The Capital Ring - Richmond to Greenford

The Capital Ring is a 120km/75 mile footpath orbiting central London at a distance of up to 10 miles from Big Ben. It was a collaboration between all of London's local authorities, and was completed in 2005. The route runs through urban and suburban outer London, utilising green space as much as possible.

This linear walk comprises sections 7 & 8 in the west, running 15km/9.5 miles from Richmond-upon-Thames to Greenford, and passing through Isleworth, Brentford & Hanwell.

The sights

Richmond Palace: Only the gate-house and couple of other small structures survive from this grand Tudor palace, built by Henry VII after 1498 to replace an earlier building destroyed by fire. It was a favourite of all the Tudors, especially Henry VIII & Elizabeth I (who died there in 1603). After the execution of Charles I in 1649, Parliament sold off the palace for building material and it was never rebuilt.

Richmond Lock & Footbridge: Opened in 1894, this is the furthest downstream of the 45 Thames locks, and its function is to maintain a minimum depth of water in the stretch upstream to Teddington.

Nazareth House, Isleworth: Built in 1821, this distinctive white mansion became a convent in 1890 providing accommodation for the poor & destitute. After some years empty, it has now become luxury flats.

Duke of Northumberland's River: This artificial waterway was first constructed in the early 16th century by Syon Abbey to divert water from the River Crane at Twickenham to power watermills at Isleworth. After the suppression of the monasteries, it was taken over by the Dukes of Northumberland and used to supply ornamental ponds at Syon Park.

Syon Park & House: The 200-acre park was the site of the Syon Abbey before its dissolution in 1539. It then passed to the Duke of Somerset, who built present-day Syon House in 1547. The park & house were acquired by the Earls (later Dukes) of Northumberland in 1594, and it has remained as one of their London residences since then. 

Also in the grounds is the grade-1 listed Great Conservatory, completed in 1827, the first large building of its type to be built from metal & glass.

Grand Union Canal/River Brent: This canal was originally completed in 1805 as the Grand Junction Canal to link the Midlands with London. At the London end, it splits into two branches, with the northern one linking to Paddington Basin, and the southern connecting to the Thames at Brentford. Between Hanwell & Brentford, the canal uses sections of the River Brent as much as possible.

GlaxoSmithKline House: This huge office block was constructed as the global HQ of pharmaceutical giant GSK, and opened at a cost of £315 million in 2001. Just a couple of decades later, GSK have moved their HQ to central London and put GSK House up for sale.

The Fox Inn, Hanwell: Built in 1848, this is a rare example of a largely unspoilt & original mid-Victorian pub, with glazed tiles, stained glass & wood panelling. It was saved from demolition by local support in 2001.

Hanwell Flight: This flight of eight canal locks lifts the Grand Union Canal 53 feet as it splits westward from the River Brent. It was constructed in 1794 and is the largest flight in London.

Warncliffe Viaduct: Completed in 1837 by Isambard Brunel, this brick-built viaduct carries the Great Western railway for a distance of 890 feet over the Brent Valley at a height of 66 feet. It was the first major engineering work needed for the London to Bristol line, and is named after its Parliamentary sponsor, Lord Warncliffe.

Brent Lodge Park: Located in the grounds of an old manor house that burnt down in the 1930s, this park has a small zoo, millennium maze, a cafe & toilets.

Nicky Hopkins Memorial Bench, Perivale Park: This bench in the form of a piano was unveiled in 2018 in memory of the legendary session keyboard player, who died in 1994.

The route (see location section for OS link)

From Richmond, we'll head down to the Thames past the site of Richmond Palace, and join the Capital Ring as it crosses from the south to north bank via the Richmond Lock footbridge. We'll follow the Thames downstream through Isleworth as far as All Saints' Church before turning inland to pass through Syon Park to reach Brentford High Street and the Grand Union Canal. Now we follow the canal north-west, under the Great West Road (A4), past GSK House & Boston Manor Park, under the M4, past Elthorne Park to eventually reach our lunch stop.

After the break, we branch away from the Grand Union Canal at the foot of Hanwell Flight to follow the River Brent north past the huge Ealing Hospital to pass under the GWR mainline at Warncliffe Viaduct to reach Brent Lodge Park and the Brent Valley golf course. At Greenford Bridge, we cross Ruislip Road and then the River Brent to reach Perivale Park and the Nicky Hopkins bench. Exiting the park to the north, we cross the A40 Western Avenue via a footbridge and pass through the inter-war suburban sprawl of Greenford to reach the station.

Don't waste that space!

Late winter walks get busy so please only book if you know you can make it. If your plans change please free up the space for someone else.

Dogs

Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but please note this is an urban walk along busy roads & footpaths. This especially applies when we are walking alongside canals & rivers, where we will be mixing with other walkers, joggers and cyclists.

For this reason, dogs will need to be on a lead for much of the walk. At all other times, a dog must be obedient. The pub at lunchtime is dog-friendly.

Is this your first ODL event?

Attending your first event with OutdoorLads might feel daunting. What will happen, who will be there, and what can you expect? We know that new members in particular like to know in advance more about what an OutdoorLads event will be like. 

If this is your first ODL event, you should check out the information designed specifically for you on the My First Event page on the ODL website. If you have any other questions you can send a message to the leader.

IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement

You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.

Photos: Warncliffe Viaduct (header) / Richmond Rail Bridge & Twickenham Bridge / Richmond Station / Richmond Lock / Nazareth House / Isleworth / Duke of Northumberland's River / Syon House / Great Conservatory Syon Park / Grand Union Canal & GSK House, Brentford / The Fox PH, Hanwell / Hanwell Flight / Under the Warncliffe Viaduct / Nicky Hopkins Memorial, Perivale Park / Greenford Station.

All photos taken by the leader 16th January 2025 and permission given to OutdoorLads for use.