Don't Dream It, Do It

Ashdown Forest

2008-08-25T16:42:00.009+01:00

Yesterday, I cycled across Ashdown Forest and stayed at Blackboys YHA. I'm told that the name comes from the charcoal made in the local forests. The youth hostel was friendly and well equipped - mostly families staying on the August Bank Holiday so it was easy for me to book a single room. I normally end up sharing in a dorm, so getting my own key is a bit of a novelty.

It's one of the new franchised YHA hostels also now called "The Glade", and the warden has managed to make it very relaxed. It's a timber building stuck right in the middle of a wood miles from the main road and it's very peaceful. If you don't fancy self catering (or if you haven't got enough sausages for a barbeque) then its only a short walk to the nearest pub for a bite to eat with a lovely pint of Harvey's Best.

Cycling there from Lewisham was a bit of a battle. A headwind and a hangover didn't do much to lift my spirits, but once I got into Kent, the weather improved and a big lunch sorted out my hangover. After a huge mug of coffee in the garden of the house at pooh corner I was feeling normal again and ready to hit the Downs for some fabulous views and really great cycling.

Cycling back today made the round trip a total of 140km with the Weald and the Downs offering plenty of hills. With brighter weather and a good tailwind I managed to get back home with a well deserved takeaway roast chicken in my pannier for lunch.

wheat field

2008-08-12T20:06:00.001+01:00

wheat field, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

We sat in the tent all night drinking beer and listening to the thunder and the torrential rain on the tent.

The next day the sun came out and we listened to the wheat cracking in the field.

Its a bit quieter in Lewisham - no wheat fields.

long distance

2008-06-27T19:58:00.003+01:00

450km through the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, the Pennines, Hadrians Wall and the Cheviots is the Pennine Way.

When we arrived in Kirk Yetholm on Sunday it was two years and over 20 days of walking since we started the Pennine Way at Edale in 2006

We stayed in Youth Hostels and B&Bs along the way and saw some of the most spectacular scenery that the country has to offer. Particular highlights for me were High Cup, Cauldron Snout, Kinder Scout, Kielder Forest - and the hundreds of skylarks hovering and singing even on the wettest and windiest of days.

But the best part of all the Pennine Way is the people who walk and work along the way. Day walkers, end-to-enders, farmers, shepherds, landladies, landlords, hostel wardens, builders, pub locals, visitors and tourists.

I'd love to walk it again - perhaps going end to end in one go next time, but maybe getting someone else to organise the travel and accommodation and possibly to carry my bag for me too.

Maybe next time

Cycling holiday in the south east

2008-05-31T15:49:00.009+01:00

Last week I spent 6 days cycling around Kent, Sussex and Surrey. 400 kilometers of fabulous British countryside.

I was lucky with the weather. Mostly warm and sunny, but a bit chilly at night - especially in the tent. I'm glad I packed my longjohns and a woolly hat in amongst my 20 kilograms of luggage.

When I wasn't in the tent, I stayed in youth hostels like this one at Chatham. Youth hostels these days are really comfortable places to stay - no curfews or chores, plenty of decent grub and warm comfy beds.

Beer in Medway could do with improvement. Shepherd Neame brewery is just a few kilometers away in Faversham, but they seem to opt for bland lagers and cloudy pints of (normally clear) London Pride

Because I didn't plan the exact route before I left, I often ended up on signposted cycle paths through fields and woodlands -including the Forest Way, Worth Way, Crab & Winkle Way, Pilgrims Way and the Cuckoo Trail

I hadn't realised just how much easy cycling there was - much of it thanks to Dr Beeching

One of the great things that I found about cycling on a longer tour was seeing things from a completely different perspective. Normally, I use the bike to commute through South London - rushing around, avoiding cars and motorbikes, competing for space on the roads. Outside the M25, daytime cycling on quiet country lanes and cycle paths gave me lots of time and space to think and reflect.

It might have been different if the weather had been miserable, but as it was I would recommend touring to any keen cyclist. I'm already dreaming of the next tour

They went because their open eyes could see no other way

2008-03-02T14:21:00.002Z

They went because their open eyes could see no other way, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

The International Brigade - A small memorial sculpture by Ian Walters in the shadow of the 'london eye' dedicated to those who made their way to Spain fight against Franco in the civil war

"IN HONOUR OF OVER 2100 MEN AND WOMEN VOLUNTEERS WHO LEFT THESE SHORES TO FIGHT SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE SPANISH PEOPLE IN THEIR HEROIC STRUGGLE AGAINST FASCISM 1936—1939 MANY WERE WOUNDED AND MAIMED 526 WERE KILLED THEIR EXAMPLE INSPIRED THE WORLD"

First Day Cover - Houses of York and Lancaster

2008-03-01T18:53:00.001Z

First Day Cover - Houses of York and Lancaster, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Trip to Dungeness and the Kent coast

2008-02-24T20:44:00.002Z

We've just got back from a long weekend by the Kent coast.

Dungeness is a fabulous, bleak place even on the sunniest of days. It's all shingle beach and power station. and this strange construction.

I'm back to work tomorrow - long weekends are too short.

The Bearded Lady, Blackheath

2008-02-19T19:50:00.001Z

The Bearded Lady, Blackheath, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

This bearded lady stall just appeared on the heath this evening. There was nothing else around other than a few empty coffee cups. I couldn't find the bearded lady anywhere.

Working Dogs First Day Cover

2008-02-13T19:42:00.001Z

Working Dogs First Day Cover, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Deptford station and graffiti art (?)

2008-02-13T19:23:00.006Z

From various Flickr groups and RSVP:
"Plans for the new railway development and sensitive restoration of the Grade II listed Victorian carriage ramp at Deptford Railway Station will begin with the interim use of the empty site as home to a highly decorative & superbly glammed up graffiti art 57 seater railway carriage. The 35 tonne South East train carriage will be making its way from Essex on Thursday evening as it edges slowly towards Deptford at a painstaking 2 miles per hour down the A11 and into Deptford High Street. It aims to reach its final destination around 9pm. Challenges will include clearing Deptford rail bridge with a tricky 2 inch gap to spare as it gingerly makes its way to its new home beside the railway station.

"The carriage will act as a central point cafe & funky bistro which will act as a headquarters around which a weekend market will take place (to be launched in mid April). Locals and visitors will be invited to come shop, eat and check out the artistic carriage and information point as they discover exciting plans ahead for this heart of Deptford. A revitalised area which will be creative, inspiring and great place to work, live and play. Interim plans will include the market which compliments Deptford's existing traditional market with additional arts, crafts, fashion and food as well as plans for through the year film, music and festival events... "

James Bond UK first day cover

2008-01-20T17:49:00.001Z

James Bond UK first day cover, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

A little late for blogging this. But isn't life fun when you're busy busy busy?

Christmas stamps for 2007

2007-11-06T21:40:00.001Z

2007 christmas, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Christmas stamps for 2007. Take your choice. Renaissance angels - Peace, Goodwill, Joy & Glory - or Madonna & child

greenwich park swimmer

2007-10-07T15:15:00.001+01:00

greenwich park swimmer, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

The fabulous Greenwich Park swimmer. Here to advertise celebrity tattooists

Barcelona

2007-10-06T07:11:00.001+01:00

Sagrada Familia, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Barcelona is fascinating!
There is everything from the sublime cathedrals to the ridiculous scams that people fall for on the Rambla.

Then back to London and within days I'm bunged up and sneezing. Yeuch

sofa

2007-09-09T20:18:00.001+01:00

third, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Just right for lazy evenings

First Day Cover - Birds

2007-09-04T21:05:00.001+01:00

FDC BIRDS, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Motorbikes and scooters in bus lanes

2007-08-29T19:16:00.000+01:00

The Department for Transport wants to allow motorbikes to use bus lanes. The London Cycling Campaign is less keen

According to the CTC "per mile travelled, [motorbikes] are about 1.5 as likely as cars to be involved in collisions which cause serious injury to cyclists, twice as likely to be involved in causing them serious injuries and about three times as likely to be involved in killing them.

Hopefully Lewisham Council will get back to me soon with their plans for allowing motorbikes in bus lanes.

Buses tend to be patient and tolerant of cyclists and happy to warn me of problems. Cars are rare in the bus lanes that I use - possibly because of better enforcement (although they use the bus lane to undertake right turning vehicles). But motorbikes and cyclists don't seem to mix at all.

Cyclists use the bus lane to overtake other bikes, to avoid potholes and to move around buses at bus stops. Allowing a fast moving motorbike into the mix of buses and cyclists will only increase the risk of collision - especially as the number of cyclists and motorbikes increases.

lewisham roundabout

2007-08-20T21:32:00.001+01:00

It looks fairly quiet on a gray Saturday afternoon in August.

But some day it will no longer be a cyclists' nightmare next to a scrubby patch of green and a concrete water culvert where all the public transport is isolated from the main shopping centre.

Some day it will be "retail, offices, hotel, residential, education, health and leisure premises, parking and associated infrastructure, open space and water features. " according to Lewisham Council And there are also alternative views.

I don't mind that cyclists aren't going to be relegated to cyclepaths but instead we will have advanced stop areas at traffic lights, but a share for cyclists in some decent bus lanes will be important.

More detail about the plans instead of huge inaccessible files next to some marketing gumph so that we can all make real decisions would be nice too.

picture from lewisham cyclist.

... and his even more thoughtful sister

2007-08-17T22:55:00.001+01:00

flo, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

what's on his mind?

2007-08-17T21:19:00.001+01:00

(ex) pensive cat, originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.

Smile and the world smiles with you

2007-08-14T18:42:00.001+01:00

Cycling along in the pouring rain this morning.
A chap with an umbrella walks out in front of me so I swerve to avoid him then cycle on my way.
"SMILE!!!!" he shouts after me.

Also, I've now recognised some essential kit to keep at the office - old newspapers to stuff in my soggy wet shoes.

black mountain holiday

2007-08-13T19:47:00.000+01:00

We went camping in the Brecon Beacons last week. A chance to hang up my cycling shoes for a few days in exchange for some walking boots.

Fresh air, exercise and decent beer. Lovely.

PPP

2007-07-28T18:25:00.000+01:00

The BBC have recently posted an upbeat article on a US version of 'Public Private Partnership' PPP - Microsoft's state education revolution. I'm interested in this because of the three PPP schools being built in Lewisham

Presumably this means that there will be lots of competition for places at these new schools who will be able to take on the brightest pupils who can take best advantage of their new facilities.

Poorer schools might end up with more pupils with special needs or children who may not end up with the highest grades and so may not be able to justify the higher funding that a PPP school gets. These poorer schools may not be able to provide the same high standard of facilities for their pupils.

I have no political axe to grind against PPP. I would welcome initiatives that genuinely help children get better chances in their education. And of course some people will be always be luckier than others. That's life. But I'm concerned that PPP may come at a cost to children in poorer areas who may miss out on some of these great opportunities. Or maybe there are more private finance deals out there so that more schools in poorer areas can provide better opportunities for their children.

Dreamer's first crash

2007-07-27T17:43:00.000+01:00

My first crash the other morning.

A car in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway without indicating, turns left across my lane
I brake, but not fast enough. The car loses a wing mirror and I get bruising down my right arm

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you."

Scouts First Day Cover

2007-07-27T17:41:00.000+01:00

Must get my scanning sorted for the next issue - birds, 4th September

A typically wet day in the Lake District

2007-07-24T18:21:00.000+01:00

As the weather was so foul, we decided to walk from Greensides Mines around Glencoyne Head to Aira Force, then back to Glenridding via the lake. The scenery would have been fantastic, but for the fact that we could hardly even see our feet. Even with 1:25000 OS map and GPS, we managed to get lost a couple of times. The weather only began to clear as we made our way down from the tops towards the waterfall.

The next day was completely different and we got some fabulous views from the top of Helvellyn. We got to see the Pennines, Scottish hills, the Isle of Man and even (with binoculars) Blackpool Tower.

Cycling on south London roads

2007-07-23T18:18:00.000+01:00

Cyclists are road-users too.

When I first started to commute to work by bike a few months ago, I was very wary of busy roads, roundabouts and one-way systems. I would keep to the back roads and the shared-use pathways. I won't cycle on pedestrian-only footpaths nor would I run red lights or cycle the wrong way down one way streets. So I would get caught between being some kind of not-quite-vehicle and some kind of not-quite-pedestrian.

After a couple of months, I started to become a bit more confident of my strength and my cycling technique. That's when I came across John Franklin's book "Cyclecraft" that teaches about cycling as a full road user rather than cowering in a gutter or footpath.

I'm now much more confident about cycling on the roads and I'm happy to travel all around south London by bike. I navigate round most one-way systems and roundabouts but not yet Lewisham roundabout or Elephant & Castle. They're both still too hairy for me!

Occasionally, a driver will get fed up with me taking over 'their' lane, but most people just get on with driving and don't get ratty with me. Bus drivers are very tolerant of cyclists and often seem to make sure that I've got the time and space to get past - so I don't try to hold them up or knock down their passengers.

All in all, I feel much safer cycling on the main roads than trying to share pathways with pedestrians or navigating round the back streets. I get home quicker too.

local cycle shops

2007-07-18T19:05:00.000+01:00

Whooooo! I can do Google maps: Cycle shops near Lewisham

Harry Potter stamps

2007-07-17T21:10:00.000+01:00

I'm a bit of a closet stamp collector on the side - mostly first day covers.

Here is today's first day cover to mark the publication of the JK Rowling book.

The next new stamp issue is due 26th July to mark 100 years since the first scouts' camping trip.

Being a school governor

2007-07-15T20:33:00.000+01:00

I was appointed as a school governor to a Lewisham primary school last year. I'm still not entirely convinced that it's the right thing for me, but I've enjoyed it so far and the school is a remarkable one.

Many of the pupils coming into the school are very vulnerable, but the school provides them with space to learn and develop. Some excellent teaching staff then help to transform the children so that they are at least as prepared for secondary school as their peers from other schools.

Even after being a governor for the past year, I'm still feeling my way around the whole thing and I'm not sure if I'm really contributing as much as I should be. We don't get asked to make loads of decisions, but the headteacher is accountable to the governing body, so I guess that we provide the governance. I've never been reticent about asking awkward questions so I guess that this could be part of the role of a school governor.

Time will tell if I'm really getting it right.

I'm really looking forward to travelling to work tomorrow.

2007-07-08T19:17:00.000+01:00

No really, I am.
Up until a couple of years ago I was crammed in the train or the DLR getting hot and sweaty on my way to work. Then we moved offices and I discovered the joys of buses - especially the 436 bendy bus. But even the bendy bus started to get too much. Though it's reasonable price for a ticket (£1 per journey) the costs soon stack up (£10 per week, £500 per year) and even though I could sleep/read/work/listen to music on the way, I still ended up hot and sweaty - there doesn't seem to be air conditioning on any London transport.
So after crummy oystercards that don't always work and ticket inspectors who treat us like criminals, I decided to get on my bike. And now I really enjoy the daily commute through south London. For the past three months I've cycled almost every day the 10-12 kilometres to work. So it's also saved me £10 a week gym fees. And the journey is at least 20 minutes shorter.
I reckon that in the past three months I've:

cycled over 1,000km,
saved over £200 on bus and gym,
eaten almost what I've wanted and not gained weight
arrived at work early feeling happy and refreshed (and more importantly arriving home again at the end of the day feeling the same)
spent 40 hours less stuck in noisy buses.

I've also got to become smug about commuting, narrowly avoided accidents (so far), spent money on bike tools, and worn clothes that are way too tight for me.

2007-07-01T21:20:00.000+01:00

lewisham cyclist

2007-07-01T12:12:00.000+01:00

flickr (58), originally uploaded by lewisham cyclist.