Capital Challenge, Saturday 1 April 2017


Welcome to this brand-new challenge hike!

New for 2017 - the Capital Challenge!

 

REPORT IS READY! CLICK HERE

***                                   The report from the Inaugural Capital Challenge, 1 April 2017, is available for viewing now                                    ***

***

 

RESULTS ARE IN! CLICK HERE

*** The Inaugural Capital Challenge 2017 was held on 1 April (yes..!) and results are available on this website (click link above to access) ***

***

 

NOTE 1 - ENTRIES OPEN

*** Entries open on Monday 14th November, and if you want to be in the ballot, your entry must be received by Thursday 29th December ***

(See below for more details on entry and ballot processes)

 

NOTE 2 - ENTRIES FULL

*** As of 1 January 2017, the event is fully subscribed ***

    (If you have registered, you have until 14 January to pay and confirm your entry.   If there are any spare places after 14 January, the entry system will be reopened)   

 

NOTE 3 - MARSHALS

*** Call for Marshals and Marshals' walk Sat 4 March***

    (We are always on the lookout for people come and help - there will be lots of interesting jobs on offer and you won't need to commit to being there for the whole day.
Email the organiser at capitalchallenge@ldwa.org.uk to find out more

Also, there will be a marshals' walk on Sat 4 March -
click here for details)   

 

NOTE 4 - GPX FILES UPDATED

*** Updated 6 March***

    (New GPX files were uploaded after the final Marshalls' recce on Sat 4 Mar.    The latest GPX files in full-size and compressed versions, can be downloaded below)   

 

Introduction:

Hitting the streets on Saturday 1 April 2017, this is an exciting new 28-mile challenge walk being organised by the London Group.

London skyline
London's skyline from Parliament Hill
(This is one of the early highlights of the walk)

Please note the clarification under Entry Process below of how the entry process and, if necessary, a ballot will work.

 

Summary:

An inaugural urban walk celebrating the capital. A surprise introduction to some of London's best open spaces including Royal Parks, Hampstead & Highgate, the new Woodberry Wetlands, the River Lea, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 28 miles; 100 walkers only.

Put the date in your diary now!

 

Description:

Celebrating the best of London's green spaces, the route uses almost completely mud-free paths through public parks, fine town squares, waterways and green spaces. 4 checkpoints, 2 with simple refreshments; start & finish at cafés close to public transport. This is an urban walk that passes a wide variety of shops and cafés along much of its length.

 

The route:

(See below for downloadable route description document and electronic GPX file)

Featuring 27.8 miles of walking with 1100 feet of ascent.

The event is for Walkers only

There is a limit of 100 entrants.

Crossing the Thames from the South Bank the route passes through three Royal Parks; following canals it reaches Regents Park and Primrose Hill, then Hampstead Heath. After Highgate Wood you will follow an old railway line to Finsbury Park; the New River and Woodberry Wetlands lead to Clissold Park, Abney Park and Springfield Park. The River Lea takes you past Walthamstow Marshes to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

 

Start:

between 0800 and 0900
from:
* The Riverfront Café, British Film Institute, South Bank,SE1 8XT [TQ309804] underneath Waterloo Bridge.

Hot drinks will be provided and participants can purchase food.
The start is close to Waterloo Station (mainline and tubes) and a short walk from Embankment Station (District, Circle, Bakerloo and Northern tube lines).

 

Finish:

by 1900
at:
*
The View Tube café, The Greenway, Marshgate Lane, London, E15 2PJ [TQ378837].

A hot drink and cake will be provided; additional food can be purchased.
From the finish there is easy access to public transport at Pudding Mill Lane DLR; it is 1 mile from Stratford (mainline and tube).

 

Entry Fees:

Members of the LDWA: £15
Not a member of the LDWA: £25
If the limit of 100 entrants is exceeded, we will give priority to LDWA members and if it is still exceeded, we will have a ballot.

Entry in advance only: there will be no Entry On The Day

Note to those who are not members of the LDWA:
annual membership of the LDWA costs £13 so to secure a place all you have to do is join at www.ldwa.org.uk

 

Entry Process:

Entry will be online via SIEntries

Click here to access the SI Entries page

  1. The registration period for the Inaugural Capital Challenge 2017 opens on 14th November 2016 and closes on 29th December 2016. If more than 100 valid entries are received by 29th December 2016, entrants will be selected by means of a ballot.
  2. Entries will be grouped into the following categories for the ballot: 
    a)      LDWA members 
    b)      Non-members
  3. The entries will be drawn from category a), then category b) until the entry limit is reached. The entries thus drawn will be accepted.
  4. The rest of the entries will be drawn in the same order of category to form a reserve list. Entries from the reserve list will be invited in order of drawing to fill the spare place left if payment for an accepted entry is not received. Thereafter, entries may be invited from the reserve list in order of drawing, if space becomes available, at the absolute discretion of the event organisers.
  5. If two or more entrants wish to be included or excluded together in the event of a ballot, then the entrants should enter online as multiple entries).
  6. The ballot will take place on 30th December or as soon as possible after that. The ballot will be witnessed by an independent auditor nominated by the LDWA London Committee who is not an entrant nor involved in the organisation of the event.
  7. The results of the ballot will be notified as soon as possible after the ballot. If payment has not been received from entrants successful in the ballot by 14th January 2017, then, if there is a reserve list, the entry will be cancelled and the place offered to the first person on the reserve list.
  8. If fewer than 100 valid entries are received by 29th December 2016, all valid entries at that date will be accepted (subject to conditions of entry) and the remaining places filled on a first come first served basis irrespective of LDWA membership. The final closing date for entries will be 19th February 2017

 

Results and Timings:

We will use electronic registration and tracking so that results can be published on the LDWA London website with split times immediately after the event.

 

Route description (downloadable written document):

The route description can be downloaded here

Please note this route description is correct as at 14 November 2016 but is subject to update if circumstances change.   Please check back on this website just before the event, to make sure there have been no last minute updates.

Click here to download Capital Challenge 2017 Route Description (85kb pdf file)

Also - there are lots of interesting "Blue Plaques" to spot along the way, commemorating some of the capital's illustrious residents. Download a handy guide to some of them from the link below. See how many you can spot as you hike!

Click here to download "Did you spot?.pdf"

 

GPX files (downloadable electronic track file) UPDATED TO FINAL VERSIONS 6 MARCH 2017:

Two types of file are provided:
GPX Track files are smaller and quicker to display on most GPX devices.
GPX Route files are larger and often slower to display but contain additional information and are easier to follow in GPX devices

FULL SIZE (LARGER) GPX track file, 3525 trackpoints, 349KB
Click here to download cap_chall_final_track_3525_trk.gpx

SIMPLIFIED (SMALLER) GPX track file, 490 trackpoints, 50KB
Click here to download cap_chall_final_track_490_trk.gpx


FULL SIZE (LARGER) GPX route file, 3525 routepoints, 665KB:
Click here to download cap_chall_final_route_3525_rte.gpx

SIMPLIFIED (SMALLER) GPX route file, 490 routepoints, 93KB:
Click here to download cap_chall_final_route_490_rte.gpx

Contact london@ldwa.org.uk if any problems with GPX

NB the GPX file should be used in conjunction with the Route Description which includes details of toilets and water fountains as well as notes about places of interest that participants will pass

 

Final overview map:

Easter eggs in grass


Capital Challenge 2017 - overview map
(NOTE: To be used in conjunction with the Route Description document)

 You can also click the links below to view zoomable interative maps of the route (note they may take a second or two to load):

Click here to view Capital Challenge interactive map on Google Earth
Click here to view Capital Challenge interactive map on Open Topo Map (near-OS 1:25k)