Riverbank Hockey Arena In Pictures

Hockey

London 2012's two Hockey Centre pitches are located between the Press Centre and the River Lea - but the venue will not be fully ready until a few months before the Games begin. Originally called the Hockey Centre, it was renamed the Riverbank Arena in January 2012 due to its location next to the River Lee. The arena has been given the Royal seal of approval when Kate Middleton attended the official opening in March 2012 and proved she's a good sport, taking to the pitch and hitting a few hockey balls.

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The venue

To be used primarily for the Hockey events, the main pitch of the arena has a capacity of 16,000 and will be used for all competition games, while a second smaller pitch will be used as a warm-up area. This is the first Olympic Games where the hockey pitches are not green - those at the Riverbank will be pink and blue, mirroring the London 2012 colours.

Under construction

Both pitches were installed between July and September 2011, with the surrounding structures going up between January and March 2012 in time for the Test Event in May 2012. After the Olympics, both pitches will be used for the Paralympic football events before the whole Hockey Centre will move to the north of the Olympic Park to Eton Manor.

From an aerial perspective

Riverbank Arena

Specialising in aerial photography since 1991, Jason Hawkes has produced over 40 aerial photographic books for the likes of the BBC, Random House and Harper Collins. Taking to the sky in a helicopter, he snapped impressive photos of the London Olympic venues, including this aerial shot of the Riverbank Arena.

Sporting events

Hockey

The new Hockey Centre in the Olympic Park will host the London 2012 Hockey competition from Sunday 29 July to Saturday 11 August as 12 teams in both the men's and women's event do battle with their sticks in a bid to seal gold. Hockey is one of the fastest team sports at the Olympics - and the modern-day water-based synthetic-turf pitches make the game all the more speedy and skillful. The Arena will also host the Paralympic 5-a-side and 7-a-side football competitions.

Olympic Sports

Hockey - 29th July to 11th August

Paralympic Sports

Football 5-a-side - 31st August to 8th September

Football 7-a-side - 1st to 9th September

Nearby

Westfield Stratford

The Riverbank Arena is located within the Olympic Park in Stratford. Even though the park isn't located within central London, there are numerous shops, restaurants and entertainment venues nearby:

Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre

10 minute walk
This 1.9 million square foot shopping mall has been billed as the 'gateway' to London's Olympic Park. With 300 high street shops, 50 or so restaurants, a 14-screen cinema, a bowling alley and the UK's largest casino, it's an impressive entertainment venue that's located just minutes away from the Olympic Park.

Restaurants

Forman's Fish Island

7 minute walk
Best of British menu devised by Lloyd Hardwick

Bistrotheque

Bethnal Green - 2 tube stops from Stratford, via the Central line
Minimalist warehouse chic restaurant with a great brunch menu

King Eddie's

20 minute walk
An east-end style gastropub with a traditional and affordable menu

Nightlife/Pubs

The Britannia

24 minute walk
Large pub garden, jukebox and laidback atmosphere

Pub on the Park

London Fields station - 1 stop from Stratford, via National Rail
Large garden and extensive beer menu, with traditional bitters and run-of-the-mill lagers

Shopping

Roman Road Market

Mile End Tube - 1 stop from Stratford, via London Overground
Situated on the oldest known trade route in Britain, this market offers crafts, antiques, food, clothing and more

Entertainment

Hackney PictureHouse

Hackney Central - 1 stop from Stratford, via London Overground
Seven-screen cinema with three bars - including Hackney Attic which hosts music and comedy evenings

Theatre Royal Stratford East

18 minute walk
450-seat theatre that showcases new writing and ethnically diverse plays

Leisure

The Greenway

7 minute walk
A flat, almost continuous and straight traffic-free walking and cycling route that carves through East London at a high level

All Star Lanes

10 minute walk
Bowling alley located within Westfield Stratford Centre

Victoria Park

Mile End Tube - 1 stop from Stratford, via the Central Line
The city's first public park boasts picturesque lakes and an Old English Garden

Travel

There are numerous options when travelling to the Olympic Park. Driving is not advised due to high levels of traffic and restricted parking - limited, pre-booked parking will be available for disabled spectators. Public transport options include:

Javelin Train

Delivering passengers from St Pancras to Stratford International in just seven minutes, the Olympic Javelin high-speed train shuttle service will take up to an estimated 25,000 travellers per hour.

Overground Stations

National Rail, Docklands Light Railway and London Overground will run trains to the following stations:

London Underground

Stratford - Jubilee and Central Lines
West Ham - District, Hammersmith & City, and Jubilee Lines

Walking and Cycling

Greenway walking and cycling routes will connect the Olympic Park with numerous locations - including Victoria Path, Lee Valley North and Epping Forest. The walking routes are step free and there will be free cycle parking provided at the Eton Manor Transport Hub, Greenway Transport Hub and Victoria Park.