The Line

The Prime Meridian

A birthday celebration in the East of London skirting Margaret, Ruth and Marion's ancient routes.  The train from Bedford stops in West Hampsted.  From here we wheel across to the Overground Station, and travelled straight on into Stratford.  Coming out of the station we found ourselves next to a strong current drawing people into the mouth of the Westfield Shopping Centre.  After a moments hesitation, we were in and swirling along the curving concourse.  After a while the flow slowed, and we were better able to take in our surrounding. We clambered out and found a friendly Lebanese lunching spot.  From inside the noise and humidity of the Jungle, we ventured out into the icy blasts of the old Olympic Park site.  Vast glacial pathways cut across wide empty space.  We peeked into Zaha Hadid's wonderful Aquatic Centre.  Ruth saw it as a stingray.  I remembered Zaha's passing this year.

Lebanese Lunch in the jungle

The start of 'The Line' appears to shun the Olympic park.  I am reminded of seeing the pain in Anish Kapoor's face when the Orbital Tower was being opened.  It had clearly been destroyed by 'Health and Safety'.

What a magnificent building

The first sculpture- Unfortunately we missed it.

A high point on the route in walking through the Three Mills.

This is a tidal mill, that dates back to the Domesday Book.  The locks round here have four gates as both sides take turns at being the top.

Once the centre of Gin manufacture in the East End. Now a good place
to have mulled wine and chestnuts.

More chestnuts than we could eat in fact.

By the Lee River, final resting place for many a trolley.

Homage to the strange world of Dockland.

Up and away (£3.50 on your Oyster Card- not a bad trip.)

The view over the north bank.

View at the end of the day over the Dome.

Antony Gormley's wonderful Quantum Cloud.  To see it properly you have to walk past.

The End