Does anyone know if there are areas around ABBA arena suitable for picnic? Not sure if this walk passes by ABBA arena, if it does, would very much appreciate it if someone on this walk could provide info on that. Pls contact me directly via SWC social website. Many thanks.

The ABBA arena is a temporary structure opposite Pudding Mill DLR station in a light industrial area not passed by this walk. Not passed by this walk.

to Gouldman - you sounded like you know the area intimately well. I thought I would try my luck to see if you could suggest some picnic spots near the ABBA arena. Email me at swcsocialATgmailDOTcom

12 walkers assembled near Robert, including 1 first-timer who lives locally, and a couple of friends of an evening regular. A 13th walker had managed to get out of the station at the 'wrong' side and we picked her up en route to the Shopping Centre.

The brooding skies had elicited the first grumbles of far away thunder and a few drops of rain could be felt. A squeamish walker suggested going to the pub as the online rain radar promised at least an hour of rain clouds moving over, but the SWC are made of sterner stuff. On we walked. Umbrellas and rain jackets materialised and a very large (broken) golf umbrella was rescued from a bin. And 2 hardy folk kept walking without any protection. The rain itself was big fat drops but not lots of them, but steady at it. The thunder kept getting closer, but we never saw any lightning. A rainbow materialised and stood steady for quite a while.

Most had not walked this route or the Park itself ever, so were amazed by how beautiful it is.

A stop at the Velodrome for the facilities was followed by one at Crate Brewery Hackney Wick, for canal side pizzas (very good) and beer. 2 peeled off from here to go to the Overground station, the rest went on to Stratford. The rain had stopped by now, the sun had set, and the gloaming was a wonderful time of day to walk through the remaining landscaped parts of the Park, with even the Arcelor Mittal Tower looking splendid with its lights on.

Drinks for 4 at Tap East followed...

13 light rain and thunder for an hour on a mild evening

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

Just4 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).