Evening Walk: Canary Wharf Winter Lights Revisited

Time:  18:30

Place:  Canary Wharf Jubilee Line DLR-side Entrance/Exit (can be busy -- so congregate to the right side as you exit -- left if facing it)

Duration:  1.5 hours

Difficulty:  None (other than possible crowds)


For any of you who missed the walk this Sunday that ended in Canary Wharf to visit the Winter Lights festival (though it seems hardly anyone did miss it), you have that rare second chance to make amends.....Last year, we found this makes a great evening walk...all on well-lit tarmac footpaths with some interesting light installations along the way....and plenty of refreshment opportunities....I have even noticed one of the suggested "itineraries" includes refreshment breaks!

Looks like the installations include some familiar favorites, as well as, some new pieces.....A map of the route and a description of the installations can be found here.

An Enchanting Epping Evening

Thursday Evening:  Loughton to Epping (short option) T=swc.197

Distance:          Approximately 5 miles or 8 km for those more metrically minded

Difficulty:         3 out of 10

Meet:                At the entrance/exit to the Loughton Underground Station (Central Line)

Time:                18:30 – but if you miss our departure, you can certainly catch us up along the way…

The plan for this evening is to do the short version of the Loughton to Epping walk by staying on The Centenary Walk (a wide forest track) heading northeasterly towards Epping and enjoying a meal or some drinks either on the outskirts of or in Epping afterwards…. It should be quite a nice time of year for this evening walk through Epping forest with a nice canopy of leaves.

More information about the route can be found here. As there are no detailed instructions for the short walk, I would suggest printing out the map page from the OS Map tab which shows the short route with a dashed blue line. Once on The Centenary Walk, the route follows a clear wide track to Epping….so route finding should be straight forward…..

Return travel is via the Central Line which runs until “well after 23:00”.

Enjoy the walk!

Islington to Limehouse - An evening stroll

Islington to Limehouse

A walk along the Regents Canal and its environs

This is a canal led walk

Length :  9 km or 5 miles

Toughness :  1 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch a tube/bus or walk to the Angel 

Meeting point :  Angel Tube Station for 6:30 pm

Tickets :  Oyster, Travelcard, Freedom pass

A small section of the canal towpath has been shut due to a fire, so I've taken the opportunity to extend the walk further into Victoria Park and revise the directions to suit

Brief Description

A canal side walk through North and East London. As this is a simple walk, (keep the canal on the right), I've just put the directions in this post. If you'd like to download a PDF with a map you may click here

Directions

Leave the Angel Tube Station Ticket hall by the north facing side entrance with the RBS bank on your right and proceed along Islington High Street for about 200 metres to The York pub. Turn right down Duncan Street here. In 150 metres cross Duncan Terrace (where the New River used to flow), Then cross Colebrook Row using the pedestrian crossing and immediately pass between two brick pillars to join the Regents Canal towpath as the Canal emerges from the tunnel under Islington.

The walk starts with the Hanging gardens of Islington through the ever changing vistas of North and then East London. Google maps have captured a "Canal View" for the first part of the walk if you want a taster.

After about 5 kilometres the tow path kisses the edge of Victoria Park.


Enter the park through the Canal Gate and walk along the boundary avenue (clockwise) initially in a northerly then easterly direction. In about 700 metres exit the park at the Royal Gate (directly ahead) and cross the road at the pedestrian crossing. Enter the eastern section of the park through the large gates to the right of the Royal Inn on the Park and continue in the same direction down the broad avenue in the park.

After 700 metres pass The People’s Park tavern and continue in the same direction, in a further 300 metres bare right along a path with woodland on the left. After 150 metres bear right onto a further avenue. Continue for a further 500 metres passing the London Bridge Stone Alcoves and St. Mark’s Gate.
150 metres past St. Mark’s Gate turn left on a path to exit the Park at Lock House Gate and in 10 metres turn right through an open gate following a path to the Hertford Union Canal tow path. Continue in the same directions (240 degrees) for 500 metres (initially alongside the park then under Old Ford Road followed by Victorian houses and two high rise blocks on your right). Leave the canal here by ascending the ramp to Grove Road and cross the pedestrian crossing.  The Crown on the right offers options for a thirst quencher. 
Turn right to continue the walk passing the Gym on the right and crossing Wennington Road. Enter Wennington Green and take the diagonal path, and in 150 metres bear slightly right then left on a grassy bank to rejoin the Regents Canal tow-path.

After a further 500 metres the canal approaches Mile End Lock. Leave the canal tow path here branching left on a footpath towards the Guardian Angels Church. If you wish to leave the walk here, you may catch a District/Central Line tube at Mile End Station 200 metres away.
Otherwise continue by climbing the path which traverses Mile End Road complete with trees flora etc. As the path descends, rejoin the towpath.

The towpath continues for a further 2 kilometres where it reaches Limehouse Basin and the Thames.  Here you may cross the canal on a footbridge, continuing for 100 metres to catch a DLR from Limehouse station.

The suggested place to eat or drink at the end of the walk is The Narrow 44 Narrow Street, E14 8DP tel:0207 592 7950. To get there, turn left 50 metres after crossing the footbridge to keep the edge of Limehouse Basin on your left. Where the footpath meets a road, turn left onto the road continuing as it swings right until The Narrow appears at a road junction.

Those with an appetite to walk further may wish to explore Basin approach, Ropemakers field and the remains of the Thames Path to Westferry Circus (Thames Clipper Pier here) and the delights of Docklands

Enjoy! T=short.29