Capital Ring

Blimey - thought that path had been around for ages - the Aurum Press
guide has certainly been out for a while.

Having enjoyed the LOOP so much, the Ring (is that also a clever
acronym?) is on my (lengthly) list of future walks to do. I'm just
glad I didn't do it before it became an "official" path or it might not
have counted...

Cheers for the news Jon - always good to see the overlooked urban
trails get a mention - I still think the LOOP should be promoted to
"National" status...

Anth

PS. Please link to www.wheresthepath.com

Quoted message said:

Blimey - thought that path had been around for ages - the Aurum Press
guide has certainly been out for a while.

Having enjoyed the LOOP so much, the Ring (is that also a clever
acronym?) is on my (lengthly) list of future walks to do. I'm just
glad I didn't do it before it became an "official" path or it might not
have counted...

The book is on my bookshelf, I might get round to it someday.

Quoted message said:

Cheers for the news Jon - always good to see the overlooked urban
trails get a mention - I still think the LOOP should be promoted to
"National" status...

I think not. Far too much suburban street walking and dodgy industrial
estate fringes in my opinion to warrant National Trail status. We've
got one (excellent) National Trail in London and two others very
close.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

We haven't got any suburban National Trails...

The LOOP is more varied than many of our National Trails. I've done
about 35 miles of the Thames Path (which I assume is the London
National Trail you refer to) - 13 miles from the source and the rest in
Berkshire. Whilst individual chunks are pleasant enough (especially
the bit between Mill End and Marlow), en masse it's started to get
fairly samey and, frankly, bore me rigid. I never once got bored on
the LOOP. Also, given that the vast majority of the Thames Path is
outside London, it can't really be called a London path.

With the government driving towards a fitter populace, I think it's be
a great idea to promote awareness of the LOOP by raising it to National
Trail status. Being generally within range of a travelcard it's the
one trail that could get Londoners out and walking more.

In addition, it might help protect some of the Green Belt and stop Mr
Blair turning it into a green "rubber band".

Cheers

Anth

PS. Please link to www.wheresthepath.com

In article said:

We haven't got any suburban National Trails...

The LOOP is more varied than many of our National Trails. I've done
about 35 miles of the Thames Path (which I assume is the London
National Trail you refer to) - 13 miles from the source and the rest in
Berkshire. Whilst individual chunks are pleasant enough (especially
the bit between Mill End and Marlow), en masse it's started to get
fairly samey and, frankly, bore me rigid. I never once got bored on
the LOOP. Also, given that the vast majority of the Thames Path is
outside London, it can't really be called a London path.

I found the Thames Path to be very varied in general, although there were
a few parts that were rathy samey I guess. Not walked the LOOP yet but
I have the book and am planning to walk it in the not too distant future.
Certainly looking at the maps it certainly seems to go through quite a
varitety of scenery. Hopefully there are a few more hills than on the
Thames Path though :-)

Quoted message said:

With the government driving towards a fitter populace, I think it's be
a great idea to promote awareness of the LOOP by raising it to National
Trail status. Being generally within range of a travelcard it's the
one trail that could get Londoners out and walking more.

That is true (although the Thames Path and North Downs Way are also quite
close). Interestingly the Capital Ring is getting quite well publicised -
I've seen adverts for it on trains in London, for example. It would be
good to see the LOOP upgraded to a National Trail though.

Jon.

Jon

It's the constant juxtapostion of rural and urban landscapes that made
the LOOP interesting for me. I wrote some TR's for it - they're here
if they'll help your walk at all:

http://www.wheresthepath.com/london_loop/london_loop_intro.htm

You can click into each section either through the map or through the
"footprints" on the left hand side. Unfortunately the first three
sections don't have any photos due to (a) forgetting camera (b) film
running out or (c) batteries running out!

There were a few hills, none of them particularly taxing though. I seem
to remember the hilliest bits were in the south - there were certainly
a couple of superb views of the London skyline from the south. Days 1,
4 & 8 are almost entirely flat though.

Have fun walking it!

Anth

Quoted message said:

Jon

It's the constant juxtapostion of rural and urban landscapes that made
the LOOP interesting for me. I wrote some TR's for it - they're here
if they'll help your walk at all:

http://www.wheresthepath.com/london_loop/london_loop_intro.htm

You can click into each section either through the map or through the
"footprints" on the left hand side. Unfortunately the first three
sections don't have any photos due to (a) forgetting camera (b) film
running out or (c) batteries running out!

There were a few hills, none of them particularly taxing though. I seem
to remember the hilliest bits were in the south - there were certainly
a couple of superb views of the London skyline from the south. Days 1,
4 & 8 are almost entirely flat though.

Readers may be aware that I have been walking the LOOP off and on for
quite a while, I've got stuck again at Harold Wood - it's one of those
distances from there to the end that requires either a long day or two
short ones and I always seem to find something else to do.

My reports and the sometimes wayward discussions are available here:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&q=TR+London+LOOP&qt_s=Search
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"