please empty your brain below
We went yesterday, and I'd say we are *highly inclined to follow paths*. And there were still a couple of times when we were sorely tempted to take shortcuts, especially after dark. I found the Live Site particularly hard to find sensible paths through. Plus we twice wanted to get from the river paths to a higher level, only to discover that there simply weren't steps in the right place. We stuck to the paths. But our children were completely exhausted by the end of the day.

Clearly we are not going to have such spectacular plantings when this is a public park. But I do hope that it will stay beautiful. We visited Montreal a couple of years ago, and despite clear good intentions to find legacy uses for their park, it's still a weird, over-sized, wasteland. Yesterday, I loved the way that the large public spaces are balanced with some quite small-scale delights.

Alison Scott | Homepage | 03.08.12 - 11:26 a.m. | #

I agree that the parklands are a triumph, almost as many of my photos from yesterday are of the flowers as of the main structures. The beds look amazing when viewed from the Orbit - they give the whole park a very coherent (and colourful) look.

I saw a few people entering the beds where they shouldn't have, despite the presence of some patches of woodchip for them to stand among the flowers for photos. But I can also understand the temptation of a shortcut, given how big the park is (and how tired one can get!), and how winding some of the temporary detours in place actually are. The signs need beefing up, people didn't understand what they meant and volunteers need to be more vocal about stopping people from trampling the beds.

s | 03.08.12 - 12:21 p.m. | #

Finally made it to the park yesterday. I completely agree about the obtuse signs. Especially for those for whom English isn't a first language (so - lots and lots of park visitors!)

If you want people to keep off the grass and flowers - why not just have a sign to that effect. What's more British than a "keep off the grass" sign? ;)

Steve | 03.08.12 - 12:42 p.m. | #

As someone who'd dearly love to be able to visit the park, not so much for the sports, but to see the grounds and soak up the atmosphere, I think the 3rd photo, with people trampling the gorgeous landscaping, is just shameful!
Like you say, heavens knows what state it'll fall into after the Games have finished. :((

CornishCockney | 03.08.12 - 1:01 p.m. | #

I got cross at some people trampling over the flower beds on Tuesday. I can understand in places where there is a long detour but some people are just lazy. At least the rope fences that they've put in near the basketball don't look as obtrousive as the metal ones they've had to install further along. Such as shame as the flowers are lovely.

CPgirl | 03.08.12 - 1:46 p.m. | #

One could say that this is consumer power at its most fundamental level. The only effective solution will be for the designers to move in, after the Olympics finish, and tarmac over the paths which large numbers of people have made quite clear there is an overwhelming desire for.

I can't believe that landscape designers, after centuries of failure, still kid themselves that they can persuade an enormous mass of humanity to walk exactly where the designer wants them to walk, no matter how inconvenient, instead of where they would inevitably actually want to walk. You'd have thought they'd have learned by now.

Thinking about it another way: the crowds of people trampling over the flowerbeds because the official routes are so tortuous is quite similar to the rapid spread of piracy after the music companies made legitimate downloads so awkward. Not in any way right in either case, but it's futile trying to swim against it.

swirlythingy | Homepage | 03.08.12 - 6:28 p.m. | #

I can understand the designers wanting people to "respect the landscape" but is it too much to ask for paths where people actually want to walk?

Andrew | 03.08.12 - 6:52 p.m. | #

The park was rammed today. Walked in from West Ham cause we were told to, busy walk but quickly in. Loads of people sitting over the plantings and reeds to watch the big screen. I do look forward to seeing the park after the Olympics though, when hopefully it will be free to wander around and not feel like you're in a compound.

| 03.08.12 - 9:09 p.m. | #

We too saw loads of trampled plants where people were sitting to watch the big screen. Sad. It was so beautiful on Monday.

Veronica | 03.08.12 - 11:08 p.m. | #

I was in the park today. As I was going to basketball and i live at the east of the central line - i walked from Leyton Undergound to the Eton Manor Gate next to Spitalfields Market. Hardly any one was using this route - even though it is signposted from Leyton Station. There is a 24 hour Asda an empty food market with delicious looking Thai and Caribean food with no takers as everyone else had been coralled in Statford or told to go via West Ham. It was a joy going back on that route this evening.

KissenMe | 03.08.12 - 11:23 p.m. | #

Entirely agree that the flowers and greenery are the glories of the Olympic Park. Had a fantastic picnic on the descending lawn yesterday with plenty of space and no feeling of being in the midst of crowds. But saw lots of people walking to that desire line at the bottom of the lawn and then turning back (despite the faintly trampled line that some people had already created).

Far far busier today but even so amazed how peaceful some of the spots along the riverside were, especially the 2012 Gardens and overlooking the City Mill River in the shadow of the stadium (which is a great place to watch athletics. I was way back in the stands and could still follow everything very clearly: just wish they felt confident enough to turn the music off sometimes.

Also surprised by how quiet and poorly signposted the walk from Hackney Wick station to Victoria Gate was.

But main purpose of posting this is to thank you for your Olympics coverage. Not only a v entertaining read but genuinely useful if helping me make the most of my precious tickets.

(Very much enjoy your non-Games-time writing too.)

Jon W | 04.08.12 - 12:45 a.m. | #











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