My London Groundhop in aid of the Sawasdee Cup
100 miles on foot from 29th November - 4th December 2020
With a week of leave from work imminent and not lots to do because of the lockdown I decided to put my time to good use. I wanted to do something to aid my health and help others at the same time.
I am on the committee of the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes, in Thailand; an annual amateur event that has been going for over 30 years. The tournament does a fine job raising money which is put back into junior cricket development. One such beneficiary is The Sawasdee Cup, a softball tournament that gives young Thais their first taste of cricket.The 2020 event had to be cancelled owing to the pandemic stopping people travelling, thus also meaning no fundraising activities. I decided to do something about it.
After meticulous planning, I worked out that if I walked from my flat in Kingsbury and visited all football clubs in Greater London in the top five tiers, it would come to around 100 miles, by the time I returned home each evening and then went back to recommence from wherever I finished the day before. The plan was to do it in six days, so I would be free on the Saturday to go to watch some football.
Sunday 29th November
Sunday 29th November
After a nap following night shift in cold and dull conditions at lunchtime. My first port of call was The Hive, where announcements and music were the backdrop to the behind closed doors FA Cup tie between Barnet and MK Dons.
I could afterwards meaning the next morning being a bit easier. Although tiring I knew that staying up as long as I could would help recover my sleeping pattern after shift work.
The walk took me past Northolt RAF, McGovern Park GAA ground, the Rectory Park HQ of the Middlesex FA, Greenford and Hanwell. I finished for the day in the dark before taking a couple of buses back to Kingsbury.
TalkSport offered further listening as I'd downloaded some excellent old editions of Danny Kelly's My Sportling Life. Kerry Dixon's story helped me up hill to Mitcham Common. Some of my regular viewers asked for some flora and fauna as well as football, so I was able to oblige on a most pleasant leg.
The tiring natural paths led me round the back of AFC Croydon Athletic and on to Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace on what seemed to be continuous hill walks. I decided to walk up the hill to Crystal Palace Park, past the National Sports Centre to offer a bit of history to my video reports.
Thankfully it was downhill through Penge to eventually finish at Beckenham Junction.
Wednesday 2nd December
It was a long old trek to Millwall, initially up the A21 with the eclectic stories of Bobby George and then Curtis Woodhouse helping me as I passed through Downham, Catford, Ladywell, Brockley and New Cross.
From there it was onto Greenwhich, where I did a bit of a tourist thing. My attitude is that the customer is king, and so many had made kind donations, so I wanted to please as many as possible. I was also mindful that just doing the grounds would have left me a little light of 100 miles so it helped me as well.
Charlton Athletic was the final football port of call where they were preparing to allow a limited number of 2,000 fans in for the first time since March for their game against MK Dons. TalkSport spoke to someone from the club just as I arrived.
It was now a question of how far I could walk back towards the city to make my final day a little bit easier. Some friends from Blythswood CC who compete each year at Chiang Mai had been in touch and wanted to meet up and offer some support.
I got lost and walked past Ilford FC when aiming for Barking town centre. Eventually I reached my destination of the 1966 Sculpture on the junction of Green Street and Barking Road, closely to where the Boleyn Ground stood, and more flats are now going up.
Unfortunately, the weather completely drowned my Iphone and IPod, meaning it would be a far costlier walk than I anticipated with repairs and new items required.
Friday 4th December
We went via the Greenway to the Olympic or London Stadium, the home of West Ham United, prior to continuing through Olympic Park to Leyton Orient after going past the Velodrome and Hockey Centre and then the multiple pitches of Hackney Marshes and then taking a look at the beautiful Lawrie Cunningham sculpture in Coronation Gardens.
Heading west we were offered an additional bonus as the gates were open to the Hare & Hounds Ground, the former home of Leyton FC. The ground was being used as a car park but could still be brought back to use with plenty of cash.
Across Lea Valley and along the banks of the River Lea going past Springfield Park where I'd batted several times without any great success, we stopped for a welcome cuppa at the highly recommended Markfield Park Cafe, alongside the Beam and Engine Museum which is on my list for a return visit.
We continued onto Tottenham Hale and then to the New White Hart Lane at Tottenham Hotspur before re-treading our path down the High Road to Seven Sisters. We noted just how many kids seemed oblivious to the dangers of passing on C19 as they happily mucked about on leaving school as kids did, Worrying times as it transpired.
By now my right foot and knee were suffering. While I wasn't Arsenal's biggest fan I was delighted to have reached their home.
My total walked over the 6 days was 100.1 miles.
My target of donations was easily beaten. The Thailand Junior Cricket Development Fund was set up with two colleagues based in Chiang Mai so that we can allocate funds when designated projects or bodies apply for funding after the Sawasdee Cup was paid for.
If any wishes to check out the photos and videos of the walk, they’re available here.
It was then on through fairly mundane residential streets of Kenton, Wealdstone, Harrow, . An important part of the plan was not just to finish at a ground but to walk as far as Rayners Lane, Eastcote and Ruislip to the Grosvenor Vale home of Wealdstone.
I managed to make my way to Ealing Broadway by 6pm while listening to the Chelsea v Tottenham game after England's T20 victory in South Africa.
Sunday Total: 13.4 miles
Monday 30th November
I took the bus back to recommence in Ealing, walking past some beautiful closed pubs for a bonus trip to Griffin Park, which was still standing but boarded up. The four corner floodlights in the distance from Ealing Road a stunning sight, soon to be no more.
It was then a simple ten minute walk along the side of the M4 motorway with new developments spring up to the new Brentford Community Stadium, which while hosting matches for both The Bees and London Irish RFC was still being developed in its surrounds.
Getting a view was at a premium as the club were required to build lots of accommodation in the deal to get planning permission. Works on them blocked off access to get too near the stadium.
After a brief look at the Thames and longing for days when it would be possible to go into the Express Tavern for some fine ales I headed via Gunnersbury, Turnham Green and Ravenscourt Park to Uxbridge Road past even more cracking pubs.
The familiar streets led me to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, AKA Loftus Road before cutting through back to Shepherd's Bush and then down to Earl's Court where the old halls were now rubble being prepared for housing and then on to Chelsea where security men stopped anyone getting any nearer than the street.
Google Maps on my phone was my friend as it offered a quicker way than I would have naturally taken to Fulham where it was possible to see just how high and how the new Riverside Stand was coming on. It was going to be big!
Another look at the river followed with a crossing over Putney Bridge onto Wandsworth and then Earlsfield as Hawksbee & Jacobs on TalkSport took over from my IPod music as my form of company.
I'd been past the new AFC Wimbledon stadium a couple of weeks earlier on a training walk south of the river. Like the new Brentford stadium has its impact taken away being surrounded by tall flats but needs must I guess.
It was more of a hobble than a walk back to Wimbledon station, where I cannot recall a warm Gregg's sausage roll ever tasting so good before I did my final video of the day, which like all others went straight onto the designated Facebook page as proof as to where I was and so donors could chart my progress.
Monday total: 18.4 miles
Tuesday 1st December
An early departure saw me return to Wimbledon station, before I set out south on the long trek past Morden and over Rose Hill to Sutton United, where I had a drinks and snack break regathering energy in Collingwood Park.
Tuesday total: 16.5 miles.
Wednesday 2nd December
A return to Beckenham saw a rise over a hill on towards Bromley, as far in that direction as I would reach. If nothing else the walk sent me on lots of new routes and this was no different as I discovered a short cut back to Bromley town centre, though I wouldn't fancy some of the paths by night.
Before arriving at The Den I called in on Bridgehouse Meadows, the site of the old dog and speedway stadium after walking through the estate where the Old Den used to stand on John Williams Close.
prior to walking along the gloomy A206 via before crossing the Thames via the Woolwich Foot Tunnel to an even gloomier and then dark North Woolwich and continuing to Beckton around London City Airport.
Wednesday total: 18.8 miles.
Thursday 3rd December
All my start and finishes were designed to be near shops and near to toilets to make things easier. It was already a dismal day with rain falling as I patched myself up at Beckton Asda with painkilling gel for my troubling right foot and knee.
The first leg of the day matched the weather as I walked along the A13 before cutting through the seemingly endless matching housing and streets of Barking, Becontree and onto Dagenham to visit Victoria Road.
I made my way to Goodmayes Park, their former home where a couple arrived and arranged to pick me up if I called them a little later when I neared Upton Park. At this point the weather caused chaos as it gradually got into my phone, not helped by my poor orientation.
My pals, Prit, Raj, JP and Randy re-joined me to take me for socially distances beers and a substantial stew which really lifted my spirits followed by a visit to their social club for more camaraderie, Indian snacks and beers.
Thursday total: 15.4 miles.
Friday 4th December
The final day. I was aching but given a boost by being joined by my regular walking pal Jeff Cards who was waiting at the monument to walk socially distance with me and offer support.
Heading west we were offered an additional bonus as the gates were open to the Hare & Hounds Ground, the former home of Leyton FC. The ground was being used as a car park but could still be brought back to use with plenty of cash.
The walk over the hill took us to Finsbury Park and then along to Gillespie Road before I jubilantly climbed the steps and crossed the bridge to arrive at the Emirates Stadium after the temptation of going via Highbury was declined.
On completion it was time for Guinness and bangers and mash round at the Alwynne Castle where Jeff had sorted us a socially distanced table! My, was I ready for it!
Friday total: 17.6 miles
My total walked over the 6 days was 100.1 miles.
My target of donations was easily beaten. The Thailand Junior Cricket Development Fund was set up with two colleagues based in Chiang Mai so that we can allocate funds when designated projects or bodies apply for funding after the Sawasdee Cup was paid for.
If any wishes to check out the photos and videos of the walk, they’re available here.
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