2.4 Finding a route from St Saviour's

After having to postpone our trip last week we where very pleased to find that today was a beautiful sunny day for a walk! We all met in the classroom a quickly discussed how while out we'd be both looking for inspiration for our art work and especially trying to find great locations for what we make. We decided that we'd take copies of the drawings we produced last week  with us so that we could test the spaces and take photos to remind ourselves of what we found.

We left the school and walked for a short while along the roads past old warehouses and blocks of flats to get to 'the Cut' - a stretch of canal that links up to the Lea. We dropped down onto the tow path down some steep winding stairs to find a very different landscape or water and narrow pathways. There was lots to look at but we had to be careful! Soon we came across a diversion that took us back up onto the streets and along the busy A12, until again we could drop down onto the canal. We began to think about who's project ideas might work in this space and took photos of the footstep designs that some people and been making.

As we continued along the tow path we became increasingly surrounded by various water ways, until we ended up on a narrow strip of land separating the Lea river and the canal. Here we found lots of interesting old spaces and materials, and we took photos of the various characters and images we had designed amongst them. Our route took us under low railway bridges, where the trains made thunderous noises above our heads, until we reached the peace and quiet at Three Mills. Here we found the old mill buildings and lots of large trees, where again we took photos of our work within the surroundings.

We followed the Lea up past Three Mills Green park and along the back of a row of houses and gardens until we reached Stratford Highstreet. Here we had to cross the busy road, before escaping back onto the waterside, this time surrounded by huge new tower blocks that swayed as we looked up at them from the ground. We found a small park full of fun activities and where inspired to imagine some of our ideas as part of the equipment there. We played on the noise making platforms before continuing on our way, across a roundabout, under another railway bridge, across the water and up into the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park where we found lots of daffodils and crocuses already out in bloom.

We made our way to the base of the Orbit for a big group photo and then went to explore some of the other areas near by. We found some interesting art installations, including lots of model London busses all decorated with different materials, patterns and colours, as well as some more normal man hole covers with patterns that proved equally fun!! We had time for a quick snack and some water before heading back to school via the DLR from Pudding Mill station.