Oh, look, it's June!

[kake]

Just a small reminder that we're doing the June challenge again this year.

Here are the themes: theme I, theme II, theme III. To complete the challenge, all you need to do is make an attempt during June 2012 to follow at least one set of instructions from each theme, and then report back to the community, either via a complete trip report or simply by leaving a comment on this post stating what you did and how it went.

As last year, various bits of flaneurs swag will be offered to everyone who completes the challenge.

Comments

[kake]

I love this! Shall we do it as a month's challenge on its own, or add it as a theme for next year's June challenge?

Would a deep-level Tube platform count as a significant low? I reckon so, if the flâneur could justify why that particular Tube station is of interest to them. And then the Dangleway could count as a significant high :)

[spiralsheep]

I wondered if it should have a test-run challenge before it's added to June but either/both is fine. In a high-rise city it's a good excuse for walking undercover in unfriendly weather but in many medium or low-rise areas the outside highs would be colder/wetter. I also noted how much difference leaves would make to views in medium and low-rise areas so here Nov-March (ish) would be completely different to April-October.

I think tube platforms are an excellent example cos they're not only a low (or a high in some "underground" stations) but also very local/city specific.

I didn't know the Dangleway had its own nickname already, hee!

[kake]

I'm thinking it might be better in its own month, since if we put too many themes in the June challenge then completists will be unhappy! Perhaps in an equinox month would be good? In which case it would be March, since we already have a September challenge.

[spiralsheep]

Good point about the completism, heh. Everything else is entirely up to you. Being a year-round urban walker with no personal goals means I'm very flexible.

[kake]

OK! I've put a note in my diary to get this up and running in March next year. Thank you!

London Underground highs and lows

[spiralsheep]

For reference (warning: wikipedia), "Hampstead is the deepest station below the surface, at 58.5 metres (64 yards, 192 feet). However, it is not the deepest below sea level, as its surface building is near the top of a hill. The deepest platforms below sea level are the Jubilee Line platforms at Westminster which are -32 metres (-35 yards). The highest station is Amersham on the Metropolitan line.

[...] Only 45% of the Underground's route mileage is in tunnel: despite its name, substantial parts of the system are on brick viaducts. The highest point above ground on the Underground is the Dollis Brook Viaduct over Dollis Road between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East on the Northern Line, 18 metres (60 feet) above the ground."

Re: London Underground highs and lows

[spiralsheep]

And, "Highest & Lowest

The highest point reached by London Underground trains is at Amersham on the Metropolitan Line at about 500 feet above sea level. However the highest point above the ground is reached on the Dollis Brook Viaduct on the Mill Hill East branch of the Northern Line which is 60 feet above the road below.

The lowest point on the system is just south of Waterloo station on the Northern, where the tracks are 70 feet below sea level. The absolute deepest part of the system is also on the Northern where, below Hampstead Heath, the rails are over 220 feet below the ground.

Nearby Hampstead station is also the deepest station on the network at 192 feet below ground level. The platforms here are reached by the deepest lifts on the system which descend 181 feet."

From: http://www.londonrailways.net/html/information.html