded the rain or the fact that they were soaked through.

Those of us that were left behind after braving the rain finished our walk at the Wolf pub on Constitution hill. During our well deserved refreshments, the IgersbirminghamUK team planned our next adventure.

This are my own pictures from the @IgersbirminghamUK walk. If you want to see the pictures of all the other talented photographers that took part then follow the link #igbUK_meet_sq2park

The walk back from the Wolf pub to Snow Hill station was short but interesting and here is a set of five pictures showing how the light and reflections after the rain can create a wonderful range of colours.

If you have got down to here then there are other IgersbirminghamUK meetings to read about on my blog. Enjoy reading about our activities. The team at IgersbirminghamUK look forward to seeing you at one of their future meetings.

Visiting Bournville Village Trust with IgersbirminghamUK

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London Times: A canal, a basin, a river and a wharf

by Damien Walmsley 26/05/2024 26/05/2024

On the Regent’s Canal, sitting outside having lunch at the Ragged museum and life is good. The sun is shining and sitting back watching people rowing on the Regent’s canal. This spot in Stepney is a favourite place of mine for photographs. On the bridge with its spikey railings, one has a wonderful view of Canary Wharf. The juxtaposition of old versus new is quite dramatic. Before sitting down for lunch with Peter who was accompanying me on this recent photographic walk, I took a picture down towards Canary Wharf and posted it on BBC Weather watchers. The picture was featured on the lunchtime news and by then I knew then it was going to be a good day.

Limehouse Basin is always active and with the DLR trains passing overhead and the buses and traffic nearby. the place is buzzing. We walked around the basin taking pictures of the sights. At one point as Peter was talking, I managed to get his attention and we looked down towards the lock gates. There was a heron patiently waiting for their catch of the day. The spot has water rushing in from the basin and this was the place to fish. Herons are beautiful creatures but lethal predators and several fish were caught whilst we were watching the bird. The Limehouse basin has everything you wish for in photography. There are reflections, symmetry and colours around the canal basin and we lingered in the area for a time.

The basin links with the Thames and the path through the town houses leads to the Canary Wharf estate. The tide was out and the river bank was accessible so I went down to the water’s edge and then looked back. There was a great view of the tall skyscrapers reaching for the sky overlooking the Thames. These high rise buildings reminded me of New Age sentinels that are keeping watch on everyone.

The private owners of Canary Wharf have put much effort in promoting artwork around the site. This is much better than having to look upwards as there is an awful lot of skyscrapers. Whilst some of the architecture did look interesting, there is an overwhelming feeling that the steel and glass is very repetitious. One of the high points was the “captivated by colour” tunnel designed by Camille Walala which proved to be a great place to take pictures of people. I stood centrally and lifted by camera up to get some good views of the tunnel. A group of lads came through and had a great time acting up for the camera.

Walking through the estate there were several reflections of the buildings in the water that provided good pictures. I did look up at the occasional skyscraper did catch my attention as seen by my pictures. Our final destination was a favourite pub of mine, the Gun. The pub is on the banks of the Thames overlooking the O2 arena. There is a lot of history attached to this Grade II building not least that Horatio Nelson secretly met his lover Lady Emma Hamilton when he was in London. We sat down in the outside Gin area and compared notes on our pictures. The view over the O2 arena has changed since I last visited with ugly blocks of flats suddenly appearing and obscuring the view. A long day walking and taking photographs and yet another chapter to my London Times. Finally a picture of Alfie and Bill who were sitting next to us and asked us for a picture of the two of them. Whilst I had a train to catch, Peter stayed on for the golden hour which is always good with the light catching the glass and water.

Hope you enjoyed this blog and there are more “London Times” Blog entries and you can start with the one below.

London times – taking in the streets of Islington and Shoreditch

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Walking the Regent’s Canal – the Shoreditch stretch

by Damien Walmsley 24/03/2024 24/03/2024

Regent's Canal, Shoreditch section, March 2024

Emerging from a tunnel under Islington, the Regent’s canal begins its journey through Shoreditch. The canal is wide with a spacious towpath. Many runners and pedestrians take advantage of the scenic waterway as it passes through the east of London. There are many narrowboats along the way each with their interesting names and individual colours.

Several roads pass over the canal allowing views up and down the waterway. Iron arched bridges spanning the canal, rumble as commuter trains pass over them. Old industrial buildings sit on either side of the canal and many are converted to city living whilst others wait for progress to overtake them. There are cafes, pubs and restaurants with people sitting at outside tables taking advantage of the mild spring weather. Along the way there are small recesses around the bridges that have been made into communal gardens. I particularly liked the bird boxes put up on the canal bridge wall. For the photographer there are lines, reflections and opportunities for street photography. The buildings offer a range of architectural styles and the boats often spring surprises with the way that people have either painted them or the objects that they have collected on their travels.

Yellow was a theme of my walk. I just seemed to find lots of yellow objects as you will see. They were either single, in twos or multiple!

My walk started at the Colebrooke Row entrance in Islington and finished at Queensbrooke Road turning around to go back to the A10. There were so many pictures and here is a final finish to my pictures featuring one or two of the eating establishments on this stretch of the canal.

This is just one of many photographic walks that I have taken on the Regent’s canal in London. I have mapped different sections of the canal as it leaves Paddington basin on its long journey across north London to Lime House Basin. There are many parts still to discover whilst revisiting those that have already been photographed. I have added some further links below and I wish to thank Peter Thompson for showing me this part of the canal. Please visit Peter’s Website for some amazing travel photography.

For further photography of Regent’s Canal

Walking the Regent’s Canal – Queen Mary University of London to the river Thames.

Walking Regent’s Canal

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Autumnal colours at Birmingham Botanical Gardens lights up IgersbirminghamUK Instameet

by Damien Walmsley 15/11/2023 08/12/2023

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham, November 2023

Birmingham Botanical Gardens have been an important part of my life in Birmingham. I have attended many student balls and other celebratory events at the Hospitality suites. When I was President of the BSSPD Dental society I held my annual dinner at the Botanical Gardens during Spring 2013. The after dinner speaker that evening was Birmingham’s very own Don Maclean. We held our pre-dinner drinks on the London Terrace. Other memories include attending the Luminate night time light show during a previous Instameet. However I have not taken the opportunity to view the gardens in more detail. Therefore, I was so pleased that IgersbirminghamUK approached the Botanical Gardens to arrange a photographic Instameet. The Gardens were very enthusiastic about the idea and we agreed to visit in the Autumn when the leaves would be turning colour.

We arranged to meet on a glorious Saturday Remembrance Day morning. There was a good number of IgersbirminghamUK photographers attending the meeting and our first duty of the day was to observe a minute’s silence at 11 o’clock. We then entered the gardens and met Sara the CEO. Sara was so welcoming and enthusiastic about the Botanical Gardens. She gave us an introduction to the charity and then outlined the future vision for the Gardens. There are exciting and ambitious plans to remodel the site. Sara showed maps and plans of what would be done over the coming two to three years.

IgersbirminghamUK instameets begin with an introduction and a group photograph. Once this is completed then we are free to go out and explore the gardens. I always get caught up with talking with other Igers photographers and forget to take the photographs. Catching up with people is part of the social activity of an Instameet. The glasshouses is the first area that you encounter when entering the gardens. I spent time photographing the beautiful Koi carp in the fountain area. The narrow corridors and the layout of the plants make this area very attractive and bring you close to the plants. I forgot to capture the beautiful circular window onto the gardens but many others did not. This is one of many reasons why I will return as there are so many different features to see and photograph. Leaving the glasshouses, I had an audience with the residents of the Terrace aviary. The birds were very talkative. You get pulled along when visiting the gardens and the London Terrace naturally guides you along with its wide embracing veranda and views. Here you have to stop and take in the beauty of the scene. The rolling bank of the lawn leads your gaze out to the Lawn Aviary and the Band stand. The sunlight was bright and lit up several trees whose leaves were turning a golden brown. The light captured and intensified the colours. I found myself stuck in the area around the bandstand just taking photographs of the scene unfolding before me.

I looked at my watch and realised that I had only seen a small part of the Gardens. I needed to move on. The Lawn Aviary is one of the buildings that will receive a major make over and the architectural design is captivating. I look forward to when it is receives an upgrade. Walking thought the Aviary, I dropped down the bank to Wilson Walk and came across the Urban garden area. Whilst this area requires renovation, for a photographer the place was full of strong shadows and light. There is some neglect and overgrowth of the plants and this appeals to my photographic eye. Another area where I found time slowed down for me was the Rock Garden and Memory pool. Water always creates reflections and the Rock pool offered many different views. Walking back via the colourful Acer trees was a treat and I slowly realised that I had done a full circle as I arrived back at the London Terrace. After browsing through the shop and stopping to say thank yous, my final pictures were of the entrance arches. I am unsure whether these will still be around after the renovation and I took several pictures of them against the sun to create diffraction effects with the light.

Time to go back home and process all the pictures that I had taken. A big thank you to Birmingham Botanical Gardens for allowing us to visit. These are my pictures of the event and there were some fantastic photographs from other members on the Instameet. The way to find these photographs is to follow the hashtag #igbuk_meet_botanical on Instagram. You may need to delve into individual photographers’ accounts to see more pictures due to the nature of the dreaded Instagram algorithm. You will be rewarded with some beautiful views of the gardens.

The IgersbirminghamUK team have visited other sites and places and you may wish to follow the links below to see what takes place during our meetings. You are most welcome to attend our Instameets.

These are some of my blogs on our visits to other sites around Birmingham with the IgersbirminghamUK team.

IgersbirminghamUK invited by Friends of Edgbaston Reservoir to hold an Instameet.

Martineau Gardens Instameet – IgersbirminghamUK

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Walking the Regent’s Canal – Queen Mary University of London to Victoria Park

by Damien Walmsley 19/09/2023 19/09/2023

Regent's Canal, QMUL to Victoria Park, London, Sept 2023

Queen Mary University of London is on the Mile End Road and adjacent to the Regent’s canal. Part of the campus borders the canal and there is easy access from the University entrance. I was at QMUL for a conference but took the opportunity to explore the tow path. My first tow path walk was in the early morning and took me down to Limehouse basin and onto the river Thames. My second walk was northwards up to Victoria Park and took place in the late afternoon. Both walks allowed me to photograph people, boats, wildlife and buildings along the way. This is my photographic account from those walks.

Regent's Canal, QMUL to the Thames, London, Sept 2023 — Underneath Mile End road running northwards.

From QMUL to Victoria Park.

There was a break between presentations and the evening dinner which gave me the opportunity of exploring the northern part of Regent’s Canal from the Mile End Road to Victoria Park. This was another busy stretch of the towpath and Mile End Park is also adjacent to the towpath. The first interesting feature was what is known as a portrait bench which features three well known figures. The statues are in cast metal that then rusts giving an authentic look to the artwork. There was a casting of Ledley King, a professional footballer who grew up in the area and spent his entire playing career at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Nearby is a statue to Sylvia Pankhurst, the suffragette campaigner who worked on improving living conditions for destitute mothers. Finally there was a canal horse commemorating the animals that towed boats along the towpath. The park was lit up in patches as the sun broke through gaps of the high living flats on the other side of the canal. There was more art work with the Bow Bottle and fish tail sculptures further along in the park. These random pieces of work are intriguing and add to the charm of the canal.

There was an interesting cut called the Hertford Union Canal. This short canal links up to the Lee Navigation in Tower Hamlets. The start of the canal looked attractive but my walk was to carry me past this canal to the nearby Old Ford Lock.

The area has been renovated and with the low sunlight highlighted the beauty of the place. I then encountered Victoria Park where many people were enjoying the sunshine on this hot September Day. Although I only touched briefly on the park, I came across the bridge at Bonner gate. The bright blue painting of the iron work contrasted with the greens and darker colours of the canal which was in the shade. Other interesting features I saw were the Dogs of Alcibiades and have a fascinating history. The statues were donated by Lady Regnart in 1912. I got lost in the history of the dogs that were described on the accompanying board. Victoria Park looked inviting but time pressed on and there was a conference dinner to attend. The park was also full of police as they searched for an escaped prisoner and so I left the beauty and the noise retracing my steps to QMUL.

Dogs of Alcibiades — Enjoying the towpath.

To follow up this blog, please read my earlier accounts of my walks along the Regent’s Canal.

Walking Regent’s Canal

Word on the Water

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