22/08/20 - Inner London Ring - Western Half

Distance - 13.5 Miles

Geocaches - 4

Inner London Ring - Eastern Half

Walk Inspiration

Good Beer Guide Ticks - 487 to 489 - Victoria - Paddington, Bridge House - Maida Vale and Draft House, Camden.

After 6 months absence, I could no longer resist London's call. Its been too long since train travel and a good walk in the metropolis. 2 days after my brave adventure, I'm reflecting that it was fine but time will ultimately tell.  Wearing a mask for a 1hr 45 minute journey was less of a problem than I was expecting and unused aisle seats made for good distancing.

The walk is a tourist's bonanza.  The Eastern Half of the Inner London Ring (a 25 mile circuit of London) took me to more out of the way places, like Victoria Park and the Olympic Village.  The Western Half is a full on sightseers dream.

It would be rather a boring blog - at least to those familiar with the Smoke - so I'll bullet point the places visited and have a link to the Flickr Photo Album.

• Start at Tower Bridge (on the day it was raised and got stuck)
• Monument
• Leadenhall Market
• The City's Alleys
• St Pauls
• Millennium Bridge
• South Bank
• Westminster, Big Ben and the London Eye
• St James Park
• Buckingham Palace
• Green Park
• Hyde Park 
• Paddington
• Little Venice
• Regents Canal
• Primrose Hill
• Camden

Flickr Album to Scroll through

Obviously lots of choice for refreshment.   I was looking for previously unexplored Good Beer Guide Ticks to knock off.  I found three that were open for business.

The Victoria, Paddington - London Pride

Easily the pick of the three.

Handsome Outside

A one way system means that I have to check in, but from that point I have the place to myself.  Gives me space to take my interior photos, but I am being virtually observed.  Within seconds of my Untappd check in, I have a "You are welcome" reply".

If you like a beautifully decorated Victorian bar of ornate gilded mirrors - and who doesn't? - then this is the place for you.

When in London, Take Pride (if ESB unavailable)

Handsome Inside

No ESB on in this Fullers Pub but London Pride is a suitable replacement.

The Bridge House, Maida Vale - Camden Hells

A Cafe/Theatre Good Beer Guide Tick

I know we are in strange times for pubs, but I am unsure how a cafe/theatre bar that has a single hand pull of Doom Bar gets in in the Good Beer Guide.   Maybe I was correct in not visiting during my last pub crawl in the area.

It is, however, a nice place for lunch - there's a weekend non-Rishi Dish offer of three tapas for £11, which included Cheesy chips in veal Jus.   £6.05 for a pint of keg was a touch on ouch side of things.

Beer - £6.05

Camden Draft House - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

London Outdoor Seating = Tramp Hassle

Last of the in the only busy part of town I found - Camden.  Even in the grip of a pandemic, you can have your photo taken with a Mohican punk for a £1.

A standard Brew Dog establishment, where I break my own rule of drinking outside in the smoke.  

My Pale Ale lasts nearly until the point that I get hassled by a tramp for change.

Change?  I haven't seen or used cash since March.