By chance I came across Lordship Recreation ground, hidden away in North London which claims to be the biggest open space in Tottenham. Like many of London’s best bits you don’t even know it’s there until you stumble onto them, although it has to be said that Google maps has made it easier to virtually fly over areas and check them out. Lordship Rec boasts many things of interest to all types of urban cyclists. It has a BMX track which has seen better days, but still has the tyre outline in place and some jumpable …er jumps, if you head up that way on something suitable. If you’re that way inclined there’s also a skate park. I was entirely intimidated by the teenager lazily pulling hip jumps, 360s and Can-cans in jeans and a hoodie and stuck to the BMX track.
What really caught my eye in light of my San Francisco comments was the Model Traffic area which was in use for kids from the 1930s to the 1970s to hire pedal cars and bikes and ride on a network of scaled-down roads, complete with lights and road markings. If that’s not a way to practice your road skills then I don’t know what is. Once again the area’s seen better days and the traffic markings and furniture are all gone, but it’s still there to be ridden, with tiny pavements bordering the narrow roads.
The good news is that plans are afoot to regenerate the recreation ground with a definite eye on cycling. The Trax Club have plans to develop a brand new pump track near the skate park, and to renovate the existing BMX track in the next couple of years. For those of us missing a bit of mountain biking in the city it could be the perfect place to play locally. I suggest you get involved through the website.
Perhaps there’ll even be a return to the glory of the past with the Model Traffic Area being brought back to its former glory as well.
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