Forum Topic

Did anyone do the Skyride today?

I did with my daughter and great fun it was too - though squillions of people made it a bit of a crawl at times.The marshalls were great and there were loads of smiles all round.There was a rather credit-crunch feel: no real hub at Ravenscourt Park, no Dr Bike and no free water but that wasn't a major problem.I think there must have been even more people doing it than last year.I only wish central London could be car-free more often - especially along the Embankment. Wouldn't that be great?

Sara Nathan ● 5690d9 Comments

Yes I think that's it.Very fine bells!

Sara Nathan ● 5685d

Sorry, a newline crept into the URL.  Try again ...

Richard Jennings ● 5685d

I didn't take an exterior photo myself, being frustrated by the view through the western arch towards the river being blocked by a black metal fire escape!  You can see the offending structure on this photo which is from a site* containing details of the new bells and their consecration.* http://anglicanexfide.blogspot.com/2009/03/solemn-consecration-of-bells-at-s.html

Richard Jennings ● 5685d

I'm sure you are right (as ever) but the only pix on their website are of interiors - strange - but the bells were sounding out with the vigour of a new toy so sounds plausible.

Sara Nathan ● 5686d

You said it was near the tunnel, which is why I thought it must be St James Garlickhythe.  There's no church on the south side of Upper Thames Street.Perhaps your "tunnel" was in fact the bridge under London Bridge.  Anyway, it's very likely that it was St Magnus the Martyr, which is just downstream from London Bridge (and therefore in Lower Thames Street).  It's actually on the alignment of Old London Bridge.  The church had been without its bells since 1940, but a new set were installed in March this year.

Richard Jennings ● 5686d

pretty pix - but it didn't look like that from the road - this was between the road I was on and the river.I would have thought it the south side of Upper Thames Street - if that's the road one over from the river itself.

Sara Nathan ● 5688d

" did love riding past the church - near the tunnel - which was ringing all of its bells for ages around 1300. Now that was a cacophany!"On the north side of Upper Thames Street?  That would be St James Garlickhythe, so called because the boats bringing garlic to London used to berth near there.

Richard Jennings ● 5689d

You sound like the ghastly Daily Mail sports columnist - Martin something? - who did a great chunk of column on why it was usual typical b****y selfish cyclists closing the roads to his sons' football match...without mentioning that central London roads get closed for the Marathon, for visiting foreign dignatories, for Remembrance Sunday, for parades plus all sorts else and no-one makes a big deal of that.I did love riding past the church - near the tunnel - which was ringing all of its bells for ages around 1300. Now that was a cacophany!

Sara Nathan ● 5689d

"I only wish central London could be car-free more often - especially along the Embankment. Wouldn't that be great?"Only if cyclists would respect traffic lights!  Crossing the roads on the Skyride route was tricky, even at signalled crossings.  The traffic lights were ignored, and even the marshals with their STOP boards had to plead with cyclists to stop on the Embankment.The usual peaceful quiet of a Sunday morning in the City (we were visiting City churches on Open House weekend) was shattered by these noisy cyclists - why do they have to have whistles and hooters?  And Pret-à-Manger ran out of sandwiches!  Oh dear, I'm slipping into Meldrew mode!  Actually it was great to see so many people of all ages enjoying themselves, and it did seem to be very well organised, with first aid readily available for both bikes and riders.

Richard Jennings ● 5689d