The Heritage Ride 3

Princes Park and Sefton Park are lovely examples of Victorian municipal munificence, big and bold. They have definitely seen better days, but they are both being slowly regenerated with bits and pieces of Lottery funding.

I am not sure if the regeneration is even fast enough to hold off the decay, but it is better than doing nothing. This is the Palm House in Sefton Park which is free and impressive, and can give Kew a run for its money.

In 1977 the Milk Race bike race had a stage here. I was living in Carnatic Halls of Residence just up the road so we popped down to watch. I had not a clue about cycle racing and could not work out what was going on; just that a big Russian bloke won and the British riders were not very good. Times have changed.

I rode up past Carnatic and down Penny Lane, past where Penny Lane Records used to be where I bought the first Buzzcocks single, to Cassville Road where I lived in a house with Andy, Katie and others – still in touch with them too. The smart streets seem little changed, although the Woolies has gone, and a pub has been opened in this previously dry area.