First Stop London

We try a new system of getting to London today without the dogs. We deposit them in their plush accommodation for the week in Ruddington and then drive to East Midlands Parkway station. We leave the car there and get the train down to London. Seamless so far.

We have booked the Holiday Inn at Swiss Cottage but again we have managed to stay somewhere without any decent pubs. We do find some a few tube stops away in the Kentish Town\Camden Town area.

We have a drink in Tapping The Admiral but they have stopped serving food, so we move on to find somewhere else. The place’s name I can’t recall (was it the Oxford?) but they served a rather nice curry!

Then it’s back on to the Underground and to Lee Valley Velopark for day two of the Track Cycling World Championships.

After a disappointing opening day yesterday, Team GB come roaring back today. Laura Trott wins the Scratch Race, Becky James gets a surprise bronze in the Keirin and the Men’s Team Pursuit almost pip the Aussies for gold after Ed Clancy rises from the dead (after a career threatening back injury) to power them round but runs out of steam two laps from the end.

Afterwards we get the Underground back to Kentish Town and visit the Grafton, where the beer is outrageously expensive even for a 3.8% ale.

(Thursday 3^rd March)