• Cody Dock
• SE London Murals

Cody Dock

11 riders led by Amanda. A wunderbar route – by land, air and sea! Flew the Cable Car; crossed by ferry, and cycled the rest. Here is Amandas report.

From Canada Water we primarily took the Thames Path via Greenland Dock to the Emirates air cable car, viewing a few new artistic structures along the route. Crossed the Thames , alongside Excel to City Airport.  Another plane take off, hearing the roar is still fascinating. Through Beckton Park and woods to pick up the Greenway over the A13. Three mills wall river to the mills and Twelvetrees Bridge over to Cody Dock. Nice quiet break by the river in the sun.

Return was via the Blackwall underpass, up Trafalgar Way, through Canary Wharf to Westferry Circus, sharp left  onto Thames Path to pick up the Ferry to take us a 3 minute ride across to the Double-Tree Hilton hotel reception. (walk through with bike, seems a bit odd.)  From here we entered and rode through the lush green Russian Dock Woodland back to Canada Water.

SE London Murals

Grey day but wth a promise of improvement. 13 riders left Peckham Square with Bruce leading a new route and a new theme. Well not completely new as we had done a Murals of Brixton ride several times in the past. This ride was rather wider in scope including mosiaics and graffiti (of the artistic kind).

Down to Burgess Park and our first stop at the butterfly mosaic on the side of the old Bath House building. Then a couple of miles including round the Elephant SW bypass to Leake St, off Lower Marsh. Quite amazing, the Graffiti Tunnel. 100 metres of anarchy, painted floor to ceiling, plenty “artists” at work, and a Banksie. After recovering from the solvent fumes headed several miles east mostly on Cyclway 10, to Bermondsey “Blue” shopping area. Inspected the new (2022) mural celebrating local activity and people. This is the mural that incudes Ada Salter (see ride 25 June 22, Salter Centenary Ride). Continued west, now in sunshine, to Deptford with a coffee stop at the Honle Cafe in Folkestone Gardens. On Deptford High St admired the His and Hers mural, a 2002 work offering an ironic comment on the gentrification of the area. Turning back towards home, navigated the street market along Douglas Way and continued to Sanford Rd at Fordham Park. Another quite new (2022) mural called Woven Together here. Still heading east made our way to the Old Kent Road and the large 1965 mosaic by Adan Kossowski that depicts the history of the road. From there Peckham Park Road took us back to Peckham Square at 12.50. Aproximtely half the group elected to add an extra loop up Rye Lane to Copeland Park to see the arresting mural from 2020 by 3 Japanese artists (more info here https://www.copelandpark.com/blog/2020/10/29/london-mural-festival-at-copeland-park/).

Route at  https://tinyurl.com/k8phpbwe

More information about the street art on the ride.

1. Camberwell Beauty. On the gable end of the Passmore Edwards Library, Baths and Wash House building in Burgess Park. This was the trademark of local stationers Samuel Jones & Co. (now part of Wiggins Teape). The Royal Doulton tiles were moved here when the Southampton Way factory was demolished in 1982.
2. . 300m tunnel under Waterloo Station. “official” graffiti site. Even has spotlights! Can usualy watch artists at work.
3. Bermondsey Peoples Mural. Paul Butler, 2022. Next the “The Blue” market place. Features Ada Salter and local market traders.
4. Creek St Graffiti. Railway viaduct approaching the Halfpenny Bridge on Creek St has lots of graffiti.
5. His + Hers. Mural by Patricio Forrester/Artmongers (2002). Somewhat satirical comment on the gentrification of Deptford.
6. Woven Together. The Lewisham School of Muralism. 30th anniversary of homeless charity The 999 Club, Deptford. 2022.
7. The History of the Old Kent Road. Adam Kossowski, 1965. Actually a mosaic made with 1000s of individually shaped pieces. Building was formerly the Peckham Civic Centre.
8. Copeland Park. On corner of Bournmouth Rd a striking mural by Suiko, Imaone & Fate, Japanese mural artists. 2020. Wander through Copeland Park and see several painted buildings.

Also available as a seperate file