In Scadbury Park Nature Reserve. An absolutely gorgeous stretch of woodland south of the river no less.
Second stage of the London Loop from Bexley to Petts Wood, 7.5 miles. Train from London Bridge to Bexley for the start.
The last stage we did (stage 1), though with its good points was notable for its urban eyesores like recycling and waste tips and various industrial estates. This stage couldn't have been more different and was almost totally paths through a succession of green spaces, nature reserves and woodland. Weather lovely and mild, the sun coming out fully later in the day.
Started with Old Bexley Conservation Area, a reclaimed landfill site where we saw a lark soaring and singing and caught up with the river Cray again lined with willows and beautifully clear. Through Foots Cray Meadows and the scenic Five Arch Bridge and on to Foots Cray where we bought a sandwich for lunch.
Sidcup Place Park was another nice green space, like the meadows before it, remnants of old landed estates. A huge mansion here was the Star at Sidcup Place where we stopped for gin and cider and ate our sandwiches on the rickety benches facing the parkland. A pretty community garden here too.
Once beyond the horrendous A20, the green spaces became even lovelier with fresh spring growth and bluebells everywhere Scadbury Park with its remains of an old moated manor house, Park Wood and its carved bear wooden seat and Petts Wood with its memorial to William Willett, an early 20th century advocate of daylight saving. His memorial was in fact a fabulous sundial made out of a granite pillar, set to tell the time using British Summer Time. It was startlingly accurate.
Between Park Wood and Petts Wood we had the only real difficulty wayfinding, our two books conflicting somewhat with each other and the paths around us. A helpful group of women walkers put us back on the right track.
This last stretch I found particularly difficult on the knees which had behaved themselves up until this point - not helped by the 3 bridges over railway lines we had to climb over.
At Petts Wood we stopped for Pimm's and cider at the Daylight Inn (in honour of William Willett) sitting face on to the full sun before a cheeky meal in Cyprianis opposite - squid, truffle pasta, and prawn saganaki. Dave succumbed to a tiramisu also.
Train home went straight into Victoria which was handy and we were home by 8.15, where Dave fixed his car lights and I finalised the Sainsbury's order - what industrious beavers.
Too many good things.
Show me the way
https://365project.org/boxplayer/extras/2023-05-07
7 May 2023
Near Chislehurst, Kent
Ian