Start & Finish: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY
Distance: 11.1 km (6.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 138m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): New River Path, Capital Ring
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many, including: Finsbury Park Cafe, Goods Office (Parkland Walk South), Queens Wood Cafe (Highgate Wood)
Map: OS Explorer 173 London North
Links: Alexandra Palace, New River, Finsbury Park, Parkland Walk, Highgate Wood, London’s Protected Views

This is a short circular walk in north-west London that takes in Alexandra Palace, The New River Path and The Parkland Walk. The Parkland Walk follows a disused railway line and is now an area of calm in a busy part of the capital.

If you’re driving there’s a large car-park at Alexandra Palace that, at the time of writing, takes donations rather than a fixed charge. To access the route by public transport, the route passes close to Hornsea and Harringay rail stations and Highgate tube on the Northern Line.

At Alexandra Palace find the view point on the terrace at the centre of the south side of the main building. This is a Protected View to St. Paul’s Cathedral, although we couldn’t see St Paul’s even through the viewfinder. Must have been hiding.

From the view point take the paths through Alexandra Park to the southern exit to North View Road. Here you can either take a left onto the path following the southern edge of the park, or follow North View Road and Newlands Road as they run parallel to the path. We were there after a lot of rain and the path was muddy so we took the roads. The path and Newlands Road join just before Campsbourne Play Centre. Follow Newlands Road, then Greenways in an easterly direction until you reach the New River Path.

Follow the New River Path in a southerly direction for 2.6km until the junction of Alroy Road and Endymion Road. Take a right onto Endymion Road and follow it south until the entrance to Finsbury Park. Enter the park and follow the path on the western edge down to meet the Capital Ring just south of the Finsbury Park Café. Take a right onto the Capital Ring, cross the footbridge over the rail line and join the Parkland Walk.

Parkland Walk South

The Parkland Walk follows the route of the old railway line that ran from Finsbury Park station to Alexandra Palace. The route of the southern, and longer, section of the Parkland Walk runs from Finsbury Park (the park not the station) to the Holmesdale Tunnels near Highgate tube station.

Disused Stations Passed:

Stroud Green: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Platforms no longer exist. The Station Master’s House survives and is in alternative use.
Crouch End Station: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Both platforms survive.
Highgate: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Still exists but not publicly accessible.

When you reach the western end of Parkland Walk have a look at the entrance to the tunnels before leaving the path. These are now blocked off to protect the bats that now live there. Leave the Parkland Walk at Holmesdale Road and follow signs for the Capital Ring. You’ll pass through Priory Gardens, Queen’s Wood and Highgate Wood. The Queen’s Wood Café is a great place to stop for a rest ahead of the final 2 km. Once you have crossed Muswell Hill Road from Queen’s Wood into Highgate Wood, leave the Capital Ring and follow the path on the eastern edge of Highgate Wood to the north-east corner at Cranley Gardens.

If you want to stay true to the route of the old rail line, you could follow the path on the western side of Highgate Wood instead.

Parkland Walk North

After Highgate Wood, the Parkland Walk can be picked up again on the junction of Muswell Hill Road and Cranley Gardens (road). This section of the Walk exits into Alexandra Park where you’re a very short walk back to the start.

Disused Stations Passed:

Cranley Gardens: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. No longer exists, site now used for housing and St. James primary school.
Muswell Hill: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. No longer exists, site now used for Muswell Hill primary school.
Alexandra Palace: Disused Stations / Wikipedia. Platforms removed but the station building survives and is in alternative use.

Point to Point: Henley to Watlington

Start: Henley Bridge, White Hill, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 3HG
Finish: Junction of Station Road and Watlington Road, OX49 5RR
Distance: 17.8 km (11 miles)
Elevation change: + 378 / - 298m. Net -80m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Shakespeare’s Way, The Chiltern Way, The Chiltern Way Southern Extension, The Ridgeway
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Henley and Watlington High Streets, plus: The Rainbow Inn (Middle Assendon), The Fox and Hounds (Christmas Common)
Map: Chiltern Hills West Map | Henley-on-Thames & Wallingford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 171
Links: Henley-on-Thames, Middle Assendon, Bix, Maidensgrove, Pishill, Christmas Common, Watlington

If you’re attempting the Chilterns section as a point-to-point the first decision is how to get back to the start. I didn’t find any practical public transport solutions of less than 3 hours and multiple changes. It’s only a 20 minute drive between the two towns though so the best options are either a 2-car shuffle or to get a taxi.

This first section starts at Henley Bridge, where the Oxfordshire Way meets the Thames Path. From here, walk up Hart Street in a westerly direction and turn right onto Bell Street. Continue along Bell Street until the mini-roundabout, crossing this onto Northfield End. After 300m, and 1km into the route, take the footpath on the right, following it diagonally up the hill to a wooded area.

From here, navigation is pretty straightforward after leaving Henley. There’s a lot of footpath roundels labelled with the Oxfordshire Way and white painted arrows on trees through wooded sections. Be careful of these though as other connecting routes like the Chiltern Way use similar arrows.

For the final section you’ll descent a steep hill down from Christmas Common that joins Station Road. You’ll cross The Ridgeway and 1km later you’ll reach the B4009 Watlington Road. There’s not much here so a sensible end is to leave the Oxfordshire Way by taking a left onto the B4009 and follow it for 800m to Watlington High Street.

Walking The Oxfordshire Way Chilterns Section in 5 Circular Routes

If you’re not up for an 18km walk in one go, you can take in the Oxfordshire way in 5 circular walks of between 8 and 11 km each. We chose this option, completing all 5 sections in winter 2021/22. The advantage of this option is exploring more of the villages and side paths to the west of the main route. As with the point-to-point option, public transport options are very limited so driving to the start points of each is more practical.

Each number refers to a circular walk below. Base map: Esri Topo via RideWithGPS

Click on the link in the title of each route to go to the detailed page for each route.

Route 1: Henley, Middle Assendon and Lambridge Wood.

Covers The Oxfordshire Way from Henley on Thames to Middle Assendon
Distance = 10.9 km (6.8 miles). +/- 185m elevation change.

Route 2: Middle Assendon, Bix and Crocker End

Covers The Oxfordshire Way from Middle Assendon to Maidensgrove
Distance = 10.9 km (6.8 miles). +/- 190m elevation change.

Route 3: Russell's Water, Pishill and Maidensgrove

Covers The Oxfordshire Way from Maidensgrove to (near) Hollandridge Farm
Distance = 9.2 km (5.7 miles). +/- 166m Elevation change

Route 4: Christmas Common, Watlington Hill and Greenfield

Covers The Oxfordshire Way from Hollandridge Farm to The Ridgeway near Watlington
Distance = 10.9km km (6.8 miles). +/- 239m Elevation change.

Route 5: Watlington and The Ridgeway

Covers The Oxfordshire Way from The Ridgeway to Watlington Road
Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 miles). +/- 59m elevation change.

More on the web:

Back to Chiltern Walks Index

Richard gower13 February 2022Trek, Chilterns, Thames, National Trust, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Christmas Common, Watlington Hill and Greenfield

Rolling hills between Pishill and Greenfield

Start & Finish: Parking spot opposite The Fox and Hounds Pub, Christmas Common, Watlington, OX49 5HL
Distance: 10.9km km (6.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 239m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Way, Oxfordshire Way, The Ridgeway
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Fox and Hounds at the start and end.
Map: Chiltern Hills West Map | Henley-on-Thames & Wallingford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 171
Links: Christmas Common, Watlington Hill (National Trust)

For our latest Chiltern Walk we returned to the Oxfordshire Way. This is a 66 mile long-distance path connecting Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds with Henley-on-Thames. Our plan is to start with the Chilterns section, taking it on in short circular walks of around 10km. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

From the parking spot opposite the Fox and Hounds, walk south for 100m along Nettlebed Henley Road then take the Oxfordshire Way footpath to the left. Continue along the Oxfordshire way in a south-easterly direction for another 2km to meet the Chiltern Way. At this junction take a right turn, still following the Oxfordshire Way plus the Chiltern Way in a south-westerly direction. After 600m leave the Oxfordshire Way but continue along the Chiltern Way through the woods. After another 1km leave the Chiltern Way and follow a path heading in a westerly then north-westerly direction to Greenfield.

When you reach Greenfield you’ll meet the Nettlebed Henley Road again. Cross over the road and through an old wooden gate in a stone wall. This will take you into wooded National Trust land. Continue along the footpath for 1.6 km in a north-westerly direction to Howe Road. Follow Howe Road in in a north-westerly direction for 500m. Be careful here as there’s no pavement but there is a wide enough grass verge to keep to.

Leave Howe Road by taking a right turn onto a private road at Five Acres. After 100m take the footpath on the left towards Watlington Hill. At the path junction after 200m, take the path on the left to cross fields on the western side of Watlington Hill. Continue until the meet The Ridgeway and take a right onto it. Follow The Ridgeway for 1km until you meet the Oxfordshire Way at Station Road. Follow the Oxfordshire Way steeply uphill to return to the start at Christmas Common.

Oxfordshire Way Previous Section (south): Russell's Water, Pishill and Maidensgrove
Oxfordshire Way Next Section (north): Watlington and The Ridgeway

Back to Oxfordshire Way Index

Richard gower12 February 2022Trek, Chilterns, National Trust, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment

Walking Trails in The Colne Valley

The Colne Valley Regional park is a fascinating mix of countryside and industry to the west of London. As the name suggests, it follows the River Colne and stretches from Rickmansworth in the north to Staines in the south. Rickmansworth is where the Colne picks up the waters carried by the Chess, Gade and Ver from the central Chilterns. Exploring further down the valley you’ll find rivers, streams canals and lakes before the waters reach the Thames at Staines.

There’s a lot of industry too, with the park cut through with the M25, M4, M40, train and tube lines and, under construction, HS2. For those, like the Colne Valley Landscape Partnership who protect the park, it’s a never-ending mission. For unspoilt beauty, the nearby Chiltern Hills AONB is the place to go. For interesting walks, diverse landscapes and accessibility to London, there’s a lot to do in the Colne Valley.

Living nearby and needing to stay local during the Covid lockdowns, I spent a lot of time exploring the Colne Valley Trails. Most are medium-distance point-to-point trails that can be completed in short sections or one long summer day. Although we had the benefit of use of 2 cars for our trips, the start and end of most of the trails or sections can also be accessed by public transport.

Here’s the map of the routes with links to each below.

The Trails

Beeches Way. Runs for 27 km from Cookham to West Drayton. The Shakespeare’s Way follows the Beeches Way through the Colne Valley
Celandine Route. Runs for 19 km along the River Pinn from Pinner to the Grand Union Canal at Yiewsley
Chess Valley Walk. Runs for 16 km along the River Chess from Chesham to Rickmansworth.
Colne Valley Trail. Runs for 33 km along the River Colne from Rickmansworth to Staines. The southern parts of the trail are called the Colne Valley Way.
Grand Union Canal Towpath. Runs for 220 km from Birmingham to London.
Hillingdon Trail. Runs for 32 km from Springwell Lock on the Grand Union to Cranford Park near Heathrow.
London Loop. Runs for 242 km in a circle around London.
Slough Arm Canal. Runs for 10km from Slough to Yiewsley.
Thames Path. Runs for 298 km from Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Estuary, east of London.

English & Welsh National Trails

Scottish Great Trails

Chiltern Rivers

Brecon Beacons Rivers

South Downs Rivers

Back to Chiltern Walks Index

Richard gower8 February 2022Trek, Cycle, Chilterns, Colne Valley, Canal, Thames, Berkshire, Surrey, Middlesex, London, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Russell's Water, Pishill and Maidensgrove

Rolling hills between Pishill and Maidensgrove

Start & Finish: Parking spot opposite Russell’s Water Village Hall, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 6ES
Distance: 9.2 km (5.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 166m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Way, Oxfordshire Way, Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Just off: The Five Horseshoes (just off route at 8.2 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills West Map | Henley-on-Thames & Wallingford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 171
Links: Russell’s Water, Pishill, Maidensgrove

The route starts at in the small village of Russell’s Water where there’s some parking spots opposite the village hall. Take the road to the south-east of the village hall, passing the duck pond and then a left the Chiltern Way, following it in a northerly direction.

Continue along the Chiltern Way for ~3km following the large white arrows painted onto trees. Make sure you keep to the main Chiltern Way path though as some of the arrows also point to side paths. When you hit Patemore Lane the Chiltern Way takes a left on the road then a right into the woods. Rather than taking the road you can cross straight over and take a steep path up the woods to cut this corner and avoid the road.

At around 3km from Russell’s Water you’ll meet a path junction with the Oxfordshire Way. Leave the Chiltern Way here and take a right onto the Oxfordshire Way. If you reach Hollandridge Farm on the Chiltern Way you’ll have gone too far.

Continue south along the Oxfordshire Way, through Pishill, until you meet the Chiltern Way again just south of Maidensgrove. Follow the Chiltern way in a north-westerly direction. You’ll meet Maidensgrove and Russell’s Water Common where you’ll follow the edge of the road until you reach a small group of houses on the right of the road. If you need a rest the Five Horseshoes pub is among these houses.

Here you have a choice to continue along the road back to Russell’s Water or, as we did, take a path around the back (east side) of the houses, and through the woods back to the start.

Shakespeare’s Way Previous Section (north): Nettlebed, Park Corner and Maidensgrove
Shakespeare’s Way Next Section (south): Stonor and Turville Heath (blog post coming soon)

Oxfordshire Way Previous Section (south): Middle Assendon, Bix and Crocker End
Oxfordshire Way Next Section (north): Christmas Common, Watlington Hill and Greenfield

Back to Oxfordshire Way Index

Richard gower5 February 2022Trek, Chilterns, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment

One Tree Hill and Ightham Mote Circular Walk

Start & Finish: One Tree Hill Car Park, Carter's Hill, Sevenoaks, TN15 0SN
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 197m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Greensand Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Ightham Mote National Trust Cafe
Map: Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Map | Royal Tunbridge Wells & Westerham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 147
Links: One Tree Hill National Trust, Ightham Mote National Trust, Shipbourne, Underriver

This is a great short circular walk in the Kent Downs. We used the free National Trust parking area near One Tree Hill, although the larger National Trust car park (free to members) at Ightham Mote is an alternative. There’s some steep parts and it can be very muddy in winter or after rain so wear good boots.

From the parking area at One Tree Hill cut through the woods, following paths in a south-easterly direction, to the top of the hill and the view-point to the south. Here you’ll reach the Greensand Way which you’ll follow in a east / south-easterly direction for 5 km.

After 3km on the Greensand Way you’ll reach the Ightham Mote National Trust Estate. If you’ve got time, it’s well worth stopping for an hour to visit the house and gardens. Even if you don’t have time to enter you can visit the café which can be accessed from the path at the south of the estate without having to pay to enter.

When you leave Ightham Mote you’ll continue along the Greensand Way, now heading south. After 2km you’ll reach the Church of St Giles at Shipbourne. Here you’ll leave the Greensand Way and take a footpath heading west across fields and into a wooded area called Cold Blows. Half way into the woods take a left hand path, heading south-west towards Mote Road. Cross over the road and continue along the paths heading west to Underriver.

When you reach Underriver, take a right onto Carter’s Hill road, then a left onto the lane opposite the turning to Underriver House Road. Continue up this lane in a north-westerly direction for ~400m then take a path heading north. This is a steep climb for another 400m back up to the Greensand Way. Take a right onto the Greensand Way and follow it to Carter’s Hill road. You can either follow Carter’s Hill road back to the One Tree Hill parking area or the parallel footpath through the woods to the right of the road.

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Richard gower22 January 2022Trek, National Trust, Kent, EnglandComment

Discover Downside Surrey SCC Circular Walk

The path near the River Mole to the Semaphore Tower

Start & Finish: Holly Hedge Car Park, Downside Bridge Road, Cobham, KT11 3DQ
Distance: 9.6 km (6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 67m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): The Semaphore Line
Pubs / Cafes on route: Caffè Capital near the car park. Lots of others on Cobham High Street. None on the route
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Cobham, Chatley Heath, Optical Telegraph, Ockham, Downside, Explore Surrey - Discover Downside

This was our latest of the Surrey County Council (SCC) Walks and a visit to the north side of the Surrey Hills. The Explore Surrey leaflet contains all of the directions, so I’ve not included them here. Instead, here’s a few other things to note.

There’s no pubs or cafes on the route, but several in Cobham Town Centre. We liked Caffè Capital near the car park.
If you take your own food there’s several picnic tables by the Semaphore Tower. The Tower is the best preserved example of a series of semaphore towers that linked The Admiralty in London with Portsmouth Dockyard. See my post on Cycling The Semaphore Line for more on this.
The route can be VERY muddy. We went in early January after a lot of rain. The main muddy spots are the fields next to the River Mole near the start, the footpath behind the houses at May’s Green and Old Oak Common Woods. Wear good boots.

Back to Surrey Hills Index

Richard gower3 January 2022Trek, Surrey, EnglandComment

London Borough Tri-Points: The River Thames

The London Borough Tri-Points are the points where 3 of the 32 Greater London Boroughs meet. In an earlier post I showcased the the excellent work of David Natzler who visited and documented the tri-points in 2020 and 2021. David’s travels took him to the tri-points of all of the boroughs except for those that meet in the River Thames and those with the City of London. I have visited the 7 tri-points with The City later on a City of London Boundary Walk and I plan to visit the 14 tripoints that are in the centre of the River Thames. Rather than get a boat or swim I’ll be OK with getting as close as possible on one side of the river to get a photo.

When I get to visiting the Tri-Points this post will describe them in more detail. For now, here’s what I’ve found from desktop research only. Contact me or comment below if you have any input or corrections and I’ll donate £1 to one of my Causes.

The 14 Greater London Borough Tri-Points in the River Thames.

(1) Hounslow / Richmond-upon-thames / hammersmith & Fulham

North-east of Chiswick Eyot between Chiswick Mall on the north bank and St Paul’s School on the south bank.

Coordinates: 51°29'16.4"N 0°14'36.2"W
Nearest Station: Hammersmith (District Line, Piccadilly): 1.6 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Hounslow, Richmond upon Thames, Hammersmith and Fulham

(2) Richmond-upon-thames / hammersmith & Fulham/Wandsworth

Between the confluence with the Beverley Brook on the south bank and Fielders Meadow on the north bank.

Coordinates: 51°28'20.4"N 0°13'18.3"W
Nearest Station: Putney Bridge (District Line): 1.3 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Richmond upon Thames, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth

(3) hammersmith & Fulham/Wandsworth/ Kensington & Chelsea

Between the confluence with the Chelsea Creek on the north bank and St. Mary’s Church Battersea on the south bank.

Coordinates: 51°28'39.3"N 0°10'40.0"W
Nearest Station: Imperial Wharf (Overground / Southern): 0.5 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea

(4) Wandsworth/ Kensington & Chelsea / Westminster

In the middle of the Chelsea Bridge.

Coordinates: 51°29'04.4"N 0°08'59.4"W
Nearest Station: Battersea Power (Northern): 1 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, City of Westminster

(5) Wandsworth / Westminster/ Lambeth

South-west of Vauxhall Bridge between the Grosvenor Pub on the north bank and Riverside Gardens on the south bank.

Coordinates: 51°29'09.2"N 0°07'46.2"W
Nearest Station: Vauxhall (South Western): 0.5 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Wandsworth, City of Westminster, Lambeth

(6) Westminster/ Lambeth / City of London

Between east end of HQS Wellington (north-side) and The London Studios (south-side).

Coordinates: 51°30'35.5"N 0°06'33.1"W
Nearest Station: Temple (Circle, District) : 0.3 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: City of Westminster, Lambeth, City of London

(7) Lambeth / City of London / Southwark

Between Inner Temple Gardens (north-side) and west end of the Oxo Building (south-side).

Coordinates: 51°30'35.2"N 0°06'41.3"W
Nearest Station: Temple (Circle, District): 0.4 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Lambeth, City of London, Southwark

(8) City of London / Southwark / Tower Hamlets

Between west end of Millennium Pier (north-side) and east end of HMS Belfast (south-side).

Coordinates: 51°30'24.7"N 0°04'48.7"W
Nearest Station: Tower Hill (Circle, District): 0.3 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: City of London, Southwark, Tower Hamlets

(9) Southwark / Tower Hamlets / Lewisham

Between the river entrance to Surrey Quays on the south/west bank and Millwall Outer Dock on the north/east bank.

Coordinates: 51°29'36.6"N 0°01'48.4"W
Nearest Station: Surrey Quays (Overground): 1.3 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham

(10) Tower Hamlets / Lewisham /Greenwich

Between the Master Shipwright’s House on the south bank and Masthouse Terrance Pier on the north bank.

Coordinates: 51°29'12.4"N 0°01'24.4"W
Nearest Station: Deptford (Thameslink, southeastern): 0.8 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Greenwich

(11) Tower Hamlets / Greenwich / Newham

Between the O2 on the south bank and the confluence with the River Lea on the north bank.

Coordinates: 51°30'19.8"N 0°00'27.5"E
Nearest Station: North Greenwich (Jubilee): 0.8 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Newham

(12) Greenwich / Newham/ Barking & Dagenham

Between West Lake, Thamesmead on the south bank and the confluence with the River Roding on the north bank.

Coordinates: 51°30'43.0"N 0°05'58.8"E
Nearest Station: Abbey Wood (Elizabeth Line, Thameslink, southeastern): 3.5 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Greenwich, Newham, Barking & Dagenham

(13) Greenwich/ Barking & Dagenham/ bexley

Between Marlborough Care Home on the south bank and Barking Riverside Pier on the North Bank

Coordinates: 51°30'48.9"N 0°07'05.9"E
Nearest Station: Barking Riverside (Overground): 0.5 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Greenwich, Barking & Dagenham, Bexley

(14) Barking & Dagenham/ bexley / Havering

Between Riverside Resource Recovering on the south bank and the confluence with the Beam River on the north bank.

Coordinates: 51°30'31.5"N 0°09'28.4"E
Nearest Station: Belvedere (southeastern): 3.7 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Havering

More London Adventures:

Richard gower2 January 2022London, EnglandComment

Zwift Everested! Extra Credit Badge

In addition to the usual Zwift Route and Achievement Badges there’s 12 Extra Credit Badges. These don’t appear in your Badges screen until you’ve received them and they’re typically tougher to get than the standard badges. The Everested! Badge is awarded when you’ve climbed 29,029 ft / 8,848m in a single activity. Most people do it by riding up and down Alpe du Zwift on the Watopia Road To Sky route 8 and a half times.

As with the IRL Everesting Challenge, it’s generally understood that you need to complete it within 24 hours. As days got shorter in Autumn 2021 I wondered whether it was possible to get the badge in a single activity but not in 24 hours. I didn’t have the time or enthusiasm to spend a whole day in the saddle but I did have 30 -60 minutes each day in-between work. This would mean doing it over multiple days but not ending or saving the activity in between.

When I set out I wasn’t sure whether Zwift would award me the badge, but I didn’t see why not. My main concern was about having a power cut during the challenge and losing all the progress. Just to be safe I made a note of progress at the end of each day so I could at least add the distance and elevation to my Garmin account if I lost it all.

As it turned out I had a busy time at work so I only had 30 minutes in the saddle on most days. Still, it was good exercise and I was making progress but it did take about a month to get to the target distance. I was very pleased when the Achievement Unlocked banner came up and I get my badge.

The only snag was that the activity didn’t save properly. When I checked my Zwift Activities log, it wasn’t there, so the total distance and elevation were not saved. The badge was there though which was the main thing I was interested in. I was having Wi-Fi issues at the time so that may have been the cause. I reported it to Zwift Support but they’re not able to manually add in missing progress. It’s a shame as it was a lot of distance and elevation to lose, but certainly nothing to lose sleep over.

I’m sure that some will say that it’s a cheat to not complete it in 24 hours. Am I bothered? Not in the slightest …

For how to do it the proper way, see this article on vEveresting from Ron Chatfield

MORE ZWIFTERY

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Richard gower1 January 2022Cycle, Mountain, ZwiftComment

London Borough Tri-Points

The London Borough Tri-Points are the points where 3 of the 32 Greater London Boroughs meet. Have you ever wondered where they are and got the inspiration to visit them all? Probably not, but it has been done! This post is based on the excellent work of David Natzler who visited and documented the tri-points in 2020 and 2021. Descriptions and photos are all from David with some formatting, references and graphics from myself. I love David’s idea of the oak sprig in the vase to represent the boundary oak.

David’s travels took him to the tri-points of all of the boroughs except for those that meet in the River Thames and those with the City of London. I visited the 7 tri-points with The City later on a City of London Boundary Walk.

(1) The Oaks – Bexley/Bromley/Greenwich

A bleak spot on the A 20 Sidcup by-pass, marked by a speed camera and a Welcome to Greenwich sign. But right on the border is the suitably named The Oaks, a home for dementia sufferers. Over the fence in Bexley is Mr Mulligan’s Mini Golf, one of a chain of a dozen such venues in England offering family crazy golf, outsize plastic balls in a landscape dominated by weirdly coloured plastic dinosaurs and small crashed aeroplanes.

Coordinates: 51°25'55.1"N 0°04'31.2"E
Nearest Station: New Eltham (southeastern): 1 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich

(2) The Cooling Centre – Bromley/Greenwich/Lewisham

Winn Road, the Greenwich/ Lewisham frontier ends in a pleasant green space with chestnut trees. Over the Quaggy stream are the leafy hills of Mottingham in Bromley, including WG Grace’s villa. Beside the tripoint is the Winn Road National Grid cooling establishment. It cools the water around the 350,000 volt main electricity supply cable which runs underground here. Hence the genuine Danger of Death warning on the railings.

Coordinates: 51°26'30.2"N 0°01'45.7"E
Nearest Station: Mottingham (southeastern): 1.9 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham

(3) Paxton Corner – Bromley/Lewisham/Southwark

Where the roads up from Sydenham in Lewisham, and Penge in Bromley, breast the ridge of Sydenham Hill, the westward slopes of which are in Southwark. The old brick wall and metal posts are all that is left of Rockhills, the London home of Sir Joseph Paxton, who designed the palace of glass for the 1851 Great Exhibition down in Hyde Park and then oversaw its re-erection on the Sydenham ridge. The two ancient Lewisham parish markers sit below a splendid oak tree, probably a real boundary oak.

This tri-point is roughly half way between the highest points in Lambeth (Westow Hill) and Southwark/Lewisham (Sydenham Hill). It’s a ~1 mile walk along the A212 and Sydenham Hill road, via the tri-point between the 2 high points.

Coordinates: 51°25'34.2"N 0°04'26.2"W
Nearest Station: Gipsy Hill (southern): 1.5 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Bromley, Lewisham, Southwark

(4) Café corner – Bromley/Lambeth/Southwark

Southwark and Lambeth march up Farquhar Road: below the precipice of Crystal Palace Parade was the pinnacled Crystal Palace upper station, specially built to access the palace by a subway under the road. The subway survives but not the station, or the railway, painted further down the track at Lordship Lane by Camille Pissarro. There are two continental cafes here, Café Paradou and Café St Germain.

This tri-point is less than 100m from Westow Hill, the highest point in the London Borough of Lambeth.

Coordinates: 51°25'14.2"N 0°04'42.0"W
Nearest Station: Crystal Palace (southern): 0.6 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Bromley, Lambeth, Southwark

(5) The Vicar’s Oak – Bromley/Croydon/Lambeth

Croydon takes over from Bromley once the park ends. The park has a Boundaries Gate in honour of the meeting here in times gone by of four parish boundaries. In 2018 the stump of an old oak was installed, together with a panel about parish boundaries, beating the bounds and the Vicar’s Oak which once stood here. It is [so far] the only tripoint monument in London, and it is therefore a special place.

This tri-point is at Westow Hill, the highest point in the London Borough of Lambeth.

Coordinates: 51°25'12.0"N 0°04'42.7"W
Nearest Station: Crystal Palace (southern): 0.5 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth

(6) The Inaccessible Graveney Triangle – Lambeth/Merton/Wandsworth

Railway lines forking beyond protective fencing, in a world of allotments, and the hidden river Graveney. The railway signs help mark the spot, which can at least be glimpsed by enthusiasts from the windows of trains between Streatham and either Tooting or Mitcham Eastfields.

Coordinates: 51°25'09.3"N 0°08'25.4"W
Nearest Station: xxx
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Lambeth, Merton, Wandsworth

(7)Streatham Races – Croydon/Lambeth/Merton

Still in Graveney country, now in Norbury, where the back gardens of Woodmansterne Road separate Merton from Lambeth. There is a well concealed open space in Merton behind a locked gate, once the site of the short-lived and disorderly Streatham racecourse on Lonesome Farm. This led to the installation of ramps for horses at the new Norbury station, and then to the 1879 Racecourse Licensing Act which bore down on courses less than 10 miles from the centre of London. Pity….

Coordinates: 51°24'44.4"N 0°07'39.9"W
Nearest Station: Norbury (southern): 0.5 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Croydon, Lambeth, Merton

(8)Mitcham Common Gateway – Croydon/Merton/Sutton

Between Croydon’s Beddington sewage works and derelict hand car wash sites lies the unexpected joy of Mitcham Common, looked after by Conservators. It has suffered from gravel extraction and waste disposal: but it offers ponds with ducks, covered reservoirs, sandy paths, a golf course, and a tramway with bright green silent trams. Near the tripoint is a fine white high vehicle gateway leading to nowhere.

Coordinates: 51°23'27.1"N 0°08'03.7"W
Nearest Station: Beddington Lane (tram): 0.6 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Croydon, Merton, Sutton

(9) Beverly Brook 1 – Kingston/Richmond/Wandsworth

A few hundred yards north of no 10, by way of the Robin Hood Gate to Richmond Park, is the border with Richmond, where two little bridges cross the Beverly Brook as it emerges from beneath the A3: a footbridge leading to the new golf clubhouse and a weir, to catch old footballs and supermarket trolleys rather than salmon.

Coordinates: 51°26'14.2"N 0°15'14.7"W
Nearest Station: Barnes (southwestern): 3.7 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth

(10) Beverly Brook 2 - Kingston/ Merton/ Wandsworth

By the banks of the Beverly Brook – a brook for beavers but no longer, and London’s best boundary stream – is an 1861 parish boundary stone, overhung and surrounded by the oaks of Wimbledon Common, which could be known as Wimbledon Forest: this tripoint is one of the most attractive and one of the hardest to pinpoint. The track alongside the brook is used by cyclists and pedestrians and mounted rangers.

Coordinates: 51°25'57.2"N 0°15'03.9"W
Nearest Station: Wimbledon (southwestern, Thameslink): 3.7 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Wandsworth

(11) Beverly Brook 3 – Kingston/ Merton/Sutton

Upstream from No 10, still on the edges of the brook, but here heavily channelled and overlooked by two gasometers on the Kingston side, within a beautiful piece of preserved woodland. The wood and adjoining playing fields in Merton were given to the public by local magnate and MP Sir Joseph Hood. Hood made his money with British American Tobacco, but the air here is clean, despite the littering, and the wood is full of birdsong.

Coordinates: 51°23'21.4"N 0°14'23.0"W
Nearest Station: Motspur Park (South Western): 0.9 km
Map: London South Map | Westminster, Greenwich, Croydon, Esher & Twickenham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 161
Links: Wikipedia: Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Sutton

(12) Bulls Bridge – Ealing/Hillingdon/Hounslow

The Grand Union Canal’s Paddington branch starts here, miles of canal-boats and waterfowl and the backsides of commercial estates. The tripoint is where the canals meet, at Bulls Bridge where the Grand Union Canal heads west. The delightful towpath along the Paddington branch is the border between Ealing and Hillingdon: past the Blair Peach school named after the young New Zealander killed by a policeman during an April 1979 anti-National Front demonstration.

Coordinates: 51°29'58.8"N 0°24'25.0"W
Nearest Station: Hayes & Harlington (GWR, Elizabeth Line): 1.6km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow

(13) Northolt Mandeville - Ealing/Harrow/Hillingdon

In Northolt, by the railway lines and in the shadow of the Solid Waste Transfer Station to the west between the tracks. Northolt is of course famous for its aerodrome, where 32 Squadron The Queen’s Flight is based: memorably, the flight carrying the body of Lady Diana back from Paris landed there back in 1997. But it also has roots in the Domesday Book and the local government ward is named for the local Norman grandee who was Constable of the Tower of London.

Coordinates: 51°33'17.9"N 0°22'40.3"W
Nearest Station: Northolt Park (Chiltern Railways): 1.6km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon

(14) Sudbury Hill – Brent/Ealing/Harrow

The tripoint is a tiny step from one of the classic 1930s London Underground stations designed by Charles Holden: Pevsner notes “how satisfying …such unpretentious buildings can be”. Harrow on the Hill is just beyond, a much more challenging hill than Sudbury Hill for cyclists or pedestrians, with the added interest of the school buildings of Harrow School: “hearty and confident gloom”, to quote Pevsner again. The area is alive with railway lines going off in all directions.

This Tri-point is 1.3 km from the high point of the London Borough of Brent. See the blog post Walking The Capital Ring: Harrow on the Hill to Horsenden Hill for details.

Coordinates: 51°33'23.6"N 0°20'08.1"W
Nearest Station: Sudbury Hill (Piccadilly Line): <100m
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Brent, Ealing, Harrow

(15) Burnt Oak Corner – Barnet/Brent/Harrow

On Watling Street. A foodshop called Neam Bucovinean next to the Gormandu traditional Romanian restaurant suggest a local concentration of Europeans from the frontiers of the EU. The first ever Tesco store was near here. The area is called Burnt Oak, one of several post-war LCC cottage housing estates. The vase in the photograph is empty in homage to the hint in that name of a phantom boundary oak.

Coordinates: 51°36'01.3"N 0°16'01.7"W
Nearest Station: Burnt Oak (Northern Line): 300m
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Barnet, Brent, Harrow

(16) Emlyn Corner - Ealing/Hammersmith and Fulham/Hounslow

Contrasting cultures meet here: on one hand the leafy roads of Bedford Park and Turnham Green, where the Trained Bands turned back King Charles in the Civil War, but now endowed with Royalist street names - Queen Anne, Rupert, Woodstock, Blenheim; and on the other Acton, where the Emlyn Gardens estate boasts blocks delightfully named for Greater London’s rivers, including the Beverly, the Lea and the Roding, all of which host tripoints.

Coordinates: 51°30'05.1"N 0°15'11.1"W
Nearest Station: Stamford Brook (District Line): 1km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow

(17) Welcome to Harlesden – Brent/Ealing/Hammersmith and Fulham

Willesden Junction is a desert of railway tracks requiring two separate bridges to cross the local lines and the West Coast Main line, and then lead south into Ealing and the calm of the Paddington Branch of the Union Canal. There is an official Brent noticeboard inscribed “Welcome to Harlesden.” Harlesden is the home of Digestives and Hobnobs. Welcome indeed.

Coordinates: 51°31'57.8"N 0°14'46.7"W
Nearest Station: Willesden Junction (Overground): 140m
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham

(18) By Way of Kensal Green – Brent/Hammersmith and Fulham/Kensington and Chelsea

There is a Brazilian steakhouse and the promise of Sunrise Brazilian hair in Brent, opposite the Anglican chapel and the entrance to the Roman Catholic part of the massive Kensal Green cemetery, and above the Kensal Green railway tunnels: a faintly disturbing juxtaposition. “For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen, Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green”.

This tri-point is also at the highpoint of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and very close to the high point of Hammersmith and Fulham. See the Central London Five Summits blog post for details.

Coordinates: 51°31'49.2"N 0°13'42.5"W
Nearest Station: Kensal Green (Overground, Bakerloo): 160m
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Brent, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea

(19) The towers of St John’s - Brent/Kensington and Chelsea/Westminster

Ladbroke Grove in the Royal Borough peters out here in the shadow of the twin towers of St John the Evangelist’s Kensal Green. Next to it is a private school called Bales College. But there is little sign here of the alleged gentrification of Kensal Green which in 2014 produced a Mulberry handbag named Kensal.

Coordinates: 51°31'40.5"N 0°12'57.8"W
Nearest Station: Kensal Green (Overground, Bakerloo): 0.8 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Brent, Kensington and Chelsea, City of Westminster

(20) St Augustine’s junction – Brent/Camden/Westminster

The second tripoint in the middle of Watling Street. Camden has a modern Library here, hopefully also accessible also to the citizens of Westminster and Brent. Down the road in Westminster is St Augustine’s CofE High School, St Augustine’s Sports Centre, and finally the magnificent St Augustine’s church, the vast late 19th century “cathedral of north London”, named for the Augustine whom Pope Gregory sent to England to convert it to Christianity.

Coordinates: 51°32'10.6"N 0°11'29.4"W
Nearest Station: Kilburn High Road (Overground): 120m
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Brent, Camden, City of Westminster

(21) All Souls Ridge – Brent/Camden/Barnet

The third Watling Street tripoint as it climbs up the inimitably delightfully named Shoot Up Hill between Camden and Brent and on the shoulder of the hill meets Barnet at Cricklewood, beside the Mediterranean bar and restaurant Elementree - “ the location is very romantic” . All Souls College Oxford once owned much of the land on the western side of the highway, including dozens of oaks: now gone but not forgotten.

Coordinates: 51°33'18.7"N 0°12'48.6"W
Nearest Station: Cricklewood (Thameslink): 0.5 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Brent, Camden, Barnet

(22) Kenwood Corner – Camden/Barnet/Haringey

This prosperous tripoint is at edge of Hampstead Heath, which is managed by the City. The tripoint is where Bishops Avenue, home of the mega-rich, and technically in Barnet, meets the Heath. This is unmistakeably Highgate, a ward name used by both Camden and Haringey: unusual if not unique? A few hundred yards away is the old new wealth of Kenwood House, built from Mansfield’s legal practice and probably family slave estates in the Caribbean. There are several tremendous oaks on this boundary.

This tri-point is close to the London Borough High Points of Islington, Haringey and Camden and the Kenwood House and Parliament Hill Protected Views. See the post Walking The Hampstead and Highgate London Borough High Points for details

Coordinates: 51°34'21.1"N 0°10'16.5"W
Nearest Station: Golders Green (Northern Line): 2.1 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Camden, Barnet, Haringey

(23) New Southgate Tunnel – Barnet/Enfield/Haringey

Sadly this has little to do with Southgate itself, where Pevsner mentions several appetisers. The North Circular enters a long, unlit and seemingly unventilated abyss under the main railway line going north. The arch is decorated with graffiti tags RAS10FOOT or maybe 10FOOTRAS, presumably acrobatically carried out from above. By some way the most hazardous tripoint in London.

Coordinates: 51°36'36.7"N 0°08'19.7"W
Nearest Station: New Southgate (Great Northern, Thameslink): 1 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Barnet, Enfield, Haringey

(24) Waterlow Corner – Islington/Haringey/Camden

Islington comes up Highgate Hill past the Whittington Hospital and the Passionist RC Church of St Joseph to meet Hornsey Lane from Haringey. On the Camden side of the corner is Lauderdale House, built in 1582 by the goldsmith Richard Martin, sponsor of Drake’s circumnavigation. It is now a community hub. Behind and around is Waterlow Park, a “garden for the gardenless” given to the LCC by Sir Sidney Waterlow, a Liberal Lord Mayor.

This tri-point is also the high point of the London Borough of Islington. See the post Walking The Hampstead and Highgate London Borough High Points for details

Coordinates: 51°34'08.8"N 0°08'32.7"W
Nearest Station: Archway (Northern Line): 0.6 km
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Islington, Haringey, Camden

(25) The Twelve Pins – Islington/Haringey/Hackney

Finsbury Park is a railway station named after a large park in Hornsey, created in 1869 from Hornsey Wood House pleasure gardens for the gardenless people of Finsbury in inner London. The borders meet in the middle of Seven Sisters Road outside the Twelve Pins pub, painted a vibrant blue. The Twelve Pins are not an inebriate vision of tenpin bowling but the Twelve Pins (or Bens) hilltops in Connemara, a great ridge walk. One of a small handful of tripoint pubs.

This Tri-point is 0.6km along Seven Sisters Road from the high point of the London Borough of Hackney. See the Central London Five Summits blog post for details.

Coordinates: 51°33'53.2"N 0°06'15.8"W
Nearest Station: Finsbury park (Great Northern, Overground, Thameslink, Piccadilly, Victoria): 150m
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: Wikipedia: Islington, Haringey, Hackney

(26) Pymme’s Brook – Haringey/Enfield/Waltham Forest

First of three tripoints in the middle of the Lea. The land route lies through Northumberland Park - the Percy connection which brought the Hotspur to Tottenham - and past an Edmonton gasholder, and over Pymme’s Brook and then Chalk Bridge over a branch of the Lea. But coming up the Lea from the south there are locks and swans and boats galore: this is where “the gulphy Lee his sedgy tresses rears” in the words of Alexander Pope.

Coordinates: 51°36'20.3"N 0°02'29.2"W
Nearest Station: Meridian Water (greateranglia): 1.7 km
Map: Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map | Hertford & Harlow | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 174
Links: Wikipedia: Haringey, Enfield, Waltham Forest

(27) Cahn’s Corner – Haringey/Hackney/Waltham Forest

Where Stamford Hill, home to London’s Hassidic Jewish community, meets the counter-culture of canal houseboats on the Lea and the reservoirs of the Lea Valley park. The well-kept towpath buzzes with pedestrians and cyclists and presumably the inhabitants of the many houseboats moored here. A sign warns passing boats that there is non-motorised traffic on the water and indeed just downstream is the rowing club. Named for a good friend who biked with me here.

Coordinates: 51°34'40.0"N 0°03'40.3"W
Nearest Station: Stamford Hill (Overground): 1.3 km
Map: South Tottenham (Overground): 1.6 km
Links: Wikipedia: Haringey, Hackney, Waltham Forest

(28) Carpenter’s Road – Hackney/Tower Hamlets/Newham

The third tripoint in the Lea, between the railway bridge running between Hackney Wick and Stratford and a new road bridge over the Lea. The whole area is now part of the Olympic legacy park. Behind in Newham is the Olympic helter-skelter and what is now West Ham’s stadium in Stratford Marsh. It must have been near here that we all saw the Queen land when she parachuted in to open the 2012 Olympic Games.

Coordinates: 51°32'36.1"N 0°00'59.7"W
Nearest Station: Hackney Wick (Overground): 0.6 km
Map: Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map | Hertford & Harlow | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 174
Links: Wikipedia: Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham

(29) Eton Manor – Hackney/Waltham Forest/Newham

On the northern edges of Olympic land is this generous tribute to the site of the Eton Manor Boys’ Club, Eton’s mission in the east end of London, celebrated in a poem on the wall by Carol Ann Duffy: “young lives respected, cherished, valued, helped…..”; where poverty was translated to self-esteem. A rare flowering of the spiritual in these acres of sporting legacy from 2012.

Coordinates: 51°33'05.7"N 0°01'01.8"W
Nearest Station: Leyton (Central): 1.6km
Map: Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map | Hertford & Harlow | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 174
Links: Wikipedia: Hackney, Waltham Forest, Newham

(30) The Holly Tree – Waltham Forest/Newham/Redbridge

The border line between Newham and Redbridge on the edge of Wanstead Flats is here defined along Capel Road by trees: alas ash and not oak. Wanstead is greener than imagined. The Flats are indeed flat; such a fine expanse of publicly accessible grassland perhaps deserves a less forbidding name. The Holly Tree pub is opposite on the Newham side, offering CZECH LAGER. Balmy summers on Wanstead Flats washed down by a real Moravian Pils from the Holly Tree…

Coordinates: 51°33'22.5"N 0°01'13.3"E
Nearest Station: Wanstead Park (Overground): 0.6 km
Map: Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map | Hertford & Harlow | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 174
Links: Wikipedia: Waltham Forest, Newham, Barking and Dagenham

(31) Banks of the Roding – Newham/Redbridge/Barking and Dagenham

The tripoint is under the raised train tracks and the North Circular flyover above them and is not a welcoming space. But the river Roding, a boundary river, flows past from rural Essex through Ilford, with its fine old Hospital chapel, to Barking, with its numinous Abbey remains and gatehouse, on its way to Barking Creek. The track on its west bank gives access to reed banks. The Roding hosts kayakers as well as moorhens.

Coordinates: 51°32'39.9"N 0°04'06.0"E
Nearest Station: Barking (Overground, c2c, District Line, Hammersmith & City Line): 1.8 km
Map: Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map | Hertford & Harlow | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 174
Links: Wikipedia: Newham, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham

(32) Grissell’s Corner – Redbridge/Havering/Barking and Dagenham

The tripoint is almost rural - heading out on Hog Hill Road past Chadwell Heath villas and into farmland in Redbridge with its cheerful logo of oak leaves and a warning to drivers of deer. The City of London cast iron Coal Duty post, one of around 200 to survive, delineates the area within which coal tax was payable. It is dated 1861 and was made by Henry Grissell of the Regents Canal Iron Works: “Iron Henry”.

Coordinates: 51°35'56.3"N 0°08'53.4"E
Nearest Station: Gidea Park (Elizabeth Line, Overground, greateranglia): 4.3 km
Map: Epping Forest & Lee Valley Map | Hertford & Harlow | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 174
Links: Wikipedia: Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham / Coal Duty Posts / Coal Duty Post # 7

Walk from Sydenham Hill Station to Sydenham Hill Summit

If you’re arriving by train to Sydenham Hill station, the best way to walk to the high point is via Sydenham Hill Wood and the old railway trackbed. This is the old route of the Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway. When you reach Crescent Wood tunnel take the right hand path to Crescent Road. Take a right on the road and follow it south to the high point at the junction with Sydenham Hill.

Start: Sydenham Hill Station, London SE21 7ND
Finish: Sydenham Hill High Point, 51° 25' 57'' N, 0° 4' 20'' W
Distance: 575m (0.4 miles)
Elevation change: +44m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Green Chain Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Links: Sydenham Hill Wood, Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway

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Richard gower20 December 2021London Borough High Point, London, England Comment