The Capital Ring Walk consists of fifteen segments that completely encircle London. The total distance is about 125 km, with each segment consisting of from 7 or 8 km to 15 km or so, easily manageable in two or three hours. The start and finish of the segments coincide with Underground or rail stations. Maps and guides for each segment are available here.

We will organise this as a group, walking every two or three Sundays, weather permitting, with an 11 AM start, and either conclude with a lunch somewhere at the end of the walk, or stop along the way. Perhaps in the warmer months we can plan on a picnic.

We will not walk in the rain, or if there is a strong likelihood of rain or similar foul weather.

Participants are encouraged to make comments and post photographs. If a walk is to be postponed because of bad weather, this will be announced on the blog a few hours before the start.

25 November 2012

Grove Park to Crystal Palace


Today we passed the half-way point on the Capital Ring, completing the eighth segment (out of fifteen). We started early in the year at Hendon Central, roughly at 12 o’clock on the dial, and finished today at Crystal Palace, roughly at 6 o’clock. There were some beautiful parts of the walk, especially through the Beckenham Place Park, but not as much in terms of cultural highlights as on previous walks. There were also some lovely views of the London skyline. This was probably the longest walk we have done, more than 8 miles (or 13 km) in length. The weather was very pleasant, apparently an interlude in what has been a very stormy time here in England.
Entrance to Beckenham Place Park.
From Grove Park, the route proceeds through a park and some residential neighbourhoods until it enters Beckenham Place Park, which appears to be about 1 square km in size. There is a footbridge over the Ravensbourne River and then a lovely part that goes through a wooded area.

But can you have five cats?

Muddy stretch in the Beckenham Place Park.


View of the golf course, with the mansion in the distance.



Front garden in Penge looks like a greenhouse that collapsed.





Telecommunications tower at Crystal Palace.
The path opens up on a golf course, which takes up perhaps one-third of the park. Atop a hill overlooking the gold course in an old mansion. The mansion was linked to the Cator family, who build it in the late 18th and early 19th century. It boasts a number of distinguished visitors, including Samuel Johnson, the botanist Linnaeus and the actor David Garrick.
Dinosaurs in the Crystal Palace Park.
Then the path continues through residential areas until it reaches the town of Penge, which is the gateway to the Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace Park is quite developed, with a huge sports centre, a number of rather odd dinosaur statues, and the BBC tower. The Capital Ring guide claims it to be the tallest structure in London, at 900 ft. But it must be out of date, because the Shard is slightly over 1,000 ft (or 300 m), and claims the distinction of being the tallest building in all of Europe.

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