Route Section Capital Ring Walk

Section 13 (Stoke Newington to Hackney Wick)

Description:

Easy walking along a section dominated by the Lee Navigation waterway, using its towpath, and with mainly green surroundings. From Stoke Newington the route follows residential roads into the very pleasant Springfield Park, which slopes down to the Lee Navigation. Along its towpath, shared with the Lea Valley Walk and Walk Back in Time, you may see an occasional narrowboat, and you pass Walthamstow Marshes, whose nature reserve merits a small diversion, and Hackney Marsh, crammed with football pitches.

Distance:

3.5 miles ( 6 km)

Start:

Stoke Newington station (GR 337-868)

Finish:

White Post Lane, Hackney Wick (GR 373-845)

Recommended direction:

Northwest to southeast

Terrain and surface:

Almost entirely level with some short slopes. Mainly on towpath, narrow and rough surface in places. No stiles. 1.1km (0.7 miles) beside roads

Signage:

Complete both ways. The logo is ‘Big Ben’ and text ‘Capital Ring’ in blue and green on white background.

Temporary Diversions:

1) The Greenway is closed from Pudding Mill / Marshgate Lane to Stratford for Crossrail work. These works will be continuing for several years (late 2014) although this section will be reopened temporarily during the Olympics in 2012 (as it is inside the Olympic Park). Please follow the diversionary route along Pudding Mill Lane and Marshgate Street, crossing Bow Back river to Stratford High Street; turn right to rejoin the Greenway at Stratford High Street by the Waterworks river (download will be put back here after the Olympics). For further information please contact the 24 hour helpdesk on 0345 602 3813 or email [email protected]

2) The Greenway is closed during the Olympic Games (as it is inside the entrances). From 30th April until 18th May only part of the Greenway is still open – between Stratford High Street westwards. Access from the western end of the Greenway at Wick Lane to the athlete warm-up tunnel is closed from 30th April to December 2012. This will effectively sever the western end of The Greenway between Wick Lane and the point where the new route from the Stadium to the warm-up track crosses The Greenway. It will still be possible to access the View Tube from Pudding Mill Lane until 18th May when this access will also be severed (so the south coach mall and associated security measures can be completed). From 19th May to December 2012 The Greenway will be completely severed between Wick Lane and Stratford High Street. The Greenway closure is required for operational and security reasons as much of it is within the Olympic Park. For the period 30th April – 19th May, the diversion route will need to be the Lea Navigation towpath between Old Ford Lock, Bow roundabout and Stratford High Street – where walkers can pick up The Greenway again (see map to download below). The Greenway is scheduled to reopen in December 2012 once temporary London 2012 facilities have been removed and the area has been handed over to the London Legacy Development Corporation. Diversion map available to download the bottom of these paragraphs.

The diversion route is signed with red metal signs or blue metal pedestrian/cycle signs which may be attached to lamp-posts. Look out for “Capital Ring” and “Greenway”. There are some 36 signs in total and a map posted at each end.

3) During the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the section of The Greenway between Stratford High Street and Manor Road (near West Ham Station) will be busy at certain times. This section of the Greenway is a designated ‘last mile’ walking route for spectators, and will be used by people walking to/from the Olympic Park and W Ham Station. During the Games, the Greenway will provide a link for spectators from Victoria Park via Wick Lane to the Olympic Park. To protect the Olympic Park, spectators will need to go through screening, which will be located alongside the Greenway, just east of the canal bridge.

4) The Lea Navigation Towpath – running adjacent to the western edge of the Olympic Park – will be closed from just north of the International Broadcast Centre (at Eastway) to Stratford High Street from the 3rd July until the 10th September. At Eastway it will be possible to access the towpath and head north along the towpath using the ramp which will remain open. At Stratford High Street it will be possible to use the new floating towpath underneath the Bow flyover (A11). The path will be closed using an anti-terrorism traffic regulation order requested by the Met Police and applied for by the London Borough of Newham. LOCOG are continuing to advise cyclists to arrive at Victoria Park to access the cycle parking to serve the Olympic Park during the Games and this is unaffected by the security closure.

A diversion route is being put in place for the towpath closure between 3rd July and 10th September. This is an on-road route (quieter roads) for use by both cyclists and walkers and should be signed from July onwards. You can download this map below (look for the red “towpath diversion” route – or see London 2012 website and search for Newham.

5) Hertford Union towpath / ramp from White Post Lane onto Hertford Union towpath – this will remain open.

Diversion route from 30April to3rdJuly and from 10Sept-Dec(4).pdf
Diversion route from 3rd July to 10th Sept(5).pdf

Refreshments and toilets:

Pubs at Stoke Newington, Lea Bridge Road and Hackney Wick. Cafés at Stoke Newington and Hackney Wick. No public toilets nearby

Public transport and breakpoints:

Rail: Stoke Newington, Clapton, Hackney Wick. Buses: at stations above plus Clapton Common, Lea Bridge Road and Homerton Road

For more information on public transport please see Transport for London’s Journey Planner.

Links with other walks:

Lea Valley Walk, Walk Back in Time

If you would like some short, easy walks in this area, download this map with 4 fun circular walks on it!

Map required:

Explorer 173

Principal promoters:

London Walking Forum, LB Hackney, LB Waltham Forest

Access information:

Mostly hard surface, but some stretches are on uneven ground. There is a short downward flight of steps in Springfield Park, with a steep and uneven earth ramp alongside (avoidable with a diversion), and some canal footbridges have steep slopes, sometimes ribbed.