The Anonymous Widower

Through the Olympic Park on the Greenway

From the Top of the Morning, I had two choices.  I could either walk to Hackney Wick station on the North London line, or try to find the Greenway that continued through the Olympic Park to Pudding Mill Lane on the Docklands Light Railway.

I chose the latter more in hope than expectation, as I felt that building or security considerations on the Olympic Park might mean the Greenway would be closed.

About a hundred metres south of the pub, I found this welcoming sign.

Entry to the Greenway

So I’d made the right choice.

Incidentally, the Greenway is built on top of the eastern end of the Northern Outfall Sewer, which was built in the mid-1800’s by Joseph Bazalgette, to take London’s sewage to the works at Beckton.

The Greenway gives good views of the Olympic stadium of which this is typical.

The London Olympic Stadium

Obviously, landscaping and a few other things need to be done, but it is now virtually complete.

You can also see the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Aquatics Centre.

ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Aquatics Centre

The Orbit structure has aroused controversy, but seeing it close to, I found it rather fascinating. You can also see all of the bits lined up like groups of acrobats ready to climb into position in the tower.

I’m Ready to Ascend!

I suspect that like the Eiffel Tower has for Paris, it might end up as an icon of East London after the Games.

The one think you can’t say about it, is that it is boring! The only things that should be boring are some machine tools and tunnelling machines.

One thing that has been got right is the information for visitors, as this picture shows.

Olympic Park Panorama and Information

Do you think that the far-sighted Joseph Bazalgette had realised that his enormous sewer would one day be used as a grandstand for a construction project, of which I’m sure he would have proud?  Obviously not, but with so many things he did, he got them absolutely right. And right for possibly a thousand years!

No walk is complete without a cup of something and at the south end of the portion of the Greenway that crosses the Olympic Park, there is this cafe and viewing point called ViewTube.

The ViewTube, Olympic Park, London

I had a good cappucino and a rest before walking on to Pudding Mill Lane and the DLR, where I took this final picture.

The Olympic Park from Pudding Mill Lane, DLR Station

All in all, this walk took about two hours including refreshments. On a good day, it should easily be possible to do it in the same time from the Angel at Islington to the ViewTube cafe.

But I suspect it’ll get busy!

March 31, 2011 - Posted by AnonW | Sport, Transport/Travel, World | Docklands Light Railway, Joseph Bazalgette, London, North London Line, Olympics, Project Management, The Greenway, Trains