1.5 Walking the Route to the Orbit

Today was the day of our big trip! The whole class (by chance all dressed in super hero costumes as it was Save the Children day!!) walked the 3km circular route from the school to the Orbit and back. In the last session we had been tracing maps and it became apparent how helpful that activity had been in helping everyone familiarise themselves with the fetters of the walk. We went under the main road to Tesco, before then cutting down not the canal, which was a first for many of the group. As we explored this very different landscape we took time to notice the birds and plants, as well as some great graffiti, strange boats and new views of familiar land marks such as the Bow roundabout and McDonalds!

As we passed under bridges and into open stretches the feel of the space changed and we noticed the variations in light and dark places. Once we got to the crossing of the canal path and the Greenway we where able to clearly identify where we were on the map and walk, or run, up the slope out onto the path from where all the Olympic site was suddenly visible. We walked close to the stadium towards the View Tube, where we found a mirrored spherical sculpture - another example of art work that already lines our art trail route.

Coming off the Greenway we arrived at the Orbit, which looked huge now we where so close - very different to the long, distant views we had had before. Everyone ran towards it and we took lots of excited group photos. We decided there was time to quickly extend our journey up to the fountains, before starting back along the second part of the route which would take us home. 

At the fountains we really enjoyed playing and dancing between the water. We also stopped here for a snack and break of satsumas and chocolate coins! By this time we where very much within the Park and where surrounded by all sorts of new landmark buildings that we had seen before when making our initial brain storm collages and when looking at the maps. We crossed over the river and the crayon shaped posts towards the Aquatic Centre. Just like the Orbit, the experience of this building changed wildly as we got up close!

As we left the Park our walk changed once again. We ducked under the railway, listening to the thundering trains above, and out onto the roads leading us across the high street and finally back to another part of the canal system that we had seen so much of. Along the roads we felt a much greater sense of being surrounded by other people, as the buildings formed a canyon like walk way out of the open Park.

This part of the canal took us past the Torch, which now marks a trendy bar, and along the towpath towards Three Mills. As we arrived at the park - somewhere familiar to lots of the group - we took one final break for more chocolate coins before our home stretch. Here lots of us needed a marching song or two to get through the last ten minutes of what was a two and a half hour walk! We walked back past Tesco, under the A12 and finally back into Bromley by Bow to school, only just in time for home time!