Capital Ring: Section 11 - Hendon Central to Highgate

Weather: Overcast, heavy shower then warm sunshine.

Playlist: Last FM Playlist

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

The Archer at East Finchley Station

I wasn't going looking forward to this section of the walk having traversed the North Circular Road
more times than I care to mention. The start of the walk was not inspiring; scummy litter filled streams, more like foul water overflow channels than living rivers but within a few minutes these had changed to broad pools filled with ducks, coots and even a stately heron. However the constant drone of the North Circular reminded me where I was.

Soon the path turned away from the noisiest road in Britain (allegedly) and headed alongside streams trapped inside concrete channels. However the mature trees and open green space distracted attention from the polluted water courses.

The next section through Hampstead was very pleasant apart from the heavy rain but I pushed on and soon the clouds cleared and the last section from East Finchley station through Cherry Tree, Highgate and Queen's Woods were walked in warm sunshine. Again it was hard to believe I was in London with these peaceful and beautiful woods.

Highgate station was closed so I continued down the Archway road to Archway tube getting a fantastic view across London to St Paul's in the process.

Capital Ring: Section 10 - South Kenton to Hendon Central

Weather: Hot, Hot, HOT!

Playlist: Last FM Playlist

Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
 
This walk has four distinct parts to it. The first meanders through the suburbs from South Kenton station. This, and the rest of the route, is not an area I am familiar with so unlike the previous section it was a bit of an adventure. One of the pleasures of urban walking is the study of other peoples' front gardens and some of the gardens on this part of the route were stunning! Two in particular in Uxendon Gardens were particularly splendid.

Just after this we move into the second and most surprising section of the walk. When I looked at the route of this part of the Capital Ring I thought great, Brent Cross and the North Circular. I completely missed the green space of the Fryent Country Park.

This area is, on a bright sunny day like today, like walking in the open country. A hip-high sea of waving grassland full of small brown butterflies and even a skylark flitting up and down as they do. This is followed by a shady walk through woodland up hill to Barn Hill pond with water lilies, flag irises and rushes. Water level was unsurprisingly low but still very pretty. Nearby you have great views over to the new Wembley Stadium and beyond it the spire of Harrow-on-the-Hill.
A steep descent and then more open fields and hedgerows all very peaceful and had to imagine you are still in Zone 4!

Leaving the open spaces you return to the suburbs with a surprising gem set amongst them. St Andrew's church was originally built at Oxford Circus in the 19th century but moved here stone by stone in the 1930s. Quite a project a it is not a small building! Next to it is the much smaller 12th century church
h of the same name.

You soon enter more open space and the third section of the walk beside the Welsh Harp Reservoir. It was named not, as I thought, for its shape but for the Welsh Harp pub that used to stand there. You only catch glimpses of the water on the walk but on it I could see lots of swans and other waterfowl and I wish I had brought my binoculars with me as others had. There is a good viewing platform at the eastern end of the water.

The fourth section was quite hard going after the glories of the 2nd and 3rd sections. More suburban sprawl, the M1 and a lot of heat from the baking sun. This was followed, thankfully, by a final stroll through a park to the tube station at Hendon Central my destination for the day and the start of a long hot tube journey home!

Capital Ring: Section 9 - Greenford to South Kenton

Weather: Warm and sticky, overcast with drizzle to start with.
Playlist: Last-FM Playlist
Decided to start with this leg as the route practically runs past my front door. I'm using the maps and directions from the TfL website as well as the guide book, the latter to have something to read and pretty pictures to look at as the maps and directions from the website seem to be a little easier to follow, although once out on the route the way marking is clea and easy to follow.

This part of the loop is on 'home turf' so to speak and the section up to Sudbury Hill tube station is a regular walk for me. I'll probably walk that part of the Loop along with the part from Greenford Station to home several times over the next year, and many more times when walking to and from work.

Once past the tube station I was into unknown territory. The path known as Piggy Lane from Sudbury Hill to Harrow was a pleasant change from the road walking. Harrow itself was very quiet and as attractive as you would expect, the school buildings especially. I didn't realise how much of Harrow the school and its associated playing fields took up, extraordinary. The leg from Harrow to South Kenton runs mainly beside the playing fields, apart from the crossing of the rather busy Watford Road, just before which is the only stile on the loop. The final section, which runs beside the Northwick Park hospital and golf course was quite overgrown in parts and felt very rural.

Next month I will tackle Section 10.

Walking the Capital Ring

Bilbo Baggins said "It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to." This quote has inspired me to walk the Capital Ring a section a month over the next year as the route very nearly goes past my front door. Also it will give me a chance to walk on my own and see parts of London, a city I have lived in and have loved for twenty years, that I have never seen before. The twelve sections of the walk fit nicely into a yea and it will give me a chance to experience the changing seasons as well as unusual parts of the London transport network!

Instead of starting with section 1 I will be starting with section 9 as that is the leg that goes past my front door.