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.

Richmond Bridge to Osterly Lock

Daffodils in Richmond

Starting in coffee shop at Richmond train station.

Quaint tower in Richmond.

There were a few snowflakes in the air and it was quite cold as we set off on the twelfth of our segments of the Capital Ring walk around London. There are three more segments to go until we finish. Today we were joined by my brother, Michael Schabas, and my sister-in-law, Veronica Lam.

Start of Thames towpath.

Today’s walk was from Richmond Bridge, at the farthest west point on the circuit. It is the point where we cross the Thames. We did this many months ago at the easternmost point, and our last seven walks have taken us through south London.

The path begins at Richmond rail station. The town itself, which sits beside the river, is lovely and quite chic, with fancy boutiques and beautiful homes. Despite the wintry feel because of the cold weather, the city looks like it is spring, and the daffodils and blossoms are starting to come out.

Over the bridge, to north bank of Thames.

We walked along the towpath beside the Thames for a fair distance, passing under the Twickenham Railway Bridge. To the right is the Old Deer Park, which further on joins Kew Gardens. The Old Deer Park is used used for sport and recreation but was originally a Royal Hunting Park of around 370 acres, created by King James I in 1604.The towpath is on a raised causeway that was built in the river itself in 1766. There are some obelisks which were erected in 1778 to mark the Meridian before it was moved to Greenwich.

Obelisk in Deer Park marks old Meridian.

At Richmond Lock we crossed the river. Very high tides were expected today, and we might have been wading through water had we come here a couple of hours later. The path follows the river and then it leaves the Thames and heads north.

We passed the London Apprentice pub which dates from Tudor times. By tradition City apprentices would be rowed with their senior craftsmen to this famous inn to celebrate the receipt of their indentures, entitling them to full journeymen’s wages.

The London Apprentice.

Then the path continues to Syon Park, which is a huge estate belonging to the Duke of Northumberland. There is what looks to be a gorgeous mansion, but it was closed for visits. There is also a lovely garden centre, and we stopped there for a cup of tea.

At Syon Park there is a plaque commemorating Richard Reynolds, who was the chaplain of Syon Monastery in the 16^th century who managed to get his head chopped off by Henry VIII.

Lock on the Grand Union Canal.

Start of the Canal at Brentford Lock.

The path continues to Brentford Lock, which is towards the end of the Grand Union Canal. It turns north and follows the Canal for several miles. At the start, there is a big basin, with new housing. Twenty or thirty years ago, it was lined with warehouses, but only one remains.

We continued along the towpath, passing under the major roads that head west to Heathrow Airport and beyond. The Canal is quite lovely, and there was a lot of wildlife: swans, mallards, geese and so on.

Boston Manor Underground station.

We saw lovely pubs in Richmond and around the river, but Boston Manor, at the end of the walk,  was a bit desolate and the only places to eat around the Underground stations were Chinese takeaways. So we took the Underground to King’s Cross where we had a great lunch in the Parcel Yard, which is a great pub and restaurant atop the train station.

Wimbledon Park to Richmond

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Daria, Penelope and Nadia at the entrance to Wimbledon Park.

Roughly a year since we started our walks, we headed off today on the eleventh segment of the Capital Ring. It was a gorgeous early spring day, with the sun shining and nice signs of the future, like bulbs starting to bloom. We were joined today by Daria Sartori, who is visiting Middlesex University School of Law as part of her research for a doctorate at the University of Trento, in Italy. It was a long walk - probably 12 km altogether. For part of it, we were accompanied by runners who were doing a 50-km circuit through London. Occasionally we had to help them with directions - some of them must have run more than 50 km because they took some wrong turns.

The route began at Wimbledon Park Underground Station. Soon we were in Wimbledon Park, from where we could see the famous All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Wimbledon Park is said to date to the 16th century, when it was part of the Wimbledon Manor House. The Park was used for deer hunting and hawking.

The windmill in Wimbledon Common.

The trail crosses the Park and then continues to Wimbledon Common, one of many ‘commons’ that we have crossed as we have walked through South London. In the middle of the park is the Wimbledon Windmill, a very distinctive landmark to which is attached a museum (www.wimbledonwindmill.org.uk). Next to the Windmilll is the London Scottish Golf Course, with its distinctive clubhouse. There are many lakes along this route too. At the windmill we met four other walkers who were also following the Capital Ring. It is only the second time in all of the walks that we have met another Capital Ring walker.

Wimbledon Common, with windmill.

Bench in Wimbledon Common, with recent bouquet of flowers in honour of Peter Smith.

The really glory of the walk was passing through Richmond Park, which has herds of deer – we saw scores of deer, although at a distance – and vast open spaces unlike anything I have ever seen in a large city like London. The path was often muddy and difficult, and were we to do it again we probably would have worn Wellies. Not far from the herd of dear was an attractive old building, dating to the early eighteenth century, which is now the home of the Royal Ballet School. Apparently the building is featured in the film Billy Elliot.

We stopped for a late lunch at Pembroke Lodge, which sits atop a ridge overlooking the Thames Valley. The view was quite spectacular. The Lodge was the residence of Prime Minister Lord John Russell in the mid-nineteenth century and was the childhood home of Bertrand Russell.

Scene in Richmond Park.

Scene in Richmond Park.

There is a marvellous belvedere next to the Lodge where one can see St. Paul’s Cathedral with a telescope, as well as Heathrow Airport, Windsor Castle and Runneymede Island (where the Magna Carta was proclaimed). The telescope is atop Henry’s Mound. According to legend, Henry VIII stood here in 1536 waiting for a flare that would tell him that Anne Boleyn had been executed and he was free to marry Jane Seymour.

View of Thames Valley from Henry's Mound.

We walked down the large hill to Petersham Gate, where one exits Richmond Park. The Park is surrounded by a brick wall more than 2 metres high, and its circumference is apparently almost 13 km.

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Richmond Bridge.

The path goes through some alleyways in the village and then opens out onto the Thames River. There are a few longboats and some yachts. In the distance is Richmond Bridge. Soon it becomes very fashionable and gentrified. Just next to Richmond Bridge is a statue honouring Bernardo O'Higgins, who was a great Chilean patriot of Irish origin.

Statute of Bernardo O'Higgins.

We have finished our long pilgrimage through south London which began many months earlier at Woolwich Foot Tunnel. 

Richmond Station.

In three weeks, we meet again at Richmond and head into northwest London for the final four segments of the Capital Ring. 

Streatham to Wimbledon

Nadia Bernaz and Margaret Schabas at Streatham Common Rail Station.

Streatham Pumping Station.

The weather in London has been cold and snowy of late, but everything seemed to clear by mid-morning and we walked under blue skies from Streatham to Wimbledon in south London.

Shortly after leaving Streatham Common train station, we passed by the Streatham Pumping Station, a very exotic looking building that dates to 1888. The route continues to Tooting Bec, where it passes by the Tooting Bec Lido, said to be one of the largest swimming pools in Europe, holding a million gallons of water. We walked through Tooting Bec Common and then towards Balham.

At the Tooting Bec Lido.

From there, the route goes to Wandsworth and the Wandsworth Common. It also proceeds beside the Wandsworth Prison.

Wandsworth Prison was built in 1851. Oscar Wilde was imprisoned there in 1895 before being moved to Reading Gaol. It was also the site where Derek Bentley was hanged in 1953, one of the last executions in the United Kingdom. Bentley’s conviction was overturned by the courts in 1998.

Wandsworth Prison, where Oscar Wilde was incarcerated.

Magdalen Road runs alongside a cemetery. The guide invited us to walk through the cemetery, where we found a small section with war graves of Australians. One of them belonged to a ‘Private Ryan’. Most of the deaths were in late 1915, presumably associated with the battles at Galipoli.

Grave of Private Ryan.

The route crosses over the River Wandle and then to Wimbledon, where this section of the Capital Ring concludes.

Crystal Palace to Streatham Common

Departing from Crystal Palace rail station.

Our first walk of the year took place on a rather dreary day, and a slight drizzle began just as we were nearing the end of the route, at Streatham rail station. Penelope, Nadia and I were joined by Penelope's brother Sotos Soteriou, who is visiting from Toronto.
To be fair, this was not the most interesting of the segments of the Capital Ring. There were some pleasant parks and some rather dramatic views, but very little of cultural interest. Some parts of the route are more stimulating than others, I suppose.
The route begins at the Crystal Palace rail station. It winds through a residential neighbourhood, then traverses the Westow Park, followed by Upper Norwood Recreation Ground and Biggin Hill Wood.

Norwood Grove.

An 'alternate route for dog walkers'!

The highlight of the walk starts when the trail enters Norwood Grove, which is a remnant of the Great North Wood. There is an impressive building atop the hill, built in the 1840s by Arthur Anderson, joint founder of the P & O Steam Navigation Company. It is now an education centre owned by Croydon Council, and is much in need of a coat of paint and some repairs.

War memorial at Streatham.

This is really the beginning of Streatham Common, or so it seems. The path enters the Rookery Gardens, which are very beautiful, and then proceeds to the huge, open expanse of Streatham Common.

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.

Falconwood to Grove Park

Departing from Falconwood: Nadia, Delfin, Penelope, Radha, Elvira and Joshua.

We almost didn’t do the walk on this first day of autumn. There were serious weather warnings, but we thought we’d take a chance. By the time we got to London Bridge train station, on the way to Falconwood, people had their umbrellas out. Elvira arrived to join us at London Bridge after running a 10k race!

By the time we got to Falconwood Station (where we stopped on the previous walk), it was what we would call in the west of Ireland a ‘soft day’, and so we decided to head out.

This was the biggest group yet, because Joshua Castellino and Elvira Dominguez and their two children, Radha and Delfin, joined us. And a little later, en route, we were met by Eadaoin and Tom, so we were nine.

At full strength, with Eadaoin and Tom.

We walked through Eltham Park and surroundings for about 2 km until we met up with Eadaoin and Tom. One of Eltham’s claims to fame is being the birthplace of Bob Hope!

On one of the trails there was a hollow oak, a bit of a landmark, and Delfin crawled into it. There is an interesting old building called Conduit Head which was the original water supply for nearby Eltham Palace.

Delfin in the hollow oak.

Indeed, it was Eltham Palace that was the highlight of this walk. We weren't allowed to take photographs, but there are loads on the Palace website.

Built many hundreds of years ago, it was used by Royals for centuries before being trashed during the revolution in the 17th century.  It was used as a farm, and barely saved from total destruction.

Then, in the early century it was obtained by the wealthy Courtauld family, who built a gorgeous art deco mansion on the land. The surviving part of the palace is the magnificent great hall, which adjoins the more modern building.

We planned to stop there only for a bit of lunch, but when we finished our meal it was pouring outside and so we decided to visit the palace. Beautiful and quite eccentric, it is in marvelous condition, having been restored a decade or so ago by the English Heritage.

Penelope, on the bridge to the palace.

It felt as if one of the Agatha Christie shows had been filmed here. And sure enough, several of them were in fact set in the palace. Nadia found a tour of the palace on the internet, narrated by David Suchet.

We hesitated about continuing with the walk, because although the rain had subsided somewhat, it was still rather wet. Finally, though, we decided to go ahead, and we didn’t regret it. The route follows by several stables. At one point there is a fabulous view of the London skyline. It was misty and grey, but the beautiful new Shard poked up into the skies.

Grove Park train station, wet and weary.

Joshua got a bit of a thrill as we passed the home of T.G. Grace, a famous cricketer (none of the rest of us had ever heard of him).

The route ends at Grove Park Station. We were all a bit damp, but none the worse for wear, and headed home on the train and the tube. On our next walk we will cross the meridian in south London and proceed to the Crystal Palace. We’ve done seven of the fifteen walks now.

It's great fun, even in the rain!