Length: 4.9 km (3.0 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 70/82m
Net Walking Time: ca. 1 ¼ hours
Take the 18.16 Thameslink train from Blackfriars
(originates from Welwyn Garden City) to Sevenoaks (calls Elephant
18.20, Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye 18.31, Nunhead, …, Catford 18.40, …,
arrives Ravensbourne 18.47.
From London Bridge: 18.14 train to Peckham Rye,
change onto the above train (18.24/18.31).
From Victoria: 18.12 Rochester train, change at Denmark Hill
(18.21/18.28).
Return Trains: xx.00 and xx.30. Both
stations are in Zone 4.
This partly undulating route winds its way through an attractive park in
South East London, partly on grounds formerly used for a public golf course.
The park is bounded to the east by the Ravensbourne River and the route
initially follows parts of the well-waymarked Waterlink Way along it through
open meadows. You then cross the railway line into the more undulating westerly
part of the park, famous for its bluebell displays in season. Recent major
investments in the landscaping of the park have spawned some interesting new
features: A Mounded Garden, a Wet Woodland, a Wild Swimming Lake and the
replanted Ornamental Garden with its beautiful café in the former homestead of
the mansion.
Tea: Both the Mansion Bar
and Café in the Palladian Beckenham Place Mansion will be closed
but the Homestead Café may still be open, but in any case:
options are available down the train line to London, for example when changing
at Catford Stations or at Peckham Rye or the Elephant. The Catford Bridge
Tavern proved to be a good option last time around…
For walk directions, maps, height profiles, photos
and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.46
2 comments:
n=7 on a w=dry-after-a-rainy-night-and-day evening.
Not enough mud about on the paths to be a worry, so the pace was quite good. Some of the 7 had not been in this park, so info panels were studied, but despite that we made the 20.00 train with 3 to spare.
Lots of parakeets, one slightly startled fox (in the wet woodland section) and plenty of bluebells, noticably more percentage-wise than last Thursday in Lesnes Abbey Woods. All in, a very plesant stroll.
5 then went to the Catford Bridge Tavern, where - is this becoming a theme now? - a pub quiz was on, with a man (not a drag queen this week) with a mike (not as overly loud as last week).
Good food from a limited menu and several drinks were consumed.
Addendum: a rather sad sight were the hundreds of floral tributes at the swimming lake's entrance for the lad that drowned there last week
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