"The Capital Ring is a 78-mile circular footpath seeking out a hidden corridor of green space around inner London. One of Transport for London's officially designed walking routes, it takes in the capital's parks, woodlands, towpaths, river banks and historic cemeteries".

I scarcely know London, but I have a friend who lives there - so I am staying there and with the help of the excellent guide by Colin Saunders and the Transport for London website which tells me how to get to the start and end of each day's stages negotiating the underground and overground lines, I am undertaking this magical mystery tour.

Setting off with the commuters at 7.30, today had a lot of wow factors as the Dockland Light Railway passed Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome, and as I set off along the south bank of the Thames I could see the Shard, the Gherkin and the Thames Barrier. Then it was miles of lovely quiet parks on a warm sunny morning. Tea shops too.

9.7 miles on the route, 1.2 miles to walk to the start and end of the routes, plus getting from where I am staying to Finsbury Park station and back.