Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25248
urban access:: LONDON ADVENTURES When French daredevil climber Alain" Robert-known as Spiderman to his fans-scaled London's Boo-foot-high Canary Wharf building in 1995 with little more than a harness and some tape on his fingers, passers-by scratched their heads and the nation's tabloid newspapers went into a frenzy. Luckily most visitors to London don't need to go to to horseback riding. But for a city so large, it's surprisingly easy venues for adventures that most urbanites only dream of. of Christianity-hence Devil's Dyke. Believed to be the deepest dry valley in to hardcore hikers-known as "ramblers"-and 3,000 miles of inland ___ rrprw",,< provide excellent inter-city trekking routes. One of the most popular multiday walks is along the Grand Union Canal. Starting in West London, this 145-mile towpath between the capital and Birmingham, the UK's second largest city, takes walkers past grassy moors and overgrown wetlands and through nature reserves populated by herons, kingfishers, otters and water voles. The route is punctuated with excellent inns offering distinctive local ales, inexpensive pub fare and cheap bed-and-breakfast accommodation. The towpath starts in West London, just across the street from Paddington Station. For full route details, go to www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/grandunioncanal.html. E! m 74 PADDLE THE THAMES While the world's top scullers descend on Henley-on-Thames every July for races and upper-crust schmoozing at the Royal Regatta, this rowing mecca is a great year- round launch pad for exploring the Thames by boat. Visitors can check out the town's historic buildings, bone up on river lore atthe new award-winning River and Rowing Museum, then rent a kayak. Paddlers can head downstream for a riverside view of royal residences (Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace) or go upstream to 90o-year-old Oxford. Henley-on-Thames is west of London via the M4 motorway. Information on a wide variety of boat rentals, including kayaks, punts and narrow boats, is available at www.visitthames.co.uk. ~ HANG GLIDE THE SURREY DOWNS Surrey Downs, the green, rolling hills southwest of London, is a hang-gliding center the world Devil's Dyke, in a largely undeveloped area of glacial hills near Brighton, contains one of the UK's newest permanent orienteering courses. Administered by the National Trust, the route takes in the area's rolling moorland, wild heaths and a smattering of Iron Age ruins, and is suitable for families and orienteering beginners. Devil's Dyke is south of London via the M23 motorway. For maps and information on the orienteering course go to the Devil's Dyke rangers' site: sdygen@smtp.ntrust.org.uk. _ _ DIVE THE WRECKS OF POOLE Home to the world's second-largest natural harbor (after Sydney, Australia), Poole, on the South Coast, has been an important international trading port for centuries. Consequently, its waters are littered with shipwrecks, many of which are open to scuba divers. Popular underwater sites include the Caraf]tan, a 4oo-ton war-time submarine escort sunk in 1943, and the Studland Bay, a 16th-century armed vessel that has National Historic Wreck status. This means visitors are prohibited from swimming across the ancient ship's decks and picking up some of the Iberian pottery that reputedly remains on board. Poole is south of London via the M3 and M27 motorways. For information on shipwreck diving in Poole Harbour and equipment rentals, go to www.ukdiving.co.uk. BIKE SHERWOOD FOREST .. e\~., The UK is packed with on- and off-road cycling routes, and the two can be combined in a trip to Nottinghamshire's Sherwood Forest (tights not required). Visitors can rent bikes to traverse a tapestry of ancient woodland and farming settlements in a region that contains several parks. The four well-maintained cycle routes in Sherwood Pines Forest Park where high flyers look down on a kaleidoscope of farmland separated by ancient hedgerows, spires and the occasional giant pagan artwork carved into white chalk rock. from London via the M25 motorway. Hang glider rentals and expert training hrp'p"" Jr"'POI" Airsports in Woldingham (www.greendragons.co.uk).