Look no further than Haringey for your Olympic accommodation

Haringey’s popularity for summer 2012 comes as no surprise

With evidence for activity around the area from the Stone and Bronze Ages, Haringey has been a hub of human life for a very, very long time.

The Romans took their turn, having disposed of the local Celtic Trinobantes tribe, building roads in the area which are still in use today. Tottenham High Road, a part of Ermine Street is an excellent example. The 5th and 6th centuries saw Saxon invasions, which show their influence today with the name of a chieftain called Haering being incorporated in the names of many local places including Haringey itself.

Remaining a rural area through the Middle Ages all the way until the end of the 17th century, the modern-day borough was colonised by the owners of large country manors which became more and more commonplace leading up to the 19th century. The mid 19th-century saw the advent of railways, spurring on Haringey’s fast-paced urbanisation. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the borough was, by all accounts, urbanised.

1965 saw the foundation of the modern borough from its original constituents of the Municipal Borough of Hornsey, as well as those of Wood Green and Tottenham; all previously part of Middlesex. As part of this process, the area became a part of the Greater London Council.

Olympic sports near Haringey

Haringey may have an incredibly rich past, but the future is also bright. Its proximity to the Olympic Park means that all the star attractions of the Games are highly accessible from accommodation in the area.

This is bound to make it a very popular choice with those coming from outside London to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime event.

A specific advantage of staying in Haringey is how close it is to Lord’s cricket ground. For those with a soft spot for Robin Hood this will be the place to be in the summer as it will provide the backdrop for the highest level of archery contest. Also within easy reach is the pair of Wembley locations – the Stadium and the Arena, which will host the football finals and the rhythmic gymnastics respectively.

Haringey might just be the perfect place to stay to enjoy the best of the 2012 Olympics. Not only is it very close to the city centre for the enjoyment of traditional tourist hotspots, but it also makes access to three of the main stadia locations a breeze. There are few parts of London, if any, which are equally well situated.

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Haringey’s attractions: Friends will be green with envy!

25% of the borough is wide-open green space. Included in this figure are Finsbury, Lee Valley and Alexandra Parks. Highgate and Coldfall Woods also form a part of this glorious greenery.

There are even nature reserves within the borough’s boundaries, as well as the five ancient woods of North, Coldfall, Queen’s, Bluebell and Highgate. Finally in the nature-related segment of interesting parts of Haringey are the three remaining above-ground rivers – the New River, the River Lea and the River Moselle.

In terms of human-created attractions, the Haringey landscape is just as rich. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, for example, is an important landmark to a host of people around the world, many of whom flock to the stadium on a sort of Premiership pilgrimage. Alexandra Palace is another incredibly important location, having provided the base for the world’s first regular high-definition television broadcast service. The Palace is also a centre for public recreation and hosts conferences, exhibitions and festivals.

Bruce Castle, formerly known as the Lordship House, is another Haringey highlight. The 16th century manor house was remodelled in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and represents one of the oldest surviving English brick houses. Having served as a home for various owners the house was converted into a school before finally ending up as a museum which also houses the Haringey archives.

Underground and overground: Transport in the area

An astounding 15 different London Underground, Overground and National Rail stations link the borough to the rest of the country.

These will prove useful not only in getting to the area as well as away, but also for moving around between the different Olympic events scattered around the London landscape this summer.

An admirable bus network links together the parts of Haringey that rail doesn’t, consisting of more than forty different routes. If a car is the preferred mode of transport, those same local roads can be accessed by coming in to London on either the M1 or the M11 – whichever is easiest, depending on the direction of approach.

Air travel is also an option, with Heathrow providing the closest runways to the area. The airport is of course entwined with the other transport systems of the city, so transport to and from the terminals is as simple as navigating the tube map!