6 walkers met at the agreed point and made their way through the shopping masses to the other side of the Westfield site, from where we enjoyed a quiet remainder of the walk through the park, lit by the near full moon. It was cold but without a wind, so quite bearable while keeping moving. Some of the buildings were nicely lit up, especially the Arcelor Mittal Tower (in bright red). En route and by chance we bumped into another walker, who had misssed the start by exiting Stratford Station to the wrong side (there's always one).

Across to Hackney Wick (some had never done this walk before), where we investigated some of the new builds and some backyards as well. Food and drink at Crate Brewery was our plan, but they were full inside and all the outside tables with functioning heaters were occupied, so we went to Howling Hops Brewery next door, who had Sri Lankan streetfood for sale (and their own beers). Very enjoyable.

On to Fish Island and back to Stratford, still nicely illuminated by the moon.

There, (amazingly) everyone agreed to go to Tap East for another bevvie.

A very fine evening walk in similarly fine company.

7 bright moon no clouds cold

Just 4 set out from Stratford on a cloudy and muggy evening. The Olympic park's wild flowers were resplendent. We looked into the velodrome. Drinks and some food at the Beer Merchant's Tap in Hackney Wick, then as the hour was getting late we all got the overground and tube home from there.

Might try and find you on Fish Island

I will be late too, but might try and track you down somewhere in the Olympic Park

People kept popping up on this pleasant stroll on a warm breezy evening. Six assembled at Robert soon to meet one more going up the steps to cross the tracks, another caught us up at the velodrome while we were discussing route options as the official route up and around the velodrome was closed due to Commonwealth Game competition taking place. It was easy enough to pick up an alternate route, so on we went to Hackney Wick and its throbbing canalside venues teaming with people. We settled into an outside table at the somewhat quieter Beer Merchant's Tap for some food and drink when number 9 joined us. After refreshing ourselves, 7 carried on noting the Lord Napier is now open. We arrived back at Stratford about 9pm and most headed home. A fine evening out.

8 walkers tonight in balmy weather

A bike race was on at the outdoor circuit at the Velodrome, which was quite entertaining, as the groups of cyslists passed us many times as we followed the route around the course back into the park. Surprisingly, and for the first time, there were no route obstructions due to still more building works and we just sailed through w/o any deterrent. Plenty more bars, pubs and restaurants have opened even since last year; peak eating/drinking out has clearly not arrived yet in Hackney Wick.

There, we did make our customary stop for drinks at the Crate Brewery, but only 1 punter was undeterred by a 40 minute waiting time for a pizza to also order food. In the event, we stayed that long anyway...

There we had also met up with a cyclist we had bumped into twice before, a local SWC stalwart. On to Stratford then, where 4 went for a meal, while 3 went straight home (1 had already walked on earlier w/o turning into Crate).

12 at the start, with 2 starting later (arriving independently but walking together), 2 others also arriving late, walking more or less straight to Crate Brewery, then after a drink or two walking the route backwards to the Beer Merchants Tap, where most of the others were just leaving and joining the walk for the rest of the route, plus 1 that arrived at some point by bike and - pushing it - joined the walk for a while, incl a drink or two.

Westfield Shppoing Centre and the Olympic Park, the canalside barge cafes and pubs, breweries etc, everything was as busy as if nothing had ever happened in the last 4 months or so. The paths are mostly wide enough though to still move between the people serenely and safely. Great to see that the park has come on so nicely (just talking about the plantings here and the public realm), money well spent.

At the end most retired to the Stratford (Hotel's) Brasserie by the I'nal DLR station, a very fine place (just the right type of location for the SWC Xmas Party we thought, if stretching the budget a little, perhaps).

We left at 22.45 or so...

17 very warm

9 under leaden skies with a few attempts to break out into drizzle.

A jolly group followed the leader, who had edited the write-up just 5 weeks ago and yet found that things had changed yet again since then, especially in the middle section, as frantic building projects in Hackney Wick and the parts of the Olympic Park close to it mean that paths get closed and/or re-routed all the time.

En route, we had a well-deserved break at Crate Brewery on the Hackney Cut and at the end of the walk - after some indecisiveness - settled for the ever-reliable The Real Greek for a meal. All but one partook in that.

5 of us then went on to Tap East in the far corner of the Westfield Shpopping Centre for some overpriced-but-del sour beers or ultra-dry ciders. Fab.

18 walkers assembled at the stated start time outside Stratford Station and - after waiting for a few minutes - went ahead, leaving both the walk author and the walk checker stranded, who - independent of each other - had fallen foul of London Transport's offerings.

The 20 walkers were soon united though and proceeded in hot but dry weather, which defied the forecast thunderstorms and downpours (although some rumblings were close for a while, and about 10 drops of rain hit us along the way).

Everyone seemed to enjoy the convoluted route through the Park and its neighbouring environs, so much so that 9 of the total took to drink in Hackney Wick at the Crate Brewery & Pizzeria. The walk-checker and the other 10 walkers continued the route back to Stratford, where about half of the people had a drink at The Cow, and 6 of us (incl. some of the Hackney Wick drinkers) then had a meal at the Real Greek, an agreeable chain restaurant in the Westfield Shopping Centre (although it took ages for the food to arrive).