Walthamstow also known as “Awesomestow” is a little gem at the end of the Victoria line in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Located between Epping Forest and the Lea Valley, Waltham is as close as you can get to the countryside without leaving London. Living at Walthamstow is like defying the London’s busy traffic, constant influx of tourists and locals and mechanic pace of life and living at countryside without really getting away from London. Young Londoners have been moving here in search of lower house prices and cheaper rents while established families have been preferring this area due to bigger houses with private gardens and the best rated schools in proximity.
Walthamstow – At a glance
Once people were only interested in Walthamstow Village with its ancient church, almshouses, swirling roads with cottages on both sides, a fine medieval timber-frame house and shops. The village is now a designated conservation area and more affluent part of Walthamstow that boasts some fascinating pubs, restaurants, independent shops and high-end boutiques.
Previously, rest of Walthamstow (other than Walthamstow Village) was considered not so worthy. Now, Walthamstow is the main town centre, renowned for its market and abundance of bars, shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants.
Properties in Walthamstow
Homes in Walthamstow are mostly Edwardian and Victorian along with Victorian “Warner” purpose-built flats. These flats look like terraced houses that have two doors but one of the doors serve the upstairs flat and the other one is for downstairs flat. Interesting thing is that each flat has its own private garden. You can find Warner flats everywhere in Walthamstow, with bulk found near Lloyd Park.
Upcoming property projects in Walthamstow
Located in Zone 3 on Forest Road opposite Blackhorse Road station, Blackhorse View is a brand new development by Barratt Homes. The development comprises of 350 new homes and is a part of a £200 million transformation of the area. Blackhorse View is a fine selection of one, two and three bedroom suites designed for modern living considering the natural light feature and convenience at the forefront. Every home offers a private outdoor space and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Transportation in Walthamstow
Walthamstow is very well served by an extensive network of local bus routes and underground trains. Walthamstow Central and Blackhorse Road stations are at one end of the Victoria line and there are trains to Liverpool Street from Wood Street, Waltham Central and St James Street. Underground trains such as Leyton, Leytonstone and Chingford serve the area, though Chingford does not have an underground station but the overhead line will take you to Liverpool Street in less than 30 minutes.
Shopping in Walthamstow
Walthamstow has the longest outdoor market in Europe. It is a kilometre long market boasting more than 350 stalls and that offer food, clothes, eateries, household goods and home décor shops along with stalls selling everything from Caribbean cuisine to local food. The market remains open from Tuesday to Saturday. On Sunday, Walthamstow Farmers Market takes place on Walthamstow High Street and sell produces like bread, eggs, cheese and poultry.
Any article on Walthamstow is incomplete without the mention of its one of the most well-known establishments – God’s Own Junkyard also known as Heavenly Junk, the biggest collection of neon signs in Europe.
Restaurants in Walthamstow
Walthamstow has a number of cafes, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops offering a variety of cuisine serving multi-culture ethnicity of the area. Several casual and fine dining restaurants and cafes are lined along Orford Road, Hoe Street and Wood Street. Restaurant 17 is an iconic and the most renowned restaurant due to their signature “Bacon Jam” and several other finger-licking products. Froth & Rind is a craft beer and cheese shop and café. 56 St James is another classic café, renowned for its coffee and sourdough bread.
