Pumps, Pipes, and Pedals!

Every cyclist has a ride that's difficult to explain. In this case it was a tour of East London pumping stations. As we departed someone warned that the ride was going to be full of shit.

Leaving South-East London (where we had diverted to see an ancient mulberry tree and a church associated with Christopher Marlow) we crossed the Thames and headed north into one of the capital's most fascinating engineered landscapes. Canals, reservoirs, flood-relief channels and pumping stations appeared one after another, revealing the hidden infrastructure that keeps London supplied with water and protected from flooding.

The highlight was a visit to the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum, a wonderful volunteer-run museum celebrating the history of London's water supply, sewerage and transport. It's a treasure trove of steam engines, pumping machinery and industrial heritage, and well worth including as a stop on any ride through the Lea Valley.

Back on our bicycles, the route threaded through the reservoirs and marshes, where modern pumping stations sit alongside wildlife-rich wetlands. It's an unusual combination: cutting-edge infrastructure sharing space with herons, swans, and reed beds.

The ride itself was flat and relaxed, making it ideal for stopping to appreciate the engineering that most of us never notice. These anonymous buildings quietly pump, regulate and protect, working around the clock so that the rest of London barely has to think about them.

Thanks to ride leader, and tour narrator, Alex for a memorable ride discovering the hidden infrastructure that kept and continues to keep a city of nine million people running and to finish with a deeper appreciation of the humble pump.