ARSENAL (Piccadilly line)
The Emirates Football stadium - and a small nature reserve


From Arsenal Tube Station, renamed in 1932, turn left down Gillespie Road. You may be surprised to discover along the way that the turf of the Emirates stadium is not the only green space round here. Gillespie Nature Reserve is a 9 acre snippet of countryside ( actually ex railway siding) kept pleasantly wild. Turn right down Avenell Road. Before getting to the new stadium you will walk past the facade of Highbury - now redeveloped as flats - an emotional experience for many fans. Continue walking down the road until you get to Aubert Park where you will soon see the massive shiney new home for the Gunners. Go right into Drayton Road and you will pass the main (hideous) entrance. If you want a close look at the stadium (impressive) you can walk up the steps and across the bridge. On your return, continue along Drayton Park, noticing the odd but clever house jammed into the junction with Gillespie Road, and you will end up back at the Tube station.
Warning: There may be serious congestion problems at the end of a game, so it is best to avoid the entire area on match days. To check on fixtures go to the Arsenal website
Map
This is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and whacky buildings to be found, even in the most unpromising areas covered by the Greater London Underground stations. Usually the places listed are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to go to www.londontuberambles.co.uk to see the other destinations explored . You'll be amazed at what's out there!
©DR2008