The lock keeper’s cottage at Hardmead Lock near Ware is for sale.

Hetherington’s has the details of the 4 bedroom house which is advertised at £699,995.

See page 68.

Sunday 9 May is the start of Rogation-tide when it is traditional to beat the bounds of the parish.

The New Lammas Lands Defence Committee invites us to join residents of the parishes of Leyton, Walthamstow, Hackney Marsh and Clapton to walk around the former local Lammas Land in this part of the Lea Valley.

‘Lammas land’ is land where people have rights to graze between Lammas Day in August and either Candlemas on 2 February or the Annunciation on 25 March. Hay is grown in summer.

The boundary marks are beaten with willow branches so there will be willow-stripping at the Hare and Hounds in Lea Bridge Road at Leyton from noon.

The 4 mile walk starts at 2.15pm outside the Lea Valley Ice Centre in Lea Bridge Road -near the Lea Valley Walk.

See page  108-110.

An Invisible City gathering had a slide show by Peter Marshall of his Lea Valley photographs spanning thirty years.

His site has some pictures which are now in the Museum of London collection. In 1982 he found water at the source.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow has compared himself to Sir John Wenlock.

He is quoted in a profile in last weekend’s Times magazine as claiming that Wenlock, Speaker 1445-6, is “believed to be shorter than I am…”.

Sir John, later Lord Wenlock, can be found depicted in a window at Luton parish church. His home was probably Bedford’s oldest brick house alongside the airport.

See pages 26 and 37.

A surprise at the Paul Sandby exhibition are three large pictures of Luton Park showing ancient trees, cows and deer.

This parkland is today known as Luton Hoo and Sandby’s snapshots were painted about 1765 when the house was the home of former prime minister Lord Bute.

The exhibition is at the Royal Academy where the latest RA magazine features a Sandby Luton painting.

The show has come to London from Nottingham where it was assembled last year to mark the bicentenary of Paul Sandby’s death. He is best known for precise paintings of Windsor and London’s Bayswater Road which have been lent by the Queen.

The Queen and Prince Philip of course spent their honeymoon at delightful Luton Park which is now the Luton Hoo hotel.

Paul Sandby is at the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly; open daily from Saturday 13 March until Sunday 13 June; admission £9 (conc £8).

See page 31-32.

Forman’s, the smoked salmon firm on the River Lea, has opened a gallery.

It is called the Smokehouse Gallery and tonight saw the launch of the first exhibition. East Meets West is described as “a diverse collection of street and graffiti artists from Eastern Europe and East London”.

H. Forman & Son is a family owned salmon smoker established in 1905. It is now in the hands of fourth generation Lance Forman whose smokehouse was in Marshgate Lane where the new Olympic Stadium is being built.

Fortunately he found this nearby site across the water on Fish Island with a fantastic view of the stadium.

The pink Forman’s building, designed by Phil Hudson is itself now a landmark on the Lea Valley Walk between Hackney Wick and Old Ford Lock. The architect claims that it is in the shape of a fillet of salmon.

This is, like Tate Modern, a gallery where the building is as much an attaction as the art. Tonight’s launch was a delightful evening with smoked salmon nibbles and an opportunity to see the restaurant downstairs which has an even bigger window for viewing the towpath and Olympic Stadium.

The view is obviously better in daylight. The exhibition is open 12 noon to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays and 5pm-9pm on Fridays until the Sunday 21 March; admission free. The entrance is in Stour Road E3.

See page 114.

The towpath is now closed just south of Old Ford Lock and Bow Flyover.

This is not caused by the Olympics but the construction of Crossrail which will not be ready for 2012.

After Old Ford Lock you cross the Old River Lee and pass under the Northern Outfall Sewer, better known now as The Greenway. As soon as you have passed under this low bridge you now go left away from the river and up a slope to the top of The Greenway.

Turn right and enjoy the view of the Olympic Stadium on your left. Ahead is the excellent Container Cafe (9am-4.30pm). But just before the cafe bear right down a slope to Pudding Mill Lane where the security guard will direct you across the road. Turn left to reach the main road. Go right to rejoin the Lea Valley Walk opposite McDonald’s.

The diversion will remain in place at least until December.

See pages 115-116.

Thank you to the 15 walkers who made it through snow and numerous rail line closures to get to Hackney Wick by 1pm for today’s Walk London ramble down the Lea Valley.

I think most of us had difficulty at Stratford Station finding the bus. I suggest that staff need to be more helpful and have some large notices.

It was glorious sunshine as we left the towpath just after Old Ford Lock to climb up on to the Greenway. We all enjoyed the view of the Bryant & May factory on one side and the Olympic stadium on the other.

The View Tube cafe proved a good stopping point for lavatories and food.

My cheese croissant and hot chocolate were delicious. I think this cafe is going to get crowded over the next two years but at the moment it’s very quiet.

We reached Limehouse Dock at about 3.40pm. Sadly the DLR at Limehouse was not running.

***View Tube cafe is on the Greenway E15 2PJ and open daily 9am to 4pm. Nearest station is Pudding Mill Lane on the DLR. Ask the security guard for directions.

The Olympic Delivery Authority has issued some pictures showing the Olympic Park after the 2012 games.

The Bow Back rivers are lined with wild flower meadows.

It remains to be seen how the towpath will benefit but the area will certainly have a different feel from the 20th century.

News also comes this week of support from the public for a wind turbine on Hackney Marshes. The ‘windmill’ could generate enough electricity for Waltham Forest council buildings and street lights.

Meanwhile, the project further south to create the Lea River Park between the Olympic Park and Bow Creek has won the International Urban Landscape Silver Award.

The announcement was made in Frankfurt and comes with €15,000 prize money for the project.

The ‘Park’ will consist of six new public spaces linked by footpaths and cycleways, new bridges and towpaths. It was one of five international projects shortlisted for the award.

See pages 112-118 and 126-131.