Richmond to Greenford ramble
Joined silverjet_allie and Pete for a walk yesterday.
We did sections 7 and 8 of the Capital Ring walk, from Richmond Station to Greenford. The predicted warm, sunny day hadn't materialised, but the cool weather was good for walking in. Armed with Allie's printed directions, which sometimes made crossing the road sound like an expedition in itself, we set off. First following the river past Richmond Old Deer Park, we made our way to Sion Park where we detoured to wander round the garden centre and tropical fish aquariums. We stocked up on sweets at the shop there, to fortify us for the march ahead. We passed through Isleworth, noting the modern church built onto the tower of an old one. The original was burned down in 1943, but by schoolboy arsonists rather than the Luftwaffe.
We left the river and joined the canal towpath, heading up to Hanwell lock where we broke for a late lunch and beer at the Fox. Excellent little pub, that. Then we resumed the walk.
Milestones marked off the distance to Braunston village - investigation at lunchtime had revealed that Braunston is where the Grand Union meets the Oxford Canal, a key point in the canal network. As well as the milestones, we found the preserved "prize length of piling" from a 1959 piledriving competition adorning the towpath.
As we rambled, our conversations rambled too. We nattered about, among other things, football, favourite sweets, books and films, computer dating, and whether squirrels are invulnerable to gunfire. I left a few bookcrossing books, one of which has already been found and journalled.
We passed by Ealing hospital, admired the Wharncliffe Viaduct, and left the canal to follow the meandering River Brent. Another detour saw us attempting to get lost in the Millennium Maze, but as the hedges were only shoulder-high we found our way to the centre and out again quite easily and without being devoured by the minotaur. We played Pooh sticks from a bridge over the Brent. Allie won, and my stick sank - twice. Evidently not my game.
We finished the walk by threading between sports fields and into Greenford. Having reached the official end point, we carried on through an industrial estate to our real destination. At the Black Horse, we met up with inkognitoh who was moored nearby for a meal and drinks. As always at that pub, we ended up there till closing time.
That makes three sections of the Capital Ring that we've done now. It's an interesting idea, a circuit of London using green spaces where possible. Some inevitable bits of trudging through suburbia, and the green spaces aren't always as picturesque as you'd like, but it was nice to be out and about and seeing the tentative signs of Spring appearing. You can send off for a certificate for each section you complete, though we suspected that the hardcore CR walkers ("Ringers"? "Ringwraiths"?) do it for the challenge not the piece of paper.
We did sections 7 and 8 of the Capital Ring walk, from Richmond Station to Greenford. The predicted warm, sunny day hadn't materialised, but the cool weather was good for walking in. Armed with Allie's printed directions, which sometimes made crossing the road sound like an expedition in itself, we set off. First following the river past Richmond Old Deer Park, we made our way to Sion Park where we detoured to wander round the garden centre and tropical fish aquariums. We stocked up on sweets at the shop there, to fortify us for the march ahead. We passed through Isleworth, noting the modern church built onto the tower of an old one. The original was burned down in 1943, but by schoolboy arsonists rather than the Luftwaffe.
We left the river and joined the canal towpath, heading up to Hanwell lock where we broke for a late lunch and beer at the Fox. Excellent little pub, that. Then we resumed the walk.
Milestones marked off the distance to Braunston village - investigation at lunchtime had revealed that Braunston is where the Grand Union meets the Oxford Canal, a key point in the canal network. As well as the milestones, we found the preserved "prize length of piling" from a 1959 piledriving competition adorning the towpath.
As we rambled, our conversations rambled too. We nattered about, among other things, football, favourite sweets, books and films, computer dating, and whether squirrels are invulnerable to gunfire. I left a few bookcrossing books, one of which has already been found and journalled.
We passed by Ealing hospital, admired the Wharncliffe Viaduct, and left the canal to follow the meandering River Brent. Another detour saw us attempting to get lost in the Millennium Maze, but as the hedges were only shoulder-high we found our way to the centre and out again quite easily and without being devoured by the minotaur. We played Pooh sticks from a bridge over the Brent. Allie won, and my stick sank - twice. Evidently not my game.
We finished the walk by threading between sports fields and into Greenford. Having reached the official end point, we carried on through an industrial estate to our real destination. At the Black Horse, we met up with inkognitoh who was moored nearby for a meal and drinks. As always at that pub, we ended up there till closing time.
That makes three sections of the Capital Ring that we've done now. It's an interesting idea, a circuit of London using green spaces where possible. Some inevitable bits of trudging through suburbia, and the green spaces aren't always as picturesque as you'd like, but it was nice to be out and about and seeing the tentative signs of Spring appearing. You can send off for a certificate for each section you complete, though we suspected that the hardcore CR walkers ("Ringers"? "Ringwraiths"?) do it for the challenge not the piece of paper.