Last time out, I walked from Bethnal Green to West Ham along the first part of the Jubilee Greenway, a 60km trail around London which commemorates the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics.
Nine days later, I returned to West Ham to pick up The Greenway where I left off. It was a pretty tedious bit of walking, straight on and on, following the Northern Outfall Sewer across East London
with views west towards the offices at Docklands, which were going to be in sight for most of my walk:
The path mostly goes through residential areas, but it also passes the back of the East London Cemetery,
and I detoured inside to look at the war memorials, those for the soldiers and sailors of two world wars
and those for civilians, World War II air raid casualties buried in mass graves, including 10 people who were never identified.
Back on the Greenway, I was heading towards the Barking Creek Flood Barrier in the distance, but not going quite that far.
The Jubilee Greenway shares its route with the Capital Ring along this stretch,
and both paths turn off the Greenway in Plaistow, wending their way through residential streets and over the A13 before entering Beckton District Park. The route's well sign-posted with Capital Ring logos on the lamp posts and Jubilee Greenway markers set into the pavements, though they're made of metal here rather than the stone of earlier markers.
Into the park, and the guide says it's worth detouring to see the lake. It isn't.
The 'park' continues across the road, but here it's really just a winding path running through a narrow wooded area
which opens out to a grassy area, with those skyscrapers again, and Newham City Farm in the foreground.
I popped inside to see a pig and a few chickens enjoying the sunshine, but most of the animals were sheltering from the cold wind.
More park, then playing fields, then houses and a main road which took me to Cyprus DLR station. I pondered stopping here, and wandered through to the waterfront at the Royal Albert Dock while I assessed my options and looked at the views.
I was standing in the campus of the University of East London,
looking west to Docklands and the O2,
and south to London City Airport.
Somewhere on the opposite side of the airport was George V DLR station, and I decided to push on.
I crossed the Royal Albert Dock via the Sir Steve Redgrave Bridge (apparently he used to row in the dock),
and watched the planes landing as I walked.
Then a modern housing estate, where the path finally reaches the Thames, though not an inspiring bit of Thames, just a row of tower blocks on the other bank.
Three paths coincide here, we've met up with the Thames Path, and all three head westwards along the river, towards North Woolwich.
I detour into the Royal Victoria Gardens to investigate a steam hammer, a relic of the old shipyard at the Royal Albert Dock (where the airport is now).
I leave the path after Victoria Gardens, and make my weary way to George V DLR station. Next time I'll need to cross the Thames. Should I do so via the Woolwich Ferry
or venture through this portal, and use the foot tunnel?
