Capital Ring

Capital Ring
A Capital Ring sign positioned near the Preston Road tube station
Length	c. 120 km (75 mi) (see below)
Location	Greater London
Designation	UK National Trail
Trailheads	circular
Use	Walking

The Capital Ring is a strategic walking route that is being promoted by London's 33 local councils, led by the City of London Corporation in partnership with the Greater London Authority and its functional body for regional transport, Transport for London, through which much of the funding is provided. It is called a "ring" because the route completely encircles inner and central London.

The official start of the route is the Woolwich foot tunnel, but the nature of the route means that it can be started or finished at almost any point.

The idea originated in 1990 at one of the early meetings of the London Walking Forum and it was completed in September 2005. It passes through green areas of both urban and suburban London.

Here the Capital Ring comprises three walks, 1 to 3. These are part of the South East London Green Chain. It starts from the Woolwich foot tunnel and ends in Crystal Palace Park. Points of interest in this section include the Thames Barrier, Severndroog Castle, Eltham Palace and the remains of The Crystal Palace.

In this section, the trail comprises two walks, walk 4 and 5. Points of interest in this section include Biggin Wood (one of the few remnants of the Great North Wood), Streatham Common, Tooting Bec Lido and Wandsworth Common.

Here the Capital Ring comprises two walks, walk 6 and 7. Walk 6 consists of a brief walk through suburban Wimbledon Park, then crosses Wimbledon Common and then Richmond Park. While the route passes within about 100 metres of King Henry VIII's Mound, with its protected view of St Paul's Cathedral, this is not indicated on the signposts for the route. Walk 7 continues from Richmond along the Thames, before deviating through old Isleworth, then through the grounds of Syon Park. It then continues along the Grand Union Canal to Osterley Lock.