Olympic walk: Counter Cafe, Autumn St and St Clement's Hospital (part 4)
A coffee and biscuit before heading home
(Photos/words © urban75, 28th August, 2010)
Our last part of the journey sees us grabbing a lovely cup of coffee before heading back to Mile End, past a disused railway station.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-087.jpg)
Monier Road scene.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-090.jpg)
We stopped off at the Counter cafe, a lovely little coffee house at 4a Roach Rd, Hackney Wick.
It's not an easy place to find, but the excellent coffee is well worth the extra effort.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-088.jpg)
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-091.jpg)
Derelict buildings on Wick Lane.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-092.jpg)
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-093.jpg)
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-094.jpg)
The charmingly named Autumn Street.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-095.jpg)
Sadly, the road doesn't live up to its name.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-096.jpg)
Another view of Autumn Street. It's not very nice is it?
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-097.jpg)
Crossing the Blackwell Tunnel Northern Approach. It's not a pretty sight.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-098.jpg)
The site of the old Coborn Road railway station, built by the Great Eastern Railway on the main line out of London from Liverpool Street. Opened in 1865 to serve the surrounding Bow area, the station closed permanently in 1946.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-099.jpg)
Coborn Road old railway station entrance.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-100.jpg)
Bridge detail.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-101.jpg)
Disused St Clements hospital.
Built as a workhouse for the Board of Guardians of the City of London Union in 1849, this attractive building became an infirmary for the CLU in 1874, and in 1912 the Bow Institution for the long-term sick.
In 1936 it became a psychiatric unit, under the St Clements name again before becoming part of the London Hospital in 1968, and finally closing in 2005.
Now owned by the Homes & Communities Agency, 275 new dwellings are expected to be built on the site, with local campaigners advocating that it should become the site of the UK's first urban Community Land Trust.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-102.jpg)
The hospital's ornate gates.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-103.jpg)
Delightful Italiante tower.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-111.jpg)
Doorway detail.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-104.jpg)
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-105.jpg)
Graffiti on hospital walls.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-106.jpg)
Canary Wharf looms large over Brokesley Street, Mile End, E3.
![Photos of a walk to the 2012 Olympics site from Mile End, past Victoria Park, East London, England UK, 28th August 2010](images/victoria-park-olympics-walk-108.jpg)
Mile End tube station, ready to head home. The unusual open four platform layout is rather reminiscent of New York's subways.
« Walks home Coborn Road railway station, E3 »
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