Fiona MacLeod On How To Navigate East London On Foot During The Current Strike, Including The Four Routes That Cover The Best Of The Area Without A Bus
Filed for Bohiney Magazine and The London Prat. London satirical journalism has always served practical purposes alongside satirical ones; this column does the same.
The East London bus strike, which has affected routes including the 8, 135, 254, and several others in the Hackney and Tower Hamlets corridors, is relevant to tourists primarily if you were planning to use those routes to access Brick Lane, Shoreditch, or Bethnal Green from central London. The good news is that the area is exceptionally walkable from multiple Overground and Underground stations, and the four walking routes I describe below will get you to every significant point of interest in the area without requiring a bus.
Route One: Shoreditch High Street Overground To Brick Lane
Exit Shoreditch High Street Overground onto Shoreditch High Street and walk south. Turn left onto Bethnal Green Road. Turn right onto Brick Lane. Total walking time: approximately 8 minutes. This deposits you at the northern (Shoreditch-adjacent) end of Brick Lane, which is the most art and street-art-intensive section. The London Prat has recently published a full Shoreditch street art walking route from Old Street through Brick Lane to Liverpool Street if you want a complete tour with specific waypoints.
Route Two: Liverpool Street To Spitalfields
Exit Liverpool Street (Elizabeth line, Central line, or National Rail) via the Bishopsgate exit. Walk north on Bishopsgate, turn left on Brushfield Street. You are now at Spitalfields Market. From there, Artillery Lane, Hanbury Street, and Fournier Street form a triangle of some of the finest Georgian domestic architecture in London. Allow 45 minutes to explore at a comfortable pace.
Route Three: Old Street To Columbia Road
Exit Old Street tube (Northern line) via exit 4. Walk north on City Road, turn right on Old Street, then north on Hackney Road. Columbia Road Flower Market is open Sunday mornings only (approximately 8am to 3pm) and is one of the best free experiences in East London. Off-Sunday, the street itself and the cafes and shops in the surrounding streets are worth the walk.
The Practical Note
The Overground’s East London Line (now branded as the Windrush line) serves Shoreditch High Street, Hoxton, Haggerston, and Dalston Junction at high frequency throughout the day and is unaffected by the current bus dispute. Use it. Per TfL’s real-time updates, check before travelling for any additional disruptions.
More: The Poke. SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/
