After a week staring out of the office window as Enfield seemed to be bathed in spring sunshine, and the temperatures outside began to emulate those of May rather than March, the bright sunshine lured me out for my first Sunday morning constitutional of the year.I left the house in Upper Clapton Road and headed up the 'Murder Mile' to Springfield Park, glad I'd had the foresight to don my coat before setting off. A cold and blustering wind had me dodging swirling whirlpools of litter as I walked past the shops.
The park was busy, with lads playing football on the grass, and small knots of people zig-zagging against the wind, pushing buggies or walking dogs. The scudding clouds high above me meant only fleeting glimpses of sunshine.
I dived in to the Park Cafe, found myself a table and ordered the Big Breakfast. Spreading my newspaper on the table before me, I supped my latte, warm and snug as the wind rattled the glass in the ageing window frames.
The cafe was full; mums talking to eachother over the heads of their small children, courting couples making plans, friends fending off their hangovers with plates of fried eggs and beans.....
After brunch, I ambled round the park taking photos. The strength of the wind took my breath away, and the cold cut through my clothing and made my eyes water. I walked down towards the River Lee, taking in a little tennis on the way. The Park Rangers seem to have been busy cutting down some of the large trees that once stood alongside the river. I don't know whether they were felled by the storms in January, but quite afew of them have been cut down, large sections of tree trunk lying scattered on the grass. This has had the beneficial effect of opening up the view of the River Lee from all parts of the park. You can see the boats on the river, the towpath, and the marshlands that spread east towards Walthamstow.
As I had to take my hands out of my pockets to manipulate the camera, they were soon blue with the cold. They ached so much I decided to cut my losses and head for home, especially when the clouds above turned black and a thin sleet began to fall on me. Winter hasn't quite given way to Spring just yet!
