Hackney Wick

Hackney Wick's cheap warehouse space made it one of East London's biggest concentrations of artist studios before the 2012 Olympics, and though redevelopment has chipped away at that scene, murals and graffiti still cover much of the area along the canal. It sits directly against Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, so a walk here can combine former Olympic venues with the grittier, more improvised feel of the Wick itself. Independent breweries and taprooms have moved into old factory units, taking advantage of the same low-cost spaces that once housed artists. It remains one of London's rawer, less finished neighbourhoods, which is largely the point.