18/4/12 - Capital Ring Stage 7 - Water, Water, Everywhere

Distance - 5 Miles
Caches - 5 Found, 4 Not Found
Pubs - All along the way
Start - Richmond
Finish - Osterley Lock

Capital Ring Phase 7 at EveryTrail


Nice easy walk to start off 2012's continuation of the Capital Ring.  I am completing this when I am down in London with work, having to go out whatever the weather.  Today, we had a monsoon, which required some sheltering under bridges during the worst of it.

Down to Richmond.  I have complained about the lack of pubs on previous stages of this walk.  They are all hiding in this section.  I cannot stop in Richmond, but there is a particularly pretty one after you cross the green and reach the river.

Too Early for the White Swan

Press on, but in hindsight, I should have gone in as I end up hiding under the bridge for 15 mins, along with a couple of hoodies, during the worst of the rain.  Entertained by a man commuting on a unicycle.  Only in London.

Cross the Lock.  There is a cache here, but too many places for it to be hiding.  Don't spend too long, as I look like a potential suicide.

DNF - Hardly surprising.  Avoid bridge caches.

Turn right and follow the river up to the ancient hamlet of Isleworth.  There are several more pubs on the way, the pick being the London Apprentice - dating from Tudor times.  Alas, I press on, taking in a cache on a Plague Pit in the church's boneyard.  Every one has a story.

I am accompanied by the roar of the planes coming down into Heathrow.  As pretty as this place is, there is no way I could live here.  It would send you mad.  No more apparent than when crossing Syon Park.  You can see them all stacked up in a row, ready to drop down.

Nice house, shame about the noise pollution

Pick up the canal at Brentwood.  This is where all the caches live in two series - one is based on the alphabet and the other is based on "Water to Follow" theme.  The alphabet ones are very hard.  To give you an idea, I think you need a canoe to get one of them.  Struggle with about a 50% success rate.

OK stretch of walking, taking in boat sheds, weirs and complex canal navigations before emerging at Boston Manor.  As per the end of stage 1, there is a loveley harverster awaiting me.  If only they had the Chelsea Barca game on.

Quinoa salad was disappointly unavailable