This section begins on the bank of the Thames at the entrance (or exit depending on your perspective) of the Woolwich foot tunnel. The walk up to the bank from Woolwich Arsenal train station is pleasant, you can see the development that has followed the DLR which has revived old warehouses and industrial architecture.
The walk takes you a short distance along the Thames, giving you a lovely view of the Thames Barrier before sending you off amongst the maze of warehouse buildings, offices and busy roads. I was left with a slight sadness knowing that the next time I would be by the Thames would be in Richmond.
However, the urban environment would not last long. Soon I was to meet up with the Green Chain Walk at the Maryon Wilson Park. I even caught a glimpse of the park's more unusual residents.
I emerged from wooded parkland to see Charlton House in the distance. I had seen this house once before when looking at flats in the area. How wonderful it is to recognise a place from another time. The best part of this adventure is joining the dots of a city you only usually experience at the end of a bus or trainline. It feels like discovering a secret way of travelling around London.
I then enjoyed the clear views along Woolwich Common, before plunging into Oxleas Woods, a dense world of ancient woodland, where I found Severndroog Castle (a truly severe name for a cheerful looking folly). The woodland opened up into Oxleas Meadows where I was greeted with the customary sign telling me how far I was from Richmond bridge - only 30 miles to go!
After a short stop in a cafe for a very needed cake and fizzy drink (I have discovered on this walk that there is nothing better than a well-timed cafe), I was back on my route for the last push on to to Falconwood. This first segment is one of the longer ones at 7.2 miles. Not a particularly difficult journey but still a sizeable stretch of time. The day had gone from bright blue skies to overcast and by this point I was looking forward to reaching my first milestone.
After a final post-cake effort, I reached the end of the first segment of the Capital Ring walk. It finishes by the footbridge that crosses over the A2, not the most picturesque location but that is the joy of this journey!
