Ascent /Descent: 213/228m
Net Walking Time : 5 hours
Toughness : 4 out of 10
Take the 09.55 Dartford via
Bexleyheath train from Charing Cross (Waterloo East 09.58, London
Bridge 10.04, Lewisham 10.13), arrives Blackheath (Zone 3) at 10.16.
Returns from Deptford (Zone 2): xx.02
(Cannon Street via LBG) xx.20 (Thameslink via St. Pancras), xx.32 (Cannon
Street via LBG), xx.50 (Thameslink via St. Pancras).
This is an urban route almost entirely in the London Borough of
Lewisham, stringing together some genteel residential areas and streets, a
large heathland with views, many well-kept parks (some with rivers running
through them), a large Victorian cemetery and plenty of hills-with-views to
either Crystal Palace and the North Downs, Canary Wharf, the City of London
and/or the West End and Nine Elms.
You start with a long loop through the acclaimed Blackheath Cator
Estate, a Victorian and Georgian private estate with some impressive large
houses and tree-lined wide and quiet streets, but also sprinkled with
award-winning modernist houses. From there, traverse the upland heath and
descend into Lee, also with streets full of attractive residences, some
almshouses, a Manor House with a fine park, and the River Quaggy.
On through Hither Green to a hill-park-with-views and down across the Ravensbourne
Valley. The Brockley Three Peaks await next, with Brockley and
Ladywell Cemetery walked through in-between. The final stretch leads over Telegraph
Hill into Hatcham (New Cross) and on to Deptford.
All the route is on hard surfaces and mud-free. Alternative earth
or gravel paths are shown on the map where appropriate.
Shorter Walks:
· An Early Shortcut , straight from the station, cuts out the
loop through Blackheath Park and across the Heath. It cuts 2.9 km and 20m
ascent
· A Late Shortcut through Camberwell New Cemetery (shown on the
route map) cuts out One Tree Hill (cut 600m and 50m ascent)
· Many bus stops are passed on the route
· Bailouts at intermittent mainline and overground stations:
Hither Green (6.5 km), Ladywell (10.3 km, a little off route), Catford and
Catford Bridge (11.8 km, a little off route), Honor Oak Park (13.2 km), Crofton
Park (15.2 km), Brockley (18.6 km), Nunhead (19.8 km, a little off route), New
Cross Gate (20.9 km)
Food & Drink : Leading through fully
gentrified parts of Inner London, a plethora of good refreshment options are
passed. See page 2 of the pdf for details. Recommended from the last outing is The
Chandos, Brockley Rise (very good pizze and a pretty
decent beer selection).
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos
and gpx/kml files click here . T=swc.421
5 comments:
Why the late start? Austen
Some of us have to travel in to London with engineering works to connect with an outgoing train
Well, really it's about the short journey time. Even with the 'late' start, this walk starts earlier than the other ones. And any early morning person can get there a tad early, take a window seat in the next door cafe and watch the world go by!
Oh, and the fancy market will be on in the station car park
I was waiting for a report from someone who completed the walk but as none has appeared:
n=10 met at Blackheath Station, waiting a short time for one who was ultimately defeated by the trains. We moved on (away from the very busy High Street) to do names at the turning into Blackheath Park, part of the Cator Estate and interesting mix of Victorian (and possibly earlier) mansions and 1960’s architect-designed “Span” infill, and an even more modern Huf (prefabricated) Haus. Despite concerns about some of the instructions on Blackheath we did find our way across and down some interesting little lanes to Lee – unlike many country churches, St Margarets was firmly locked. Despite many opportunities for the group to disintegrate (information boards on the Heath and by Boons Alms Houses, loos in Mountsfield Park and Ladywell Fields) we stayed together until the recommended lunch stop, the Chandos on Brockley Rise. Three went in, presumably to eat, one walker disappeared for an evening event, two walked on to picnic on One Tree Hill, 4 ate in the Amrutha, a vegan restaurant on Honor Oak Park, of which one continued to Deptford, two got the bus and one walked home. So I don’t know how many made it to Deptford in total. The weather was w=cool-but-sunny and every park was packed with people, children, dogs all enjoying the sun and relative warmth.
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