Capital Ring

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Capital Ring
The Capital Ring sign at the southern entrance to Woolwich foot tunnel
The Capital Ring sign at the southern entrance to Woolwich foot tunnel
Length 120 kilometres (75 mi) (see below)
Location Greater London
Designation UK National Trail
Trailheads circular
Use Walking
A Capital Ring sign positioned near the Preston Road tube station
A Capital Ring sign positioned near the Preston Road tube station

The Capital Ring is a strategic walking route that is being promoted by London's 33 local councils, led by the City of London Corporation in partnership with the Greater London Authority and its functional body for regional transport, Transport for London, through which much of the funding is provided. It is called a "ring" because the route completely encircles inner and central London.

The official start of the route is the Woolwich foot tunnel, but the nature of the route means that it can be started or finished at almost any point.

The idea originated in 1990 at one of the early meetings of the London Walking Forum and it was completed in September 2005. It passes through green areas of both urban and suburban London.

Contents

[edit] Route sections

[edit] Route descriptions

[edit] South-East London

Here the Capital Ring comprises three walks, 1 to 3 and is known as the Green Chain Walk. It starts from the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and ends in Crystal Palace Park. Points of interest in this section include the Thames Barrier, Severndroog Castle, Eltham Palace and the remains of The Crystal Palace.

[edit] South London

In this section, the trail comprises two walks, walk 4 and 5. Points of interest in this section include Biggin Wood (one of the few remnants of the Great North Wood), Streatham Common, Tooting Bec Lido and Wandsworth Common.

[edit] South-West London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 6 and 7. Walk 6 consists of a brief walk through suburban Wimbledon Park, then crosses Wimbledon Common and then Richmond Park. While the route passes within about 100 metres of King Henry VIII's Mound, with its protected view of St Paul's Cathedral, this is not indicated on the signposts for the route. Walk 7 continues from Richmond along the Thames, before deviating through old Isleworth, then through the grounds of Syon Park. It then continues along the Grand Union Canal to Osterley Lock.

[edit] West and North-West London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 8 and 9. Points of interest in this section include the River Brent, the Wharncliffe Viaduct, Horsenden Hill (with panoramic views) and Harrow School.

[edit] North London

The Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 10 and 11, in North London.

[edit] North-East London

The Capital Ring is made up of two walks, walk 12 and 13. Walk 12 covers Highgate to Stoke Newington, and walk 13 Stoke Newington to Hackney Wick.

This group of walks can be started at the City of London Corporation's Highgate Wood; a well conserved ancient woodland of oak, hornbeam and understorey trees and shrubs, just a short walk from the Northern Line's Highgate tube station. It forms a useful starting point, complete with a tea shop, interpretive display, and green grassy picnic area.

Alternatively the walks can be started in the village atmosphere of Stoke Newington, or at nearby Abney Park Cemetery or Clissold Park. Embark at Stoke Newington rail station, fifteen minutes from Liverpool Street, or catch a 73 bus from Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Kings Cross or the Angel.

[edit] East London

In this area, the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 14 and 15, which pass through the area earmarked for the London 2012 Summer Olympics, including Pudding Mill Lane DLR station. Walk 14 follows The Greenway for most of its distance.

[edit] Length

Authorities do not agree on the length of the route. Walk London [1] give the length as 125 km (78 miles), the distances they give for the 15 sections sum to 133 km, yet they say the average length of the 15 sections is 7.8 km, which produces a total of 117 km. The total is only 115 km (72 miles) according to the Ramblers Association [2]; the Transport for London website [3] gives it as 117 km (73 miles). Plotting the official route on digital 1:25 000 mapping gives a length of about 120 km.

[edit] See also

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

http://www.londoncapitalring.blogspot.com London Capital Ring Blog Capital Ring Walk details on TFL website