Doing the Knowledge during the Summer Holidays

Doing the Knowledge during the Summer Holidays

The six weeks between mid-July and the end of August typically are a time when the local traffic in London gets a bit lighter. I thought I would make use of this and get out on a couple of afternoons during the week as well as the early mornings at weekends.The upside to this is that I can ferry kids into the West End for shopping etc. and also meet my partner from work and go for dinner/drinks somewhere different each week. The downside is that I have to pay the congestion charge for using the car!

The ironic thing about using the congestion zone is that it is typically quieter than the places at the edge of it! Camden Town and Tooting are two areas that come to mind. The summer holidays also seems to be the time when major roadworks are scheduled around town. I am sure that they are planned around the Blue Book and the runs I am doing! This was compounded on me last week when doing my runs and pointing around Hammersmith when Shepherds Bush Road was closed and there was a fire on Fulham Palace Road! I still need to get back over to Knightsbridge early and tidy up some points around there with the traffic on the Brompton Road.

I am now finding myself doing the reverse of some of the Blue Book 1 runs and this is starting to make some areas a little more familiar. The Knowledge Point books have some small roads that are points to find and these increasingly reappear as small roads in some of the runs. Ruskin Walk between Half Moon Lane and Herne Hill appears in Run 38 Stanstead Road to Milkwood Road and then again as a point in Run 125 and as part of Run 126 Dulwich College to Vauxhall Bridge. Being able to remember small roads in areas where I had never been before gives me confidence that I am learning the right things and that piece by piece the Knowledge does start to come together.

Take time to take in the great views and sights that Doing the Knowledge presents you. It is easy to get bogged down in your books, penning up your runs and calling over. Enjoy the time on the roads and spend 5 minutes stretching your legs at the top of Canonbie Road when you are next in East Dulwich/Honor Oak Park/Forest Hill. There is a great view looking north west back to the city and a view south east out towards Kent. Make a mental note of where you are in relation to Peckham Rye/Forest Hill Road/Honor Oak Park to the north, Lordship Lane/London Road to your South, Brockley Rise to the east and (Gareth) Barry Road to the west and then crack on! Good Luck.

I am now about 10 runs from finishing Blue Book 2 in time before a week off up north visiting my family. I will use the week to revise, update the runs on this site and call over my runs before starting the 3rd book.