LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I travelled on five London Transport buses to Falconwood to the start of the walk. Rain started as I alighted from the bus, so I put my hood up and went straight into thickly wooded Shepherdleas Wood. There were good footpaths throughout Eltham Park North to Rochester Way overbridge, or Falconwood footbridge. I passed Eltham Warren Golf Club to Butterfly Lane and Conduit Head. Water diversion to Eltham Palace, passing the impressive outer courtyard buildings. I went along St John's Walkway with its would-be views if the rain stopped, to Mottingham railway footbridge. Then I went down the overgrown nettled passage, passing Mottingham Sports Ground, to the Quaggy River. It was a short distance along Marvels Lane to Grove Park Railway Children Walk leading to Grove Park Nature Reserve and another railway footbridge. I had a quick glimpse of Hither Green Cemetery from the footbridge, then onto the very interesting Downham Woodland Walk. It was a very narrow strip of untouched woodland with a longitudinal path running its whole length. A few interesting wooden post carvings are spread along its length, with bird boxes high up in some trees. As I stopped in the rain to listen to the noisy squawking of parakeets, a teenage boy started to explain the noise as I stood mystified. We walked together in the rain for the rest of the woodland walk, and he showed me all the interesting features he could. At the wooden train by Oakridge Road he took a photo, and I gave him my email address, but he did not correspond. A few streets onwards to the varied Beckenham Place Park, with its 'Capital Ring Resting Place' bench. It was too wet on this occasion to oblige. Over the golf course, past the rhododendrons and squirrels to the Mansion on the Hill. More streets, passing St Paul's Church to Cator Park, with its majestic trees. Then past Cator Park School to Alexandra Recreation Ground and Penge East Station. Along Station Road there is a three-storey mural on the back wall of Hollywood East Public House, someone's hard work. I walked the last two streets before the very impressive and ultra-varied Crystal Palace Park. I had a good look around the National Sports Centre without going in, passed the World War I Memorial Bell and a heron on the edge of the Fishing Lake. I continued past the Concert Bowl stage, BBC transmitter tower, Italian terraces and the Sphinx, to the bus terminal on Crystal Palace Parade. A long, but immensely interesting and varied walk which I highly recommend.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk
Finish: Falconwood
Finish: Crystal Palace

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