epic day adventures
in london & beyond
During lockdown, we did some epic long rides alongside countless shorter ones around London and beyond occasionally but generally rarely, interspersed with walking either by driving somewhere such as Richmond or walking straight out of Perronet like the time we walked all the way to Canary Wharf. The birth of ''juxtpositioning'' was conceived in one short afternoon cycle ride through the City of London when somewhere around the Gürken I stopped and said: I love the juxtaposition of old and new (refering to architecture). You looked at me and smiled at my choice of vocabulary in the same way I was surprised and amused when you used the word 'propensity'! Our love for English words must be related to us being foreign.
Your first choice was and will always be to head to Hyde Park and West towards Westbourne Park and Notting Hill and I always wanted and will continue to want although now easily persuaded otherwise, to repeat Islighton and Barnesbury. God, I so much love the feel of Barnesbury and Canonbury Grove! We both compromised by doing both several times and countless others 'The Gritty East'. We loved the stillness of the parks in Clapton compared to how busy all the other parks were such as Burgess Park just off Walworth road. The good looking but sadly always shut b&w coffee shop on Chatworth road - Homerton Park looks just great although we never stop to sit there. We discovered Walthemstaw Wetlands through secret paths by the water so reminiscent of Christiana in Copenhagen. We passed Hackney Marshes and cycled along the river Lee watching people swimming in June - are we in London? Cycling on Greenway from Stratford all the way to Beckton and then to Royal Docks and the Thames Barrier which despite all my years in London and living by the river had never visited before. Experiencing the ''juxtaposition'' of gritty and bucolic by driving out of the City and cycling the flat lands of Romney Marsh for hours - the longest registered being 6.5 hours. Bridal walks with vast fields stretching on either side with countless waterways and clusters of peaceful sheepies munching away and perking their cute little faces up to take a good look at who's watching. The old churches, the stunning detached houses I often dreamed sitting inside snuggling next to you in front of a huge log-fire sipping coffee and chatting. Old sheds, picnics by the water feasting on Greek tin-food (butter beans for you, dolmathes for me), peanut butter sandwiches (you discovered the beauty that is raspberry jam and peanut butter), cherry tomatoes and walnuts. Sitting on the pebbled beach in the unique and strange landscape that is Dungeness of abandoned fishing boats and dilapidated sheds, bleak and desert-like by the sea with the occasional striking bit of architecture of some black weatherboard house with floor to ceiling windows.
The year before, 'The Gritty East' led us to the beautiful and haunting woodlands of the Tower of Hamlets cemetery, the discovery of lovely local coffee shops such as 'The Common' on Old Bethnal Green road where we rated the coffee at 8.5 and the peanut butter blondie a 10.
The café on Ball Pond street where we fantasised briefly owning the entire building and running our own cool coffee shop on the ground floor. It was the year we also met Banksy the Portuguese Podengo at 'Crimsons & Sons' on Wilton Way when once again we longed having our own doggie one day.
These cycle rides make life feel like a remarkable showreel of such richness, a constant reminder of how lucky we are to be experiencing together such diversity of people, landscape, architecture and an array of adorable cruising doggies which whenever possible we stroke, or at least find out their names and breeds if unknown to us. How could we ever forget the stunning profile of the German Spitz in the NZ coffee shop in Landbroke Grove?
Thank you for being in my life, for suggesting new paths, exploring unknown territory, following my 'let's loose ourselves on a tour-de-force pronounced with a heavy French accent, through the East', being experimental and active, remaining curious, agile, alert, noticing and registering all the details. And I'm sorry for having always a negative predisposition towards your yellow coffee shop book. It has led us to some good and some average locations. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose. I guess we won't find out unless we try:)
Below are some notes and pictures to trigger and celebrate some of these trips from a selection of posts uploaded on Instagram in the last couple of years:
4h East London Epic Cycle Ride
9/5/20
From Stratford to Beckton via Greenway - Greenway is huge - exciting at first but then perhaps a little unimaginative? Still, most impressive to have all this accessible to us in lockdown. A lot of people. Cycled to Royal Park Dock, stopped at the Thames Barrier, to Docklands and Canary Wharf, Cable street, Tower bridge and finally London Bridge where we stopped on Bermondsey street for a much needed oat flat white. Shattered but satisfied:)
Elephant To Walthemstaw Wetlands
14/6/20
From Elephant we headed to Southwark Bridge and then across the City of London, to Spitalfields and Colombia Road and then across to Broadway market where we stopped at 'Crimsons & Sons' for an oat flat white dynamite. We charged up to Hackney Downs and Clapton (Milifields Park), then Springfield Park and Walthemstaw Wetlands where we found a suitable stop and had our pic-nic followed by the usual afternoon snooze.
We continued to Hackney Marshes and saw people swimming when cycling alongside the River Lea, all the way to Stratford and Mile End, Whitechapel and London Bridge. We stopped at M&S for a cold drink & groceries and then back to ELEPHANT! Phew, that was long!
Epic 3.5h London Cycle Ride
Comfort blanket & City combo
8/5/20
Oh, the comfort blanket you so much love. We cycled to Hyde Park, Notting Hill - the street with the modern terraced homes the biggest highlight of the day - Westbourne Park and Landbroke Grove to St John's Wood and Primrose Hill, Kings Cross and all the way to Exmouth Market where we stopped at 'Briki' for coffee & pasteli. Then off to Chancery Lane, St. Paul's Cathedral, Millenium Bridge and Tate Modern all the way back to Elephant!
Kent Cycle Ride
17/5/20
You chose the 'The Valley of Vision' from your book 'Lost Lanes'
Frarringham to Shoreham in a loop. So many hills, more than we wanted but we found the best spot to have a pic-nic and a snooze. On the way back we stopped on Bermondsey street for the all important oat flat white. Blissful.
Epic Romney Marsh Cycle Ride
Romney March & Dungeness Combo
25/5/20
We set off around 2pm from the church at Snargate where we normally park. On the main road we turned right and followed the lanes passed the old barn to the beautiful church we have seen in your book 'Lost Lanes'. After a pic-nic we headed towards Lydd and Dungeness. We didn't get back to the car till 8:20pm.
Epic London cycle ride
5/4/20
Walked to Kennington storage to get my bike. Cycled to London Bridge, Spitalfields, Colombia Rd., Mare st. via Broadway market, Hackney Downs, Clapton, down Chatsworth Rd. where we spotted the coolest coffee shop; passed Homerton park, Wilton Way, Dalston Lane, Balls Pond road, Essex road, John's street, Farringdon and then turned right and cycled along the north bank to Westminster Bridge. Dropped the bike to Kennington storage and walked back to Elephant.
Afternoon Richmond Walk
13/4/20
Drove to Richmond and approached the park from Roahampton Gate. We walked through the woods and suddenly saw deer resting in perfect camouflage looking back at us peacefully. While you had a snooze under a tree I observed the beautiful wooden roses scattered on the ground all around us. The wind is biting right through the bone. I gently urge you to get up and start walking back to the car.
Afternoon kew gardens Walk
21/3/20
We were uncomfortable by the huge crowds at Kew and the disregard for keeping a 2-meter distance. A day later it closed. We loved the variety of trees: oak, cedar, ash, chestunut and the pink magnolia blossom. A bit of change of scene and some colour.
3H EPIC LONDON HILLY CYCLE RIDE
25/4/20
From Blackfriars Bridge and Farringdon Rd we cut through Smithsfields and John street through the beautiful Duncan Terrace and Highbury. Some stunning houses and squares around there and long leefy streets. Let's buy a house in Islington! Finsbury Park rather grim and crowded. Crouch Hill equally unremarkable to drop-dead-gorgeous Highgate followed by Hampstead and down to Kings Cross. We stopped at Exmouth Market for a brief coffee at 'Briki'. We pushed our bikes to the nearby park where a group of noisy homeless disturbed the ceremonial and much anticipated oat flat white & pasteli. Cycled to Farringdon and straight down Blackfriars Bridge; quick stop at Little Waitrose and back to Elephant! Let's just say that we should never bother with Crouch End again.
wilton way, crimsons & sons cafe
19/10/19
I can only assume we were on our bikes. What I do know is that the most memorable hour we spent was at 'Crimsons & Sons' café on Wilton Way stroking Bansky, the Portuguese Podengo.
His owner was a Scandinavian lady who split her time between London and Sweden. Or was it Norway? All I remember, was that we loved that little guy and later at Uncle, lying in bed I watched a YouTube video of the breeder she mentioned who I think was the only one in the UK. Must check my notes who she was.
URbAN POETRY london RIDE
20/10/19
From Cable street and Limehouse we approached the enchanting Tower of Hamlets Cemetery. What a treasure. Abandoned and wild, mysterious and precious. Through Mile End and Regent's canal we reached Bethnal Green. On Old Bethnal Green road we stopped at the beautiful industrial cosy coffeeshop 'The Common' where we had oat flat white and a peanut butter blondie.
Loved that café, sitting with you chatting. It is a moment of happiness that will stay with me in years to come. I don't know why certain moments stick - my love for you is always the same. But certain times it's more pronounced and that was one such time. I think it has to do with being deeply inspired and affected not only by who you are with but the area and ambience around you. Hard to explain. That night, you cooked for us a beautiful piece of cod loin with noodles and your signature roasted broccolini in anchovies:P
REGENT'S CANAL EPIC WALK
10/11/18
A stunning walk through Maida Vale and Notting Hill on the Regent's canal. Not entirely sure how we got there. Did we take the tube to Warwick Avenue just like on our 2nd date? You need to help me refresh my memory:) The biggest highlight of that day apart from the stunning canal and beautiful sunny day was the German Spitz we saw at the NZ café in Landbroke Grove and the meat balls we had that night in my flat in London Bridge! I loved that flat and being there with you, cooking together, staying the night which was always a challenge in the week but a certainty on a Friday and Saturday night:D