Route In Pictures
While checking the route for the ride I took some pictures. Despite the days of the ride (in febuary) being grey, damp and freezing I still had three top rides, seeing bits of london I would never have overwise seen. Whizing around within the M25 koral it occurred to me that this ride is also a tour of Londons reservoirs, river crossings, road kill, race tracks, greasy spoons and football grounds. I also managed to catch Barnets Women Playing Westhams in the FA cup at Thurrock, fall out with a woman in a toll booth, stand in a field full of plane geeks, come across a valentine murder and eat a butty served from a bus.
Home of Spurs, its worth nipping around the back to see the old skool brick bit. Frustratingly for Autistics White Hart lane (the ground) isn’t on Whit Hart Lane.
The Road to Barnet, while taking this picture a local wandered up to me and said “aint been replaced cause we’ve got Easy Jet in the bloody Council”..??.. He said no more and wondered off. Cheers Stelios
Ahhhh, the East terrace at underhill. I saw the mighty Bees draw 2-2 against Arsenal here and still a gooner claimed a win on the away goals rule!
A wonderful collection of Ambulances by Underhill
Something to do with the Sarasons rugby team??
Some workmen were laying a cable (te he he) and let me in to take a pictue inside vicarage road.
Watford is my bemuda triangle, everytime I enter its one way system I lose it. The picture below is of vicarage road not sure if it has flats attached to it or if the ground and Watford general have merged?
Hayes and Yeading United’s intimidating church road ‘stadium’ capacity 6500. No tall people allowed!
A muddy tow path, I stuggled on my ribon thin racer wheels, hopefully in june it will have stiffened up a bit. ohh look another bike person enjoying the cement factories of the grand union.
Barra Hall - i think
M4
You get pretty close to Heathrow. Getting of the road to try and get a picture of one of the very low jumbos I found myself in a field with about 20 other men. Plane spotters, yay I’m not the only geek in the world – always good to know. perhaps they go for a box after a good old spot.
Popped my camera over the fence at Wheatsheaf Park and a Lino, very gracefully, posed for me. Nice gurn
My Granddads thing was the horses, so this is for you Jock – Kempton Park
I was looking at the route on the map before the cycle and I noticed I was going to be passing lots of the reservoirs that feed London. Frustratingly they were all hidden by steep green banks hosting the occasional sheep. Except for this one – Stain Hill Reservoirs
The marvellous Beveree Stadium. Like a child I still find it hilarious that they are known as the beavers. I hope the never come up against Scunthorpe. Fact – the stadium also doubles as a polling station.
Bushy Park
The first Thames crossing, Kingston Bridge
Kingsmeadow is also know as the Cherry Red Records Fans Stadium? Home to AFC Wimbledon and Kingstonian FC who play in the Isthmian League Premier Division
Richmond Park, view of the city in the distance and a lovely hunk of venison
Coming over Kew Bridge (the second Thames crossing) I saw this field of tents and benders. Who owns this land? An evil faceless business? No Brentford FC Community trust
Loftus Road stadium just peeking out over the houses
One of the best things about the old grounds of London is how they are set in the streets. Cheek to jowl, there should be a web site dedicate to views of grounds from houses nearby.
I really wanted a picture of Craven Cottage by the river, this was the best I could do, poor! The woman below was so miffed that I was pointing a camera in her direction that she wouldn’t move. She gave a loud ‘tut’ only after I pressed the button and moved on.
Stamford Bridge may be home to a mighty team but its not easy on the eye. Luckily this nearby mural provided me with some amusement – it looks like the fellah has just flipped one past Cech. Below = good cone fun
Stamford Bridge peeping out from behind Brompton Cemetery below, I remember some joker saying the Cemetery had more soul than the ground…
Battersea Bridge the 3rd crossing
I think a semi in Crystal palace may be the last place I would look for salvation.
Selhurst park were ghetto blasters are frowned up on and were Cantona turned into a massive French seagull. I like the man vs beast mural
The Courage stadium is home to both Bromley FC (the Ravens) and Cray Wanderers FC (the Wands) apparently the Second oldest club in the World. Missing out on the top spot to Sheffield FC by 3 years.
The New Den is surrounded by a moat of Railways, while down there on a Sunday a good number of the buildings around it were part time gospel churches. While trodding around this corner of South East London the happy clappy music made for a strange atmosphere and a stark contast to the normal chants of 'no one likes us, we dont care'
Stinky, stinky SELCHP (I’m guessing South East London’s Chimney Hump Pump) and beautiful Greenwich Naval College, home of the nicest toilets in London.
You can just make out the Valley stadium and the Thames Below
Testing the ride on a Sunday I came across lots of Sunday League action. You can always tell when you are coming up to a Sunday League game from the angry/passionate screams and shouts - of the players.
Parkview road is home to Welling United (the Wings) which was set up in 1963 by an ex Charlton goal Keeper for his sons! And since then they have managed to beat Gillingham in the first round of the FA Cup and then take on Blackburn Rovers, losing 1-0.
A very angry lady in hi vi met me at the bottom of the slip road by the Queen Elizabeth II bridge (the 4th and final crossing). She steamed on about how bikes aren’t allowed on roads with more than one lane. Unfortunately I was grinning inanely at this outburst of stupidity ant told her that she was talking nonsense. This made her explode! Eventually she calmed down and went into her both to ring a fella to take me over the river, while she was occupied I took some pictures of the bridge. She came storming out of her booth claiming my photography was an act of terrorism and that she was going to confiscate my camera. After a bit of whining and negotiation she decided I was just a football nut not a member of the real IRA and let me keep the camera but made me delete the pics.
Eventually a very nice fella turned up and took me and my bike to the north bank in the tunnel – he informed me that behind the cladding the beautiful tiny mosaic tiles still exist. You can cross the river on the Woolwich ferry if you want to avoid all this drama or if you are travelling in a group of more than 4. If you do take the tunnel you are treated with the 24/7 greasy spoon bus on the northern side.
Ship Lane is Home to Thurrock FC (the Fleet) and when I got there I was treated to Barnet’s Women v West Ham’s Women playing in the FA cup. It was a battle of a game and Barnet eventually came out 3-2 winners.
A13
Dagenham and Redbridge’s Vicarage Road capacity 6078 record crowd 5949
Mayesbrook Park above and Barking Creek below
Green Street, everyones faviourate hobit based hooligan film
Brisbane Road home of the O’s. A strange ground as it is clad with flats all the way round. You can see into these flats from the away end seats. Applause rippled through the Sheffield united fans as a woman entered her living room with a cup of tea.
No tour of football in London would be complete without a visit to Hackney marshes
My camera cant cope with dark so when visiting the last two grounds Emirate and Wembley i had to get a bit arty with the pics
I finished of my test cycle with a visit to Wembley to see England thump Egypt, Crouch may look awkward and delicate but those are brilliant feet. Its quite odd going to your seats on a Escaltor made me feel like I was Christmas Shopping.
The Egyptian fans were good value for money
In the words of the little kid who sat next to me in Wembley “CAAAMMON ENGLAND!”
