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.

30 June 2013

Osterly Lock to Greenford


Penelope and myself at the start of the walk.
On a beautiful summer’s day – the first and, we fear, the last – we walked the segment of the Capital Ring from Osterly Lock to Greenford in the western part of London. It is the thirteenth segment we have walked, and only two now remain until we finish the entire circuit.



Nadia and Penelope at Osterly Lock.


The walk is very beautiful and almost all of it is in parkland. Much of the early part of the walk follows the Grand Union Canal towpath. The Grand Union Canal links London with Birmingham, a distance of 145 miles (232km). It opened in 1805 as the Grand Junction Canal, but gained its present name after a merger in 1929 with other waterways.
One of the bridges over the Brent River.
The walk begins at Osterly lock, which is the first of what is called the Hanwell flight, comprising six locks which change the level of the water by 16m. The path comes to the Hanwell Bridge where there has been a bridge since the 14th century. The bridge today dates from 1762.
Wharncliffe Viaduct.
The path opens into a huge meadow where the Wharncliffe Viaduct is in the distance. It was built in 1838 by lsambard Kingdom Brunel, the great Victorian engineer. According to the guide, Brunel built it for the Great Western Railway from London to Bristol. The viaduct is named for Lord Wharncliffe and it bears his coat of arms can be seen at the centre of the span.
The route then follows through a series of parks until it reaches the A40 (Western Avenue) where there is a footbridge. From there, most of the remainder is on footpaths in a residential neighbourhood. The segment ends at Greenford Road, passing under two bridges, one for the rail lines and the other for the Central Line.
Crossing the A40.
Aside from the viaduct, there was not a great deal of cultural interest on this walk. But the scenery was really lovely and everything was enhanced by the wonderful weather.
We’ll take a break now until the end of the summer because we cannot find a convenient weekend for the next walk. The final walks will take place in the early autumn at dates to be announced.

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