Shortly before Christmas, I tapped into the popular search
engine Google the two simple words “Brompton Socks”. As part of my Christmas
shopping I hoped to find a pair of cycling socks emblazoned in the famous three
part logo of the world’s greatest folding bicycles, for my friend who is
passionate about the Brompton Bicycle despite not owning one… yet.
My search proved fruitless, the most useful result to my
query was a link to a pair of cycling socks that a London blogger had reviewed
having used them through a winter’s night bicycle ride on a mission to visit
every location on the world famous Monopoly board Game. This was how it begun…
I had uncovered a charming blog and collection of stories
by a chap who was clearly never happier than cycling his Brompton around the
city with his folding friends or writing about it. The collection included humorous
titles such as “12 ways the Brompton user might annoy a roadie” and “10 signs
that tell if you are a Brompton Geek” as well as practical reviews of equipment
and DIY repairs.
Back to the blog about socks, and I followed a link to the aforementioned
“London Monopoly Board Challenge” where the final line was… “If you have a Monopoly edition for the city you live in,
perhaps you could try something similar?”
Don’t mind if I do!
A hasty phone call to my mum to commandeer
the family box of “MONOPOLY IPSWICH EDITION” I began my research looking at the
route the board would take me around my hometown. During this spell of internet
browsing, I found information on other expeditions that have visited all
squares of the London edition. Previous completers included a father and
daughter pair, and also the infamous “London Monopoly Pub Crawl” which involves
travelling by bus and drinking a pint at each location of the board, which is a
god awful amount of beer, so half pints are permitted.
Given the apparent small size of Ipswich, I decided
I would aim to ride the board in order, which would involve a bit of criss
crossing to get to some further flung locations, but the majority where located
close to the town centre.
I discussed my plans with my fellow Brompton rider
Jayne, who if she was a Monopoly piece would definitely be the Tophat due to
her extensive collection of funky bobble hats. We decided we would complete the
challenge on the Sunday after Christmas, and I set about creating a crib sheet
containing all the locations, along with various statistics that I would record
from the ride.
The game was afoot and we passed GO without collecting
£200 Salary.
The famous Giles Statue on Princes St, a commemoration
to the much loved cartoon character “Grandma” by the local artist Carl Giles
was our starting point, and we rolled away through the arches between Elm and
Arcade St towards our first brown property, the Biffa refuse site on Paper Mill
Lane, Bramford.
The roads were still deserted at 9.30 and we
were able to ride in a leisurely manner whilst chatting as we made one of the
longer journeys away from town. Sharing a friendly wave with Mossy as he loaded
his bike in the car to travel to a cyclocross race, we arrived for the first
photo opportunity. Once I had recorded ride stats including time and distance
travelled, it was back in the saddle to retrace our steps to the local
newspaper office, the Ipswich Evening Star, to turn over the first of many
community chest cards.
I have been lucky enough to feature on the
back sport’s page of the Ipswich Star a few times, and have been photographed
outside the offices promoting my success at the London Duathlon. This time
however, it was the affectionately named Bingo and Bessie Brompton that were
ready for their close up.
The Brompton folding bicycle is an urban
design, by a London based engineer and is popular with train commuters, boating
types and the space deprived as a reliable, mobile means of transport. Being small
and nimble is a great feature of the Brompton and this was evident as we rolled
away from the community chest square, taking a couple of shortcuts between
buildings that would be inaccessible to a ‘conventional’ pedal cycle.
After shimmying through behind the Bus
station to the VUE cinema, we approached our second brown property, the Borough
council offices at Grafton House, in a leafy street, accompanied by the
imposing glass structure of Endeavour House and in the shadow of the mighty
Ipswich Town’s South Stand (Churchman’s, Greene King, Sir Alf Ramsey, call it
what you will!)
The next property was only a short hop away
and involved some creativity. The Income Tax square was at my discretion,
perhaps we should have visited the county jail to visit a thief, but instead
only a few sixteen inch wheel revolutions took us to St Clare House and the
home of HM Revenue and Customs. The building is a rather bland affair, and is
fairly non-descript, but for a few tax related posters and this plaque over the
post box.
A milestone was ticked off as we visited our
first “station”. Enjoying the still silent roads, we followed the bus lane passed
the fire station and over the Princes St crossing of the River Orwell to Ipswich
Railway station, where an enthusiastic Rail Replacement Bus driver sang travel
information regarding the next buses to leave town bound for Cambridge,
Colchester and beyond.
Another square ticked and photographed, we
were making great progress, four squares by 1030, and this would be easy!
Back into the town centre, we accidentally encountered
oncoming traffic as cutting through Cromwell Square happened to take us to a
one way street. Not a problem on a Brommie!
Past the Buttermarket Shopping centre, we
rolled up to the first blue property St Stephens Lane and the monument shown on
the board, a grand church building, neatly restored to be the tourist
information building and a coffee/ tea room. We used this opportunity to take a
comfort break and to buy a bottle of water, before freewheeling to our first
chance card of the challenge.
Classic Gold Amber Radio Station is the
emblem shown on the board. This station is now, I believe based in Norwich
which was a bit far to cycle on sixteen inch wheels and a two speed bike. They
do have their limitations! My only experience of Classic Gold is being tortured
by its awful (to teenage ears) playlist which my sister and I had to endure in
mum’s dear old Ford Fiesta “Mable”, as it was the only radio station the car
could receive on its out dated AM radio.
With my reluctance to travel to Nelson’s
County, improvisation took us less than three hundred metres through the bus
station onto Turret Lane and the studios of Ipswich Community Radio(ICR), a
great alternative radio station run by local dj’s and presenters.
After snapping photo evidence of ICR we took
another jaunt the wrong way up Saint Nicholas St, (will we ever learn?) and
past the start point at Giles Square. We were of course back to the centre of
town and landed on King St to purchase the Corn Exchange entertainment theatre
for a snip at £100. The Corn Exchange is now home to the Ipswich Film TheatreTrust and holds childhood memories of Panini sticker swap shops and the ‘Stimulation’
under 18 nightclub.
High St was our next, and final blue
property. Family that live on this street asked why I hadn’t photographed Bingo
and Bessie outside their property. I claimed that we were just following the
board and opted for the grand red brick building of the Ipswich Museum just a
few doors up the hill. The Ipswich museum is home to a unique replica woolly
mammoth, accompanying remains found in the Stoke area of the town. Our famous
mammoth shot to fame after museum boss Gordon Mole appeared on the Radio 2 Breakfast
show with Sara Cox to discuss half term entertainment. During his conversation
with the quirky Boltonion DJ, Mole challenged the Radio 2 listeners to name the
replica. The museum’s model Rhino is called “Rosie” and listeners eventuallysettled on “Wool.I.Am” for the woolly beast. I preferred the suggestion of “Gareth
the Mammoth”!
We had been ticking off squares at great
speed, completing the first side of properties in fifty minutes, but now, as a
few, literally a few(three) snowdrops fell, we began the long straight time
trial well away from the town. Meandering around Christchurch Park and the
confusing maze of town houses on the North East edge of town, we finally left
the town limits near to the Ipswich Hospital and proceeded on a familiar route
for me to collect the IN JAIL square. I must at this point clarify that the
route is familiar to me as it is the same road that I cycle commute to work on
daily, not because of copious amounts of brushes with the law.
Once we were beyond the expanse of the
Rushmere Heath Golf Course, we were able to leave the now trafficked roads and
cycle side by side along one of the town’s dodgier cycle paths. With a crossing
of a side road every fifty metres or so, this cycle path really requires you to
have your wits about you, and eyes in the back of your head. Every day I opt to
stick on the safer road option as the amount of traffic turning in and out of
the junctions hampers speed and could be disastrous.
We reached the sign signalling the entrance
to Martlesham and would shortly round the corner to reach our destination. It had
taken us 32 minutes but we were now IN JAIL!! I initially had apprehensions about
approaching the main building of the Martlesham HQ of the Suffolk Police, but
realising we were just two harmless visitors with funny bikes, the brommies
were papped beside the moat of the building in front of the force’s crest.
On a Saturday morning en route to work as I pass
the bus stop just two hundred metres from the cell blocks, it is amusing to see
the occasional individual still dressed in Friday night’s club going gear
looking slightly crest fallen having spent the night courtesy of the Suffolk
Constabulary.
It was still well before midday as we left
custody for a long return back into town, this time along the preferable cycle
lane that intersects the pedestrian and cycle friendly Grange Farm development.
Several miles of traffic less National Cycle Network followed before we were
spat out on Heath Road to skirt around the perimeter of the hospital grounds
before descending into town and to the waterfront and Haven Marina. A quick
glance at a tourist information map board informed me specifically which area
was the Haven Marina, in view through the vast masts of the yachts in the Neptune
Marina. A short journey along the cobbled waterfront passed the popular Isaac’s
bar and the Old Customs House, a reminder of the docks rich history, we arrived
at the Port of Ipswich, enjoying a photo opportunity beside a large anchor.
Ahoy!
With our first pink property bagged and
prices on the increase, we headed to the Coffee Link coffee shop on the
waterside for a caffeine hit and comfort stop. The bikes came in with us, and
folded neatly next to a child’s scooter in the doorway where we could keep an
eye on them.
Knowing a slightly longer journey out of town
beckoned, we became concerned about the time. It was now after twelve and
knowing that I had to be at a family gathering at three pm, we began to doubt whether
we would be able to get this challenge completed within the time available. Never
mind, a Mocha shouldn’t be rushed.
Leaving two empty cups behind, we unfolded
the kids and hopped across the road to visit the electricity company. This again
took a bit of thinking, and as I had spotted the entrance to the offices and
depot of UK Power Networks whilst out running, we settled with this choice,
mildly conscious of the busy traffic watching us taking a photograph of a sign.
The next two properties would be easy, and
once we had weaved our way around the one way road system passed the dock’s malting
buildings and looping around the side of the cinema again, we arrived at
Ipswich’s Portman Road football stadium for a meeting with two legendary
Ipswich Town and England football managers.
Behind the stadium’s Cobbold stand is a
statue by Sean Hedges Quinn of Sir Bobby Robson. Sir Bobby famously managed
ITFC in the seventies and eighties, lifting the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup
in Amsterdam in 1981. My dad will probably remember the starting line up! He later
led England to the semi-final of the Italia 90 World Cup, where Gazza famously
cried after being booked. The statue was unveiled in 2002, and in 2014 Sir
Bobby Robson had the pleasure of a folded Brompton at his feet.
A World Cup win is obviously worth twenty
quid, as the price of The Sir Alf Ramsey Statue is £160 compared to £140 for
Sir Bobby Robson. The statue of England great manager was unveiled in 2000 on
the corner of Portman Road and Sir Alf Ramsey Way, on which the stadium’s North
Stand (Sir Bobby Robson Stand) sits. Sir Alf led Ipswich Town to the Second
Division title in 1960, following it up a year later by taking the blues to the
Division One Championship in 1961. All this before leaving to become England
manager in 1963 and winning the World Cup in 1966 before receiving a knighthood
in 1967.
We only had to travel 93 metres from Sir Bob
to Sir Alf, with them being in sight of one another is an emotional reminder of
the powerful force Ipswich Town hold and held in European and English football.
With a full collection of pink properties, we
were now on the correct side of town to bag our second station, the London Road
Park and Ride Bus terminal located at the junction of the A14 and A12 dual
carriageways. After a long uphill slog on the cycle path, including an
enjoyable journey down the ramp and under the underpass feeding into the vast Chantry
Park, we arrived at a deserted bus station for a quick photograph, after which
we looped down the bus access road and back from whence we had come.
This expedition was giving me the opportunity
to see places of the town in which I have lived my whole life, but which I have
never been to due to accessibility or necessity. The route back to town took us
through Gippeswyk Park. Sticking to the concrete path we bounced our way along
between the train line to our left and the wide open parkland to our right. On exiting
the park, I chose to go uphill, assuring the Hat that this road was “definitely
a made road” despite her protestations. Ancaster road seemed to go up. And Up.
And Up.
And eventually turned to dirt, potholes and
puddles as I was proved wrong. It was easier now to simply dismount and push
until reaching the top of the hill and Belstead Road. From here gravity
assisted us back to the waterfront, but this time we stayed to the south of the
river following the A137 road to Bath St, the first orange property, home to
the IpCity event buildings and a sense of sad realisation.
As we had struggled up the dirt road, and
gathered speed back downhill I had also gathered my thoughts. I was thourouhgly
enjoying our quirky little adventure exploring Ipswich and I was confident Jayne
the Hat was too. The pace had been comfortable, we had no time goals and we were
able to stop and look at interesting things to our hearts content. This was our
way of doing things, and I wasn’t prepared to hamper the enjoyment factor just
to get it done ‘as the crow flies’ as quickly as possible.
Once we had completed the formalities,
photograph of a gate and ride stats, I made a proposal that couldn’t be
refused. Ending the ride a logical point, for today anyway, was unfortunately
going to be a necessity if I was to make it to the festive family gathering on
time. It was with great disappointment that we realised the board would not be
ridden in its entirety in one go. We saw ourselves as pioneers of what I envisioned
would become a great challenge for the tourists of Ipswich!
The pace now decreased as we followed the
riverside along a rattily boardwalk under the watchful eye of a team of
scaffolders rapidly dismantling their handiwork. Re-joining the one way system
we soon pulled off the main road to travel up Lower Brook Street to turn
another community chest card at the Ipswich Evening Star. Not a lot had changed
here in the three hours since our last visit, although a squashed coke can I noticed
had been disturbed by a kicking foot by a few yards. A quick photograph,
ensuring the bicycles were pulling different poses this time, and we proceeded
to collect our final two orange properties.
First, it was a simple three minute pilgrimage
through the town to PJ Mcginty’s pub, a mainstay of Ipswich for aslong as I can
remember. Turning off the road up a narrow alley, we seesawed along the loose
noisy slab stones outside the top entrance to Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre,
stopping at the far end of the bus stands beneath the awning of the centre’s
entrance. The piazza was now busy with post-Christmas sale shoppers. I
appreciate that Tower Ramparts is not the most photographed building in
Ipswich, and I realised I probably looked a bit odd, but not a care was given as
another property was bagged.
Taking an alternative route through some
narrow alleys passed Churches Wine Bar and alongside Mcdonalds, we battled
through the crowds and arrived at the Buttermarket Shopping Centre, in the same
spot we had visited near the beginning of our journey outside the Tourist
Information Church. Arty evidence on the camera and we were on our way to the
third corner of the board.
Nothing in life is free. Not even Free
Parking. We were reluctant to visit any street side parking as this felt too
random so instead decided that the NCP multi storey car park in Foundation St would be suitable,
mostly because its big yellow letters would make for a good photograph.
At this point I pressed stop and reset on my
Garmin as the day had regrettably come to an end. We would certainly complete
the board. Despite the disappointment of not getting all around in one day
which we no doubt would have done given the time we soon cheered up with a cup
of tea and a game of darts in my kitchen.
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| Crib Sheet Showing: Time of day, Lap Dist, Lap Time, Overall Dist, Overall Time |
Link to the inspiration:
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