V2 : May 2012 V2 May : Jubilee Greenway Directions: Enter Victoria Park from the Regent’s Canal at its north-west Section 4 corner at Canal Gate. Take the first entrance into the park on the left up, some steps. There are other, more accessible routes further along. Turn Victoria Park to Stokes Road right and continue around to the lake where you will see the café. There are also toilets here. Victoria Park extends to some 218 acres and was originally laid out by Sir James Pennethorne between 1842 and 1846; he had been a pupil of the architect, John Nash, and was himself Architect to the Commissioners of Start: Victoria Park - Canal Gate (TQ351835) Woods and Forests. Victoria Park’s design was much inspired by Nash’s Station: Cambridge Heath (rail) or Bethnal Green work at Regent’s Park. (tube) Finish: Stokes Road, North Beckton (TQ420823) Skirt around the lake in Victoria Park and come out of the blue gates (the Crown Gates) at Grove Road, A cross the zebra crossing, and enter the Station: Bus stops on Lonsdale Avenue and Boundary Lane (Newham General Hospital) park again through a second set of blue gates. After 50m, bear right on a pathway that runs more or less parallel with the Hertford Union Canal, called Distance: 5 miles (8 km) the Southern Drive. Introduction: Walk or pedal above the pipes of London’s waste passing Keep along here for over 900m, an athletics track is on the left. Keep ahead the main site of the London 2012 Games. past the athletics club on the Southern Drive for a further 150m until an open crossroads in the park is reached, then turn right to St Mark’s Gate, passing This is the fourth section of the Jubilee Greenway. Beginning at Victoria Morpeth Lodge on the left. Having turned right, follow the pathway for about Park, this section goes past the London 2012 Games site at Stratford, along 100m to exit Victoria Park onto Wick Lane. B the Greenway, a route created above the main sewerage system of London. Go over the Hertford Union Canal on a road bridge, and then under the A12 Improvement works have started on The Greenway, an important cycle and in a road tunnel. About 85m after the road tunnel, cross over the road and walking route to the London 2012 Games Park. The 2.3 km stretch of The join the Greenway on the left, opposite the tall chimney. It is marked by a Greenway that links the Park to Victoria Park and West Ham Station is being blue bollard and by a metal banner overhead, which in fact is made out of resurfaced and widened to improve the cycleway and footpath. old sewage pipes! Be aware that the Greenway is closed by gates at night. It opens at 5.30am Proceed along the Greenway. After about 250m, cross the River Lee every day. From 1 October until 31 March, it closes at 7pm. From 1 April to Navigation – this is where the Jubilee Greenway and the Capital Ring Walk 30 September it closes at 9pm. join. The routes are together for the next 3 miles. Continue along the Greenway, where to both left and right the London 2012 Games Park at Stratford is under construction. The main London 2012 Games Stadium is to Watch out for diversions on this section in relation to the Olympic Games the left. and also the construction of Crossrail. At the next bridge, over Pudding Mill Lane, go straight over the top – but just afterwards look for a ramp leading down to street level. The railway track (the main line between Liverpool Street and East Anglia) ahead intersects Underground station to the left). Next, very close to the Greenway, is the the Greenway, so to pass this go under the railway at street level, and then East London Cemetery. turn back onto the Greenway. Join Marshgate Lane and go under the railway in a tunnel. Turn sharp left immediately after the railway bridge, Four roads need to be crossed; use the metal banner signs as your guide. between the railway and a building to find the ramp back to the Greenway. First cross Upper Road (Plaistow) at a pelican crossing. In the distance, Turn right to continue along it. three miles away, looms the Barking Creek Flood Barrier, which towers 183 feet above the mouth of the River Roding and the River Thames. Cross two Bow Back Rivers before emerging onto Stratford High Street (the A118). To cross this road, turn right for about 75 metres, go to the traffic After 500m, cross Balaam Street at a pelican crossing, then, after 225m, lights next to Abbey Lane, cross the road, and then turn left for another 75 cross Barking Road at another pelican crossing. St Andrew’s Church (built in metres. Rejoin the Greenway by turning right under another metal banner 1870) is to the right, and after about 175 metres, cross Prince Regent Lane overhead, and towards electricity pylons. New road crossing due for at the pelican crossing. completion in late 2012 at this point - walkers will then be able to go straight across Stratford High Street from one side of the Elevated Greenway to the other. There is an automatic toilet to the left along Barking Road and Prince Regent Lane – at the point where these two roads meet. These stretches are well signposted with Capital Ring signs, which give the distances (5½ Continue along the Greenway, which passes various housing estates, miles from here to the Woolwich Foot Tunnel). bridges, and gives distant views of the great office blocks at Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs. About 400m further on, cross over a bridge at Abbey Lane, under which the Meridian Line runs. On an iron feature in the ground Pass Newham General Hospital D on the right and cross Boundary Lane is the inscription: “Stand now at this month with your back to the sun – you (Beckton), a small road with a raised table-style crossing. Immediately after wake in the morning the day has begun”. the school playground of Brampton Youth Centre, between two metal banners, find Capital Ring signs which direct you to the right. Follow them, to turn off the Greenway, by going through double gates (two metal On the right, set a little below the Greenway is the Abbey Mills Pumping C banners), and going down either via steps or by a cycle ramp. This is the Station, a reminder that the walk is on top of London’s sewers. The end of Section 4. Channelsea Creek splits in two here. For buses, either leave the Greenway Embankment on the other side to find Next cross more Bow Back rivers; on the right Abbey Creek flows to the bus stops in Lonsdale Avenue, or retrace your steps back to the other side right and Channelsea Creek to the left. Cross Canning Road, which comes of the hospital, where there are bus stops in Boundary Lane. up to the level of the Greenway here. Cross the Jubilee Line and Manor Road by a concrete bridge straight ahead. The O2 Arena (Millennium Dome) can be seen to the right, and a Victorian school to the left (Ranelagh Primary School). This is Plaistow, where on the right is a field, where Rugby is played under the auspices of the East London RFC. Behind that is the Memorial Recreation Ground, which is being reworked. Cross over a railway bridge. Jubilee Greenway Section 4 (Victoria Park to Stokes Road) page 2 The Greenway veers to the right at this point (there is a sign to Plaistow www.walklondon.org.uk .