The Number 230 Route

Thursday 29 September 2011

This was probably the closest to summery weather we have had since Easter, and Linda and I spent the morning visiting parts of North East London.  We met at Wood Green Station and, having visited the clean and attractive facilities of Wood Green's Shopping City (opened by the Queen in 1981, we noticed) were onto our bus by 10.30.  Surprisingly, this was a double decker, despite its route through many narrow residential streets.

We headed down the High Road and under the Shopping City's Bridge, to pass Turnpike Lane Station, before turing left towards Tottenham. We passed the Catholic Church of St John Vianney, a French priest  who avoided call-up into Bonaparte's armies, and instead served the rural poor of France.  This was by no means the only religious establishment we passed, as we soon came to the  House of Prayer, clearly enjoying its previous incarnation as a cinema.  We also passed the Wisdom School, a private school which boasts 'excellent GCSE results', presumably not unconnected to the fact that they select their entry and charge £2000 a term.

Heading down Philip Lane, we came into Tottenham, passing the Marcus Garvey Library, and then took a left and right, only glimpsing the Banksy because we knew it was there. You can see it here.

 Soon we came to Tottenham Hale Station, with plenty of new-build flats around it, and we were into a watery world, crossing Pymme's brook and the River Lea (or Lee, as it says in my A-Z) to reach the reservoirs.  These waterways are becoming well known as the Lee flows through and embellishes the Olympic Park, and I wonder if we should put in an EU application for that overused title, the 'Venice of the North'.

Black Horse Road Station gave us an opportunity to admire the long-lived geraniums of the borough's hanging baskets.  This has been a good year for plants, if not for suntans.

This brought us into Walthamstow, past the Market, and that car wash which claims to be 'legal and proud' before turning into and out of the bus station, with its attractive neighbouring gardens.

Continuing uphill towards Upper Walthamstow, we travelled through residential areas, with some substantial homes.  We came to Wood Street Station, which we knew would be part of our return journey, and travelled on into the streets behind.  Parked cars and the odd bit of road works meant that our driver needed to be patient as well as skilful, and he was.

We arrived at his terminating point in Fyfield Road after a loop around the houses (literally) at about 11.20, not much later than the timetable promises, and had a brief conversation about our project as we handed over our card.  We were offered a ride back to Wood Street Station, which we declined, arriving on foot just at the same time as 'our' bus.  The delays happened as we awaited the train that would take us to our next bus.....