What to do in Waltham Forest? (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

What to do in Waltham Forest?

2:50pm Wednesday 16th July 2008

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This time last year, my mum came to stay. Normally she would want to save up in order to dine at the Ivy and shop in Covent Garden, but this time I persuaded her to let me entertain her locally.

So, what is there to do in Waltham Forest and nearby?

Actually I was surprised at our success, although not everything was within the borough.

To start with, I took her for a day out at Walthamstow Dog Track. I own a retired greyhound that used to run there, and it was a good excuse for an afternoon out. We went on a Monday when entry was free, my mother went to the bar for half price G&Ts, and soon enough we were giggling as we won some and lost some. It was only by the last race that we worked out where the finishing post was - we'd been cheering for half a lap after each race was over! Still, we had fun and that was the whole point. Truth be told, it was quite unusual for something to bring my mother and me together in that way, and I'm sorry it will be closing for good next month.

Our second excursion was to one of my favourite local places, the City of London Cemetery at Manor Park. The tree trail there is fantastic (including an oak which is up to 1000 years old), the staff are friendly, and there are two Ripper victims as well as Bobby Moore if you are interested in graves or history.

I had reserved a mobility scooter, as it was easier than my wheelchair - but on arrival, we were told they weren't busy and my mother was given a scooter too, so we could go round together! By the end we were racing around the grounds (within the 10mph speed limit, of course).

The Cemetery is very peaceful, and it's huge so there's plenty of space to get lost or just contemplate. Every time I visit, I notice something new, but my favourite area is around the plaques commemorating civilian loss in WWII - the trees are all "weeping" species, which is touching as well as graceful.

I tried to persuade my mother to visit Walthamstow Market - "the longest street market in Europe" - but when we discussed its wares, the crowds, and the fact that public transport can only be accessed at one end or the other (so you can't give up halfway) we decided to visit Columbia Road flower market in Bethnal Green instead. Not quite so local, but never mind - it's still the east end. The crowds were heaving, but the plants were great value.

Finally, we made sure to eat locally. My mother wasn't convinced that a curry was her idea of fun, but we went to the Golden Orient on Leytonstone High Road - where I've been going for years and my neighbours even longer - and was quickly won over by the excellent food and friendly service, as well as the price. Just because we are in London doesn't mean it has to be expensive!

So it was a pretty successful visit, and even better, we reached the end without having had one of those intense mother-daughter arguments. But what really seemed to strike my mother was the sense of community.

She lives in a small village type area, on the edge of a country town, knows her neighbours and has all the local hearsay. She was amazed to see that in Leytonstone, a suburb of London, I too could not leave the house without someone saying hello, and that we had all the gossip and looked out for each other.

I think the success of the visit was in being true to who I am, not feeling the need to flash the cash or to trek into town in search of big names, but by having fun in an environment where I’m comfortable and we both could relax.

To my mind, I've got the best of both worlds on my doorstep – the village feel, yet close to the city. I'm just glad that by staying away from central London attractions and the tourist traps, my mother was able to see the real Waltham Forest and to appreciate the good things about the area I live in and love.