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Mark Moxon's Travel Writing

Capital Ring: Day 12: Highgate to Stoke Newington

Grafitti along Parkway Walk
Grafitti along Parkway Walk

Almost all of this day's walk slopes gently downhill along wide and flat pathways, which is a good thing as the route has been considerably extended since the publication of the first edition of the Capital Ring guidebook in 2003. There was a new edition published in 2006, so presumably the extension is included in there, but luckily the way markers on this leg are up to the usual high standards of the Ring (day 9 aside), so even with the old guidebook, it's easy enough to follow and is well worth the effort.

The New River Path
The New River Path

Finsbury Park

St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church

The graffiti dies out as quickly as the cutting walls end, and the Ring dives straight back into the enjoyable plodding of the disused railway, all the way to the gates of Finsbury Park. A large, landscaped park, Finsbury Park is great: it's got a large boating pond, a café, playing fields and, when I visited, a fun fair. As a place to sit and munch on your sandwiches while watching the city tick by, it's great, and it's large enough for plenty of privacy, if that's your thing.

Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park Cemetery