Previous section: Horsenden Hill to Hackney Wick
Next section: Woolwich to Crystal Palace
I finished my ride along the previous section of the Capital Ring at Hackney Wick. To return there and resume my ride, I toyed with taking the train to Clapham Junction, where I could change to take the London Overground on its loop around the northern suburbs to Hackney Wick station. However this would take quite a time. I also considered cycling from Waterloo to pick up the District Line to somewhere out East like Bow, a short ride from Hackney Wick. (Apparently, you can take bikes on the District Line outside rush hours - nodda lodda people know that.) But in the end I decided it was simplest just to cycle from Waterloo station. My route included Cycle Superhighway 1 from Blackfriars along Thames Street, and then CS2 along the Whitechapel Road and Mile End Road. The only snag with Cycle Superhighways is the frustrating number of waits at traffic lights, which adds significantly to journey time.
Next section: Woolwich to Crystal Palace
I finished my ride along the previous section of the Capital Ring at Hackney Wick. To return there and resume my ride, I toyed with taking the train to Clapham Junction, where I could change to take the London Overground on its loop around the northern suburbs to Hackney Wick station. However this would take quite a time. I also considered cycling from Waterloo to pick up the District Line to somewhere out East like Bow, a short ride from Hackney Wick. (Apparently, you can take bikes on the District Line outside rush hours - nodda lodda people know that.) But in the end I decided it was simplest just to cycle from Waterloo station. My route included Cycle Superhighway 1 from Blackfriars along Thames Street, and then CS2 along the Whitechapel Road and Mile End Road. The only snag with Cycle Superhighways is the frustrating number of waits at traffic lights, which adds significantly to journey time.
From Hackney Wick, I picked up the route back on the Lea river towpath.. My gps track is shown on this map, along with the other sections I have done so far. GPS tracks are in blue; other colours show the official route of the Capital Ring so you can see differences.
I ended my day's ride at Crystal Palace, but I'll describe the ride in two blogposts, namely from Hackney Wick to the Northern entrance of the Woolwich foot tunnel (the current post); and secondly from the southern entrance of the tunnel to Crystal Palace. This fits with the official designation of these entrances as the termini of the Capital Ring: the guides on the Tfl website start from the South entrance and progress clockwise to arrive back at the entrance on the North bank. (I think you can only claim to have completed the Ring if you cross the river using the tunnel to return to exactly where you started.)
I started around 11am, and after a short stretch on the Lea towpath, I followed the Ring East along the Greenway, an excellent straight, wide and well surfaced path built on top of the embankment which encloses a pipeline carrying East London's sewage to the works at Beckton. (For a ride along the River Lea, see my blogpost.)
After passing the Olympic Park, I was non-plussed to find new developments have closed a short section to Stratford High Street, but I followed the road past Pudding Mills DLR station and soon picked up the Greenway again. (Every time I have visited this area over the last decade - before and after the Olympics - there has been development going on - when will it end?)
Continuing East, I got some good views over towards the towers of Canary Wharf, and passed the impressive Abbey Mills pumping station, which could be mistaken for a sort of grand Byzantine church. After several miles of excellent traffic free cycling, I followed the Capital Ring south through the now familiar mix of housing estates and parks to the bright new Docklands Campus of the University of East London (UEL), which has its own DLR station (Cyprus) and a spacious if rather soulless 'esplanade' alongside the massive old Royal Docks basin, looking across to London City airport.
The next stage of the Capital Ring goes around the Thames riverside at the Eastern end of the Docks, crossing two sets of lock gates. This is a good concrete pathway, with some short flights of steps over which to manhandle your bike. Once again, the whole adjacent area is under development with new apartment blocks and a marina 'Gallions'). (Afer UEL, as an alternative to following this Thames riverside path over the lock gates, one could take a short cut on roads over the Sir Steve Redgrave Bridge. And for another ride around this part of Docklands see my blogpost.)
I arrived at the Northern foot tunnel entrance, the nominal end of the official circuit of the Ring, and descended via the lift to make the crossing to the other side of the River Thames to begin the second part of the ride.
In summary, this was another enjoyable cycle ride on good surfaces.
In summary, this was another enjoyable cycle ride on good surfaces.
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| I started with a coffee break at this cafe |
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| Greenway past the Olympic Park to Stratford |
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| Olympic stadium |
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| Cycle Superhighway in Stratford High Street |
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| Stratford's attempt at Manhattan |
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| Abbey Mills pumping station on the Greenway: like a Byzantine church? |
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| Greenway continues through West Ham |
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| Arriving at Cyprus DLR station, gateway to UEL |
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| You can watch planes taking off from london City Airport |
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| Jolly UEL buildings |
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| Concrete path around the Thames waterfront, easternmost point on the Capital Ring |
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| You must cross two sets of lock gates |
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| Royal Victoria Gardens, North Woolwich |
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| Woolwich Ferry provides an alternative way to cross the Thames the south side |
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| Northern entrance to the Woolwich foot tunnel |
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| Walk through the foot tunnel |
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