A sunny (but cold) day today, so it’s back on the trains for another section of the Capital Ring Walk.

I returned to Crystal Palace, this time via Beckenham Junction.

Not surprisingly, the area is quite hilly:

Westow Park is soon reached:

More streets, then Upper Norwood Recreation Ground:

Allotments and a view across London near Biggin Wood:

Then the first bit of (almost) countryside, Biggin Wood:

Then more street walking, finally reaching Norwood Grove. The Great North Wood once covered all this area, hence the name Norwood.


The Grade II listed mansion, Norwood Grove, was 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.

Norwood Grove leads to busy Streatham Common:

The common, not surprisingly, leads to Streatham itself and the end of Section 4.

Section 5

The first bit of this section goes under the railway (The Sutton & Mole Valley line for those interested in such things):

and past an ornate “Southwark & Vauxhall Water Company” building:

More street walking, then the extensive Tooting Bec Common and (open!) Lido:

Tooting Bec Lido has one of the largest swimming pools in Europe holding a million gallons of water. It was opened in 1906 as a conventional pool, but rebuilt as a lido, Italian for beach, in 1936. Its iconic blue pools, diving boards and sunbathing areas have been used in films such as Snatch with Brad Pitt.

After this, more street walking through Balham:

This leads to the very pleasant Wandsworth Common:

Complete with a couple of small lakes:

After the common, it’s a long and boring walk to Earlsfield past Wandsworth Prison and Cemetery:

And a train to Waterloo from Earlsfield Station:

Section 5 actually finishes a mile further on at Wimbledon Park station, but Earlsfield is much easier for the journey to/from Orpington.

8.5 miles of Capital Ring walking today and 1 Geocache found.

For more information on the Capital Ring, see https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/capital-ring

Yet another sunny autumn day (though quite windy), so time for another section of the Capital Ring Walk.

It was an easy journey to the start at Grove Park, though all trains were suffering from perturbations due to the wind, leaves or snow (delete as appropriate).

The first bit of this section is mainly road:

Then away from the road towards the railway:

and across the railway:

More suburbia, albeit with some trees and grass!

Then a nice (though thin) stretch of woodland towards the top of Bromley Hill:

From here, it’s not far to Beckenham Place Park, a lovely mixture of fields and woodland:

All too soon, more roads, then an underpass under the railway at New Beckenham Station:

Next is Cator Park, a pleasant open space:

Mostly road now, leading towards Penge:

And finally, into Crystal Palace Park, glorious in the sunshine!

I took the shorter route via the dinosaurs, which I’ve not seen for 25 years – they’re a lot cleaner now.

The park includes a famous collection of 1850s animal sculptures and their surrounding landscape, known as the Dinosaur Park.

Then past the Sports Centre, which wasn’t even there the last time I was…

and the iconic 900′ high transmitter mast:

Then to Crystal Palace station, nicely located at the edge of the park. This has also been revamped since the last time I was there.

8½ miles of Capital Ring walking today and no Geocaches found.

Another sunny autumn day, so I find time for another London walk. The Capital Ring is a shorter (78 miles) “inner” version of the London Loop Walk that I finished earlier this year.

Two trains were needed to get to the nearest station at Woolwich Arsenal, then a short walk through Woolwich itself.

The Thames is soon reached; the Woolwich Ferry can be see on the right of this photo:

The walk officially starts at the Southern Entrance of the Woolwich Foot Tunnel – unlike the London Loop, it is possible to finish the Capital Ring at the start without using a boat.

The walk follows the Thames Path for a while:

Eventually, some green is reached at Maryon Park.
“Maryon Park, and Maryon Wilson Park, were once owned by the Maryon Wilson family of Charlton House. This park was formed from sandpits and another nearby sandpit is now the home of Charlton Athletic Football Club.”

For somewhere so close to a major river, it’s surprisingly hilly!

There is a small children’s zoo in Maryon Wilson Park:

And some nice autumn colours:

Charlton Park is next, just boring sports fields:

Then into something approaching open country as I walk across Woolwich Common:

After crossing Shooters Hill Road, I’m on Eltham Common:

With some interesting fungi growing on the steps:

Then into Castle Wood:

And Severndroog Castle:


Severndroog is an eccentric triangular castle standing 19 metres high. It was built as a memorial to Commodore Sir William James, owner of the land in the 18th century. The East India Company employed him to suppress piracy and he captured a fortress in India with this name. His widow built the castle after his death in 1784.

After the castle, the land drops away with extensive views to the south:

This is Castlewood Garden (Castlewood House is long gone):

Oxleas Meadow and the lovely Oxleas Wood are next:

But all too soon, it’s back to “normal” parks, this is Eltham North Park:

Section 1 officially ends here, with a link to Falconwood Station.

Section 2

The A2 Rochester Way needs to be crossed using a rather large pedestrian bridge:

There are so many waymarked walks here that some signs are quite extensive:

The route passes a preserved building that once supplied water to Eltham Palace:

Eltham seems to be devoid of footpaths, so it’s mainly road walking until Eltham Palace:

Then more paths past playing fields towards Mottingham:

The A20 Sidcup Road then needs to be crossed. This section used to be known as the “Mad Mile” before speed cameras became common:

Then yet more suburban streets and paths towards the Quaggy River:

Grove Park Station is soon reached after yet more road walking, and the train home.

11 miles of Capital Ring walking today and 6 Geocaches found.

For more information on the Capital Ring, see https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/capital-ring