...commentary commences nearly 8 months later. Oh well. It's one of those ideas we had whilst meandering somewhere between Stratford and Woolwich, having already completed about a quarter that we decided to blog this, even later by the time we had got to Streatham that we even created this.
Still lets not dwell on such tardiness, we're here now and we are here to bring you our little adventures of the capital ring.
Part 1. Finsbury Park to Highgate.
Okay, so before we realised we were going to fully complete the capital ring, Peter and I decided to walk the Northern Heights route from Finsbury Park up to Highgate. Which technically is backwards on the capital ring, but like I say, this is before we decided to do it properly. This relatively unknown part of London (I say unknown, because in all the years I've lived there I had never heard of it. I guess its something people know about if they live right by it) is actually quite lovely to walk along a cool late winter afternoon. It is somewhat a 'joggers paradise', since we quite literally dodged a few whilst walking up.
This old train route goes up through Stroud Green and Crouch End. Whilst remaining largely a nature reserve, there are still areas where you can see the old station platforms and some tunnels have been jazzed up with some (actually quite tasteful) graffiti. At the end of the walkway, there are 2 closed off tunnels. I made Pete pose by them for the obligatory tourist photo. Actually peering in, they look quite eerie. The kind of place a bogey man might pop out with a crusty beard and grubby hands. A bit like that weird tramp guy in Mullholland Drive.
We didn't go as far as Alexandra Palace, we went as far as Highgate, where we made our usual pub stop at the delightful Flask in Highgate Village. I believe we had 2 Blue Moon's (Fnarr!) with a piece of orange in. Very tasty and well earned. Having refuelled, we carried on towards Hampstead Heath, via a rather remarkable part of London. I say remarkable, but actually it was a little creepy. No offence to anyone who lives there, but it was deadly silent and looked like a film set. Aside from that it also had some incredibly naff looking Mock Tudor tower blocks. (Later, Pete and I came to realise that Mock Tudor seems to be a recurring theme, perhaps the people who set out the route, are secret fans of their architectural aesthetic?) Seriously, no estate is ever that quiet! Still, we soldiered on.
Ahh Hamspstead Heath. Everyone loves Hampstead! What can I say that you don't already know? Nice panoramic views of London. Nearly getting your head knocked off by kites. Wind (the weather kind, given that it is february!) Lovely stuff.
Best thing about this trip? Pete finding a Happy Shopper Mug with feet on someones wall (He didn't steal it, they were merely leaving their junk for people to take) and the bloody tasty dinner we had to top it off in a pub in Tuffnell Park at the end.
And so commences our capital ring route, when we make the decision to do it and also do it the correct way round: clockwise.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67444451@N06/sets/72157627647037696/
