Clare's Challenge 50: Start to 3 miles

Saturday was a very important day - the start of my personal London Marathon. I'm not doing it with crowds of people, just me and my lovely Hubby Nick walking along, an ordinary couple taking a stroll.

But it's a slow stroll - we both noticed I am definitely walking slower than I was a year ago, my legs and arms hurt more too and need more rest now..... BUT what an amazing day, a fantastic start to Clare's Challenge 50.

We decided not to print t-shirts, one reason is they are quite expensive and it's money we could add to the fundraising pot. As we are not running we will be wearing our coats so they'd be hidden and this Challenge is primarily my personal achievement - so drawing highlight to us walking along seems a little odd. The money raised will be an amazing bonus.

I have decorated Dad's walking pole with ribbons representing the four charities and we will wearing the charities pin badges.

Dad's decorated walking pole

I am so very grateful to Virgin Trains and their generosity - I couldn't believe it when the tickets arrived First Class. Although it's a short walk to our train station we had a taxi as there was no point in being tired this end of the journey. A very fast train saw us arriving at London Euston just before 10am when the fun began....

Due to engineering works we had to slightly change our route across London, first trip was by tube on the Northern Line to London Bridge. We were very surprised when we came out the station right under The Shard, it was very tempting to go up but that will have to be another day, and not a misty one either.

Under The Shard

Looking up !

A two stop hop on the DLR and we were at Blackheath, an area of London we have never visited but looked lovely with lots of independent shops. From the tube station we had about a half mile stroll across Blackheath Common to the official start point. A misty morning with lots of dog walkers, under 10s football and other shoppers - it really had a community feel, quite an open space with huge houses, a really nice start to our day.

All Saint's Church on Blackheath Common

Greenwich Park is huge and a good space for starting the London Marathon when there are 1000s taking part. We started at the Red Start which is at Blackheath Gate and it's beautiful Gatehouse. There's a lovely view down into the park; an avenue of trees leading towards the Greenwich Observatory, but again that will have to be another day as the route turns east from Blackheath Gate along Carlton Way.

London Marathon Red Start at Blackheath Gate

Map of Greenwich Park
(we were at the big red dot bottom right)

I used Map My Walk app on my phone to plot our walk so after setting off we set off at a nice steady pace. It was lovely walking along chatting, looking at the houses, seeing parakeets flying over head and plenty of big red buses going by.

Our brunch stop was The Scullery Cafe which was about 3/4 of a mile into our walk, not far but we had been walking since leaving Blackheath Station. A popular place with a good brunch menu, table service and great coffee. Nick enjoyed a sausage sandwich whilst I devoured French Toast with berries (and maple syrup for energy).

French Toast at The Scullery Cafe

Setting off again through another small community of shops and onto Charlton Road - this was to be the first long stretch. It was a strange feeling to walk over the bridge crossing the A2 thinking we had traveled that road many times not knowing what was above. Although still misty it was a great view of the London skyline and the O2.

Misty London skyline from the A2 bridge.

A little further along we passed Our Lady of Grace RC Church where two wedding were taking place - we saw one wedding come out and the guests for the second arrive by coach; seeing everyone so happy made us both smile too.

Our side of the road a little further along was a quaint old cottage, Poplar Cottage, dating back to 1695. Charlton is a very old village; its Anglo-Saxon name means 'farmstead of the peasants'.

Weather- boarded 17th Century Cottage

Poplar Cottage

Charlton Road ends at The Village where I spied a bench !! We were on quite a hill overlooking the Thames and London but houses and flats obscured most of the view. We were very surprised to discover Charlton House, a Jacobean manor house built in 1607-12. It is now part of the Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust which hosts many events throughout the year and can be hired for weddings.

Charlton House

Hubby and the welcome bench

Nice place for a breather

The Village was a curve in the road, again a small community with shop and a cafe. Across the road was an old water fountain, next to a war memorial and a block of flats that would have great views down to the river.

The Village water fountain

Leaving The Village behind we set off on the longest stretch; Charlton Park Road into Little Heath and on into Hillreach. As its name suggests the first part was next to a park. We had a quick look in and discovered it was the back of Charlton House so it must have originally been its grounds. An interesting coffee shop which looked inviting but we needed to keep going, after being investigated by the friendly native looking for tip bits (of which we had none).

Coffee Shop in Charlton Park

Biscuit crumb hunter

Little Heath and Hillreach were long roads, going downhill and then up again. Lovely examples of London architecture, one house with a blue plaque; William Ranwell, an artist.

Beresford Terrace - great London architecture

William Ranwell's blue plaque

At the top of Hillreach I thought the junction was the end of Route 1, especially as by now I was quite slow and my left leg was beginning to hurt - unfortunately not, it was the next junction. This junction did however have a 36 inch mortar, weighing 42 tons the largest ever built in our country. It has been fired by never in war.

36 inch mortar

The Royal Artillary Barracks were on the other side of the junction and our final stroll was alongside the Barracks' walls to the main junction with the A205 John Wilson Street.

We walked alongside the Barracks.

The Finish Place for my first 3 miles was certainly a welcome sight. It's a major junction and Route 2 will start here heading north towards the Thames, but for these tired legs it was the Finish.

Finish Line for Route 1

Our journey back to Euston was to take the DLR from Woolwich Arsenal, so a little walk from the Finish. Not quite so far as Blackheath to the Starting Point, and with an added bonus; The Great Harry. A lively Wetherspoons pub which was a welcome sight with an even more welcome gin and tonic and dinner, another piece of history too.

I am was very tired on Saturday and even slower walking going home than when we started but it was an amazing day. I am so pleased that I can do this, not a big event just a slow steady bit at a time. We certainly discovered more about London having time to look around as we walked. The Map My Walk app calculated our route - 3.2 miles at a very slow pace, but I enjoyed every minute.

Another great journey home thanks to Virgin Trains and a taxi from the station. Yesterday and today have been rest day as my legs are slow, painful and at times a bit wobbly, but sitting writing my blog gives them a good rest.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has already donated - £115 so far - please share my blog and fundraising event as it helps me along and will certainly help my four chosen charities.

Donation Page - Clare's Challenge 50

And of course my special thanks goes to my lovely lovely Hubby Nick, my hand holder all the way.