Capital Ring section 1 page 1

Section 1 of 15 to

Section start: Nearest station to start: Woolwich Arsenal (DLR or Rail)

Section finish: Falconwood

Nearest station to finish: Falconwood (Rail)

Section distance 6.2 miles plus 1.0 miles of station links Total = 7.2 miles (11.6 km)

Introduction This is one of the longer and most attractive sections of the Capital Ring. It has great contrasts, rising from the to Oxleas Meadow, one of the highest points in inner .

The route is mainly level but there are some steep slopes and three long flights of steps, two of which have sign-posted detours. There is a mixture of surfaced paths, a little pavement, rough grass, and un-surfaced tracks.

There are many bus stops along the way, so you can break your walk. Did you know? With many branches and There are six cafés along the route. Where the walk leaves the Thames loops, the Green Chain there are two cafés to your right in Thames-side Studios. The Thames walk stretches from the River Thames to Barrier boasts the 'View café, whilst in Charlton Park you find the 'Old , Cottage' café to your right when facing Charlton House. Severndroog spanning fields, parks and woodlands. As Castle has a Tea Room on the ground floor and the latter part of the walk indicated on the maps, offers the café with its fine hilltop views. much of this section of the Capital Ring follows some of the branches of The route is partially shared with the and considerably with the Green Chain. The the Green Chain Walk. Note that several of the parks traversed in the maps show other branches in green that earlier parts of the route are closed at dusk. are not part of this walk.

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Walking directions Did you know? The walk starts by the southern end of the Woolwich foot tunnel, next to The Woolwich foot the River Thames. It then stays besides the river almost as far as the tunnel was built in 1912 . and goes under the river to , which is the end of the With the river on your right, walk upstream from the foot tunnel to cross the Capital Ring Section 15. 's approach road. At present, the stretch of path immediately The Woolwich Free beyond the approach road to the ferry is closed whilst a block of flats is Ferry, adjacent to the built besides the river. Therefore, turn left to the main road, then right at the foot tunnel entrance, takes vehicles and foot roundabout, and past the building-site hoardings until you reach the sign passengers over the ‘Mast Quay’. Turn right down the approach to the flats and walk through Thames and has been them back to the riverside. Turn left. operating for over 800 years. Head upstream along the riverside path. You pass two of the former dry- docks, now water-filled, and the Gun Drill Battery from when this area was a naval dockyard. Shortly after the cannons, and past a modern estate, the Did you know The Thames Barrier path reaches a flood defence wall. Either climb up and over the maritime- was proposed following themed Linkbridge 2000 for a good view of the Thames Barrier or use the a terrible storm in 1953 ramp to the left. which produced a tidal surge up the river; it drowned many people On your left you come to a Thames Path signpost directing you inland. and caused great Ignore this sign and continue by the river. The old route has been made damage. The barrier obsolete by the elevated walkway that you come to shortly. Follow this was completed in 1984 elevated section until it slopes down to end in a road (Warspite Road). and its huge steel gates can be raised in 45 Continue along Warspite Road and take the second right into Bowater minutes. There is a Road through large factory buildings. Leaving the buildings, and with the visitor centre off Thames Barrier to your right, turn left, just after the zebra crossing, to Eastmoor Street. follow Green Chain signs to the main road (Woolwich Road).

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Cross Woolwich Road by the pedestrian crossing to enter . There is a public convenience in this park, see map for location. Just through the park's gate, turn left. The path then swings to the right, over a railway bridge, and into the main part of the park. Bear right before the tennis courts and right again having passed them to ascend 115 steps with white-painted handrails. This turn is only marked by a small waymarking post so keep a look-out.

Alternative route For an alternative route avoiding the steps: keep to the left of the tennis courts and follow the Green Chain's signs through the park to the Maryon Road entrance (toilets to the right). Turn right into Maryon Road and right again at the church into Woodland Terrace, which becomes Thorntree Road. Continue to the top of the hill, past the houses, and re-join the Capital Ring at the large Green Chain sign to the left. Did you know Maryon Park was The main route also leads to the large sign to the left in Thorntree Road. formed from sandpits. A nearby sandpit is now Having climbed the steps walk through the grassed area in front of you and 'The Valley', home of cross over Thorntree Road to the sign. Pass the sign into Maryon Wilson Charlton Athletic Park, which was once part of the old Hanging Wood. Follow the tarmac Football Club. The park path downhill to and through the children's zoo. was a key location in Michelangelo Antonioni's film Blow Leaving the animal enclosures, turn left at the large footpath sign, and up. follow the path to Charlton Park Road. Cross and turn right to reach

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Charlton Park Academy. The entrance to Charlton Park is through a gate in the wall immediately after Charlton Park Academy. There are footpath signs on both sides of the road indicating this small gate but they are often obscured by foliage. Within the park, and with Charlton Park Academy still to the left, continue until facing the playing fields. You see a large footpath sign before you. Follow the light green Capital Ring finger at the top. Turn right along the wide tarmac path. Charlton House is ahead. There is a public convenience to your right when facing Charlton House (see map).

At the end of the wide path, now facing Charlton House, turn left to cross the park and then left again when you reach its far side. Follow the park's southern boundary to another large Green Chain sign. At the sign, turn right to leave the park, cross the road (Charlton Park Lane) and follow Charlton Park Lane to shortly take the first left into Inigo Jones Road. At Did you know? Charlton House, in the the end of Inigo Jones Road cross straight-over the T-junction to the distance, was built in railings of Hornfair Park. 1612 for Sir Adam Newton, and is one of Immediately after entering Hornfair Park turn right and then almost the best examples of Jacobean architecture immediately left along a path to keep the fenced-off BMX track to your left. left in London. It was Note that there is no signpost to indicate this important left turn. Once past restored in 1878 by the BMX track turn left, through a gate in the park's boundary, and then Norman Shaw for the immediately right to reach a road (Baker Road). Turn left into Baker Road, Maryon Wilson family.

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and shortly cross rightwards by the zebra crossing to the large Green Chain sign on the opposite side. Now head-over , following the Green Chain and Capital Ring waymarkers. There are increasingly fine views to the left whilst crossing the Common and the distantly visible fields are in Essex.

Having crossed Woolwich Common the path comes to a T-junction. Turn Did you know? The Roman Watling right, keeping the trees to your left. You come to a fork in the path, bear left Street crossed Shooters here, and shortly you are beside a major road, Academy Road, with a large Hill on its way from Green Chain signpost before you. Follow Academy Road for 150 yards to Dover to London. The its crossroads with Shooters Hill Road. You see a red-brick building name Shooters Hill may come from archery diagonally opposite you and to its left (east) is the open grassland of practice or because the Common. You should carefully cross this busy junction to reach road was historically a Eltham Common but be aware that there is no pedestrian phase in the haunt for highwaymen. In A Tale of Two Cities, traffic lights. by Charles Dickens, a stagecoach struggles Once on Eltham Common you find a main footpath signpost next to the up the muddy road of buildings. This directs you diagonally across the grass towards the woods. Shooters Hill. There is no path. Approaching the woods, Castle Wood, you see a smaller metal signpost pointing into them. The following 300 yards of path through the woods are a little steep and are stepped in places, at the top you are rewarded with a large Green Chain sign before you.

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Alternative route without steps Did you know? Instead of crossing Eltham Common go up Shooters Hill Road and take Severndroog is an eccentric triangular the first right. Follow this lane until you see a large Green Chain signpost castle standing 70 feet on your left. This is the same sign as found at the top of the steps. Note high. It was built as a that this detour is not sign-posted. memorial to Commodore Sir William On the main route, turn right at this sign and continue along the lane, which James, owner of the leads to Severndroog Castle. land in the 18th century. The East India Company employed The Capital Ring goes to the right of Severndroog Castle and then him to suppress pirates descends 72 steep steps. and he captured their fortress. His widow built Alternative route without steps the castle to The step-free alternative goes to the left of the building along a minor lane commemorate him after and has Green Chain waymarkers; it joins the main route in the woods and his death in 1784. The building is open on can be muddy after wet weather. Sundays and offers one of the very finest views anywhere in London.

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At the bottom of the main-route's 72 steps turn left towards the woods, Jack Wood, noting the view over Surrey to the right. Assisted by waymarking posts, make your way through these woods until bearing right at a clearing which reveals the garden and remnants of the former Jackwood House. Continue past the rose garden to your left to a T-junction. Turn sharp right here as directed by the Green Chain signpost before you. Keep a look-out for the wooden waymarking posts that guide you downhill through the woods for the next 200 yards, Emerging from the woods keep left and up to the Oxleas Wood café which has public WCs and an outstanding view over western and eastern Surrey.

There is a major Green Chain/ Capital Ring signpost outside the café. Follow its Capital Ring 'finger' for 'Falconwood footbridge' into the 8,000 year old Oxleas Wood. Within the woods there are plenty of wooden waymarkers to guide you. Pass an open-air gymnasium to your left, and 180 yards after having left the café you come to a fork. Bear right here and make your way downhill. At the bottom you come to another large Capital Ring and Green Chain sign. At that sign turn right, proceed along the wide path for 170 yards, and then turn sharp left at a metal signpost just before a clearing of the woods. Continue through the woodland to a main road, turn sharp right, and cross Rochester Way to the large Green Chain signpost on the opposite side.

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Having crossed Rochester Way you enter Shepherdleas Wood at the sign- post. Follow the path right-wards, parallel to the road. After 90 yards the path swings away from the road to the left. Follow the wooden waymarkers as the route arcs back on itself and avoid any right turns until you come to a large Green Chain/Capital Ring signpost in the heart of the woods. Turn right here and follow the markers through the wood for just over a quarter mile where a waymarker directs you left, out of the wood, and onto Eltham Park North.

Walk besides the pond to your left towards the large sign-post where you should turn left. Look to your right here for another fine view, this time of West London. The path takes you back into the wood but beside the very busy A2, Rochester Way Relief Road which noisily sits in a deep cutting to your right. Continue besides the road's trench to another large Green Chain signpost and, to the right, a broad footbridge over the road, which marks the start of Section 2 of the Capital Ring.

Next steps Either turn right to cross over the footbridge to begin Section 2 of the Capital Ring or go straight-ahead, beside the railway line and road, for 600 yards to Falconwood railway station.

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