Exploring East London with the Legend

Monitoring twitter I found out there was a ride around my local area. Seeing that I didn't know of any other rides happening I headed off to my local library which was the meeting point.

Outside Walthamstow Library

Got there about 10:20 & not long after another 2 riders turned up. I posted on twitter I was at the library & not long after found out the ride had already started and arranged to catch up.

Caught up not to far down the River Lea at Pistachios in Markfields Park, had a quick tea/coffee and we headed off. 

Pistachios, Markfields Park

Being down the River Lea along the pathways was a bit muddy after the weather we have been having the last week so the going was a bit slippy. 

VERY nasty bridge

Shadow of a legend

Went though a few different places & quiet routes and ended up near Alexander Palace. I remembered being here for the Nightrider earlier this year.

Alexander Palace

Alexander Palace Station

After Alexander Palace we took what is a very popular muddy path towards Finsbury Park. Been here once before on one of the iBikeLDN Rides.

I especially like the view at the top of Muswell Hill looking east towards my neck of the woods as it where. If you look closely you can see the brown haze of the pollution that hangs over the city.

The view from Muswell Hill

BBB heading towards the sun light.

The view from Muswell Hill

Continuing on we heading down The Parkland Walk.  

The Parkland Walk is a 4.5-mile (7.2 km) linear green walkway, in the London Boroughs of Haringey and Islington, which follows the course of the railway line which used to run between Finsbury Park through Stroud Green, Crouch End, Highgate and Muswell Hill to Alexandra Palace.

History of the Parkland Walk

The existing old train platforms

We finally ended up at Finsbury Park Cafe for a well earned coffee break. By this time BBB had caught a lot of mud from the paths and would be needing a damn good hosing down when back at the HiVE.

Finsbury Park Cafe

We took a much quicker route back to Walthamstow Library as the sun was starting to dip & the temperature was starting to drop pretty quickly now.

Crossing the River Lea

Well that was the last ride of the year from the Waltham Forest Cycling Campaign. Looking forward to many more rides and exploring my local area more in 2014.

Garmin Data of the ride