Grand Union Canal, Thames Path, or Capital Ring? Why not all of them?!

#FingerPostFriday #hiking #ThamesPath #CapitalRing

Braced for the final push, aching and sore, we couldn't work out where to go for our end-of-walk victory pint. Luckily, the universe had a sign for us. It was not a subtle sign.

Thanks, Universe.

And thanks to my lovely pal Peanuts, and to healing, peaceful Streatham, and whoever came up with the idea for the #CapitalRing.

I am shattered and happy and I fucking adored this jaunt.

Jurassic Parklife. 👍

Previous #CapitalRing section here: https://mastodon.social/@girlonthenet/109892736414387124

And before we launch into this, I shall introduce you to Peanuts - one of my best mates, who joined me for this jaunt.

We're calling her Peanuts because when my ex and I broke up and I was dumped into daily-panic-attack poverty, she rocked up at my house for a consolation drink with not only loads of booze but also a full weekly shop, including bread, pasta sauce and peanuts.

She's a diamond & she named this walk Jurassic Parklife.

I'm tired and in pain, having heavily strained my fuckmuscles on Thursday. BUT I still managed to do two sections of the #CapitalRing today: sections 3/4, from Grove Park to Streatham via Crystal Palace.

And because it's Crystal Palace, you KNOW what's coming...

I'd like you to consider, before we get to the Best Bit, what might make concrete dinosaurs EVEN COOLER. I promise you they get even cooler. I'm calling this mission Jurassic Parklife.

Let's go! 🧵

Just over 10 miles total, but let's say 11m/20k because of all the getting lost I did.

Thoroughly recommend Section 1 (https://innerlondonramblers.org.uk/images/RingandLoop/guides/CR01-woolwich-to-falconwood-Jan23.pdf) if you want a walk that feels fresh and green, or if you're a Londoner who wants to show visiting out-of-towners that we can do fields and trees too.

Section 2 https://innerlondonramblers.org.uk/images/RingandLoop/guides/CR02-falconwood-to-grove-park-Jan23.pdf is a v short walk to do on its own but is probably great if you have kids who love horses/donkeys (or if you are also secretly a teenage girl like me).

#CapitalRing

And that's it! #CapitalRing Sections 1&2. Primed the physical, touched grass and experienced a little springtime hope and joy.

To cap it all off, I went back via Lewisham which is a DLR terminus, and you know what that means... I drove the hell out of that train.

After 4 stops a bunch of kids got on so I let them have the driver's seat. Simultaneously doing my good deed for the day AND getting to soak up vicarious joy as they gleefully took it in turns to drive the rest of the way. ❤️

Onward to Woolwich Common, which does that city park thing I love so much: views that have tower blocks/skyscrapers in the background, but lovely greenery in the foreground.

Central Park in NY does this spectacularly of course, but it also does weird stuff like try to replicate Ye Olde Things in weird ways.

Here, if you keep walking section 1 of the #CapitalRing up Shooters Hill, you'll come across a bona fide Ye Olde Thing: Severndroog Castle. Woo!

Did another chunk of the #CapitalRing today: sections 1 & 2, starting at Woolwich on the south bank of the Thames, then weaving south through Woolwich Common, Shooter's Hill, Falconwood and ending in Grove Park.

https://innerlondonramblers.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=253&catid=18

I'm calling this one 'Prime the physical' in reference to this amazing CGP Grey vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAhsXyO3Ck

My mental health has been in the toilet, and I desperately needed some green to kickstart my brain. And holy FUCK did South London provide ❤️
🧵

Anyway. That's the end of my first #CapitalRing trip: 2 sections, about 15km in total.

Small pleasures: Woolwich, Beckton, Plaistow, Stratford, Hackney Wick. Gorgeous walk, even in chilly weather, and for a final burst of pleasure I'll tell you that we've even replaced that awful 'Nat has herpes' graffiti meme with something new and better.

East London hopes you never fit in <3

I mentioned on here a while ago that my mission for 2023 is to walk the #CapitalRing, so I started today with sections 15 and 14 - Woolwich to Beckton then through Plaistow and Stratford to Hackney Wick (I'm doing it backwards, sue me): https://innerlondonramblers.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=253&catid=18

Calling this part 'Small pleasures' because it's the East End and I listened to songs from Oliver! while I did it. Also because it has LOADS of lovely small (and large) pleasures. Starting with... the Woolwich foot tunnel!

Had a day off today so did a section of the #CapitalRing from Streatham Common to Wimbledon Park. Here’s the first fingerpost of the walk for #FingerpostFriday 🪧
#walking #rambling #hiking #london

I walked from New Beckenham to Streatham Common today on the #CapitalRing. Here’s one for #FingerpostFriday from Upper Norwood Recreation Ground. The lost River Effra flows beneath this park. 🪧

I followed the #CapitalRing Link along a path by the poor River Quaggy trapped in a concrete prison, stripped of its natural state. The links connect the main route to public transport stops.
#River #LostRivers #PublicTransport #walking #UrbanWalking #London #Rivers

I got off the train at Grove Park Station and immediately saw signs for the #CapitalRing walk. There is also a wonderful Railway Children mural. The book’s author Edith Nesbit lived in the area, and the location is thought to be inspired by her walks to Grove Park nature reserve.
#London #walking #UrbanWalking #LongDistanceWalking #hiking #railway #literature #books #SouthLondon #Lewisham #fingerpost

@tansy I’m in 😂 🧢 👒 I change my hats according to the weather as I like to be the exact right temperature.

Me on my #CapitalRing walk yesterday. #HatsOfMastodon

When I reached the summit of Mt. Elbert I felt really emotional and burst into tears - I think just from a mixture of altitude sickness, relief, and exhaustion. A woman there handed me a massive bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and they totally sorted me out. Ever since then I’ve realised they’re a great trail snack! Got me through a lull on the #CapitalRing today 😋 What trail snacks do you rate?
#snack #hiking #walking #trail #FingerpostFriday #fingerpost

@euan ah I just looked it up. Was it this? https://ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Green+London+Way I hadn’t heard of it but looks great. Seems to follow some of the same route as the #CapitalRing. @derickr or @backpackartist may know more?

Setting off to do a section of the #CapitalRing walk. Yes, it’s a bit late and yes I’ve packed my head torch 🔦 🚊
#UrbanWalking #London #HackneyWick #train #walking #hiking #LongDistanceWalkers