A Capital Ring sign positioned near the Preston Road tube station.

The Capital Ring is the name given to a strategic walking route that is being promoted by London's 33 local councils, led by the Corporation of London in partnership with the Greater London Authority and its functional body for regional transport, Transport for London, through which much of the funding is provided. It is called a "ring" because the route completely encircles inner and central London. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2215x1529, 655 KB) Summary Self made. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2215x1529, 655 KB) Summary Self made. ... Preston Road tube station is a station on the Metropolitan Line. ... Coat of arms of the City of London as shown on Blackfriars station. ... The Greater London Authority (GLA) administers the 1579 km² (610 sq. ... Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for the transport system throughout the City of London and Greater London in England. ...

The official start of the route is the Woolwich foot tunnel, but the nature of the route means that it can be started or finished at almost any point. The Woolwich foot tunnel is a tunnel crossing under the River Thames in east London from Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. ...

The idea originated in 1990 at one of the early meetings of the London Walking Forum. It passes through green areas of both urban and suburban London.

Route sections

• walk 1: Woolwich to Falconwood
• walk 2: Falconwood to Grove Park
• walk 3: Grove Park to Crystal Palace
• walk 4: Crystal Palace to Streatham
• walk 5: Streatham to Wimbledon Park
• walk 6: Wimbledon Park to Richmond upon Thames
• walk 7: Richmond upon Thames to Osterley Lock
• walk 8: Osterley Lock to Greenford
• walk 9: Greenford to South Kenton
• walk 10: South Kenton to Hendon
• walk 11: Hendon to Highgate
• walk 12: Highgate to Stoke Newington
• walk 13: Stoke Newington to Hackney Wick
• walk 14: Hackney Wick to Beckton District Park
• walk 15: Beckton District Park to Woolwich

Woolwich is a suburb in south-east London, England in the London Borough of Greenwich, on the south side of the River Thames, though the tiny exclave of North Woolwich (which is now part of the London Borough of Newham) is on the north side of the river. ... Falconwood is a suburban area to the west of, and part of, Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. ... Grove Park is an area in the south-eastern corner of the London Borough of Lewisham. ... Crystal Palace is an area in south London, England within the postcode London SE19, named after the Crystal Palace, relocated to Upper Norwood in 1854. ... Streatham is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth. ... Wimbledon park is the second biggest park in the whole of the london borough of merton, it was renovated in the year 2001, with the help of the local council and the local millionnaire [Gemini Murthen]. The facilities provided within the park is ideal for the people living around it... Richmond is a suburb in southwest London, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. ... Osterley is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow in South West London. ... Greenford, historically Greenford Magna, is a suburb in the London Borough of Ealing in west London, United Kingdom. ... Kenton is a place in both the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Brent. ... For other places with the same name, see Hendon (disambiguation). ... View of Highgate, John Constable, 1st quarter of 19th century. ... The Castle Climbing Centre, once the main Water Board pumping station. ... The Lee Navigation at Hackney Wick from the Eastway bridge, August 2005. ... Beckton is a place in the London Borough of Newham, located 8 miles (12. ...

Route descriptions

South-East London

Here the Capital Ring comprises three walks, walk 1 to 3. It starts from the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and ends in Crystal Palace Park. Points of interest in this section include the Thames Barrier, Severndroog Castle, Eltham Palace and the remains of The Crystal Palace The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames at Woolwich Reach in London. ... Severndroog Castle is a folly (designed by architect Richard Jupp in 1784) situated on Shooters Hill in south-east London in the London Borough of Greenwich. ... Eltham Palace is an Art Deco house in Eltham, London, currently owned by English Heritage and open to the public. ... The 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park . ...

South London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 4 and 5. Points of interest in this section include Biggin Wood (one of the few remnants of the Great North Wood, Streatham Common, Tooting Bec Lido and Wandsworth Common. The Great North Wood, sometimes known as The Kings Wood, was a natural oak forest that covered most of the area of raised ground starting some four miles south of central London, covering the Sydenham Ridge and the southern reaches of the River Effra and its tributaries. ... Streatham Common is a large open space on the southern edge of Streatham. ... Tooting Bec Lido is the largest open-air swimming pool in London - being 100 yards (90 metres) long and 33 yards (30 metres) wide. ... Wandsworth common is a common in Battersea, south London. ...

South-West London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 6 and 7

Walk 6 consists of a brief walk through suburban Wimbledon Park, then crosses Wimbledon Common and then Richmond Park. Perhaps surprisingly, while the route passes within about 100 metres of King Henry VIII's Mound, with its protected view of St Paul's Cathedral, this is not indicated on the signposts for the route. Wimbledon park is the second biggest park in the whole of the london borough of merton, it was renovated in the year 2001, with the help of the local council and the local millionnaire [Gemini Murthen]. The facilities provided within the park is ideal for the people living around it... Wimbledon and Putney Commons consist of a large open space south west of London comprising 1140 acres (4. ... A corner of the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park Richmond Park is the largest of the Royal Parks in London. ... King Henry VIIIs Mound is the highest point within Richmond Park southwest of London, and is located within the public gardens of Pembroke Lodge. ... A protected view is the legal requirement within urban planning to preserve the view of a specific place or historic building from another location. ... St Pauls Cathedral from the south St Pauls Cathedral is a cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, England and the seat of the Bishop of London. ...

Walk 7 continues from Richmond along the Thames, before deviating through old Isleworth, then through the grounds of Syon Park. It then continues along the Grand Union Canal to Osterley Lock. Isleworth is also an affluent subdivision of Windermere, Florida, in the United States. ... Syon House and its 200 acre (800,000 m²) park is in southwest London, in England. ... The canal at Braunston The Grand Union Canal is a canal in England and part of the British canal system. ...

West and North-West London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 8 and 9. Points of interest in this section include the River Brent, the Wharncliffe Viaduct, Horsenden Hill (with panoramic views) and Harrow School. The Brent is a river in south-east England. ... Horsenden Hill is a hill in Greenford, part of the London Borough of Ealing, close to boundary with the London Borough of Brent. ... Harrow School, normally just known as Harrow, is one of the worlds most famous schools. ...

North London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 10 and 11

North-East London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 12 and 13. Walk 12 covers Highgate to Stoke Newington, and walk 13 Stoke Newington to Hackney Wick.

This fascinating group of walks can be started at the Corporation of London's Highgate Wood; a well conserved ancient woodland of oak, hornbeam and understory trees and shrubs, just a short walk from the Northern Line's Highgate tube station. It forms a very pleasant starting point, complete with a tea shop, interpretive display, and green grassy picnic area. Highgate tube station is a London Underground station on Archway Road, Highgate, not far from Highgate Village in north London. ...

Alternatively the walks can be started in the village atmosphere of Stoke Newington, or at nearby Abney Park Cemetery or Clissold Park. Embark at Stoke Newington rail station, fifteen minutes from Liverpool Street, or catch a 73 bus from Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Kings Cross or the Angel. The Castle Climbing Centre, once the main Water Board pumping station. ... Abney Park Cemetery—every turn of the path reveals a new and unique landscape (September 2005). ...

East London

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 14 and 15, which pass through the area earmarked for the London 2012 Summer Olympics, including Pudding Mill Lane DLR station. The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will be held in London, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012. ... Pudding Mill Lane, DLR station for Marshgate Lane, East London Pudding Mill Lane DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in east London. ...

See also

• London Outer Orbital Path
• Walking in London

The London LOOPs logo, a flying kestrel, can be seen on the signs marking the route. ... Walk along the River Lea London is a large but congested city. ...

Further reading

• Saunders, Colin (2003-03-27). The Capital Ring. Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-894-8.

External links

• The Capital Ring
• Transport for London