August 2013
20.8.2013 Section 4
20/08/13 22:57
An early start was necessary as the "commute" to the start and end point of each LOOP leg are getting longer and longer.
So be it as long as the weather is fine ( and it is ! ) nothing speaks against it.
West Wickham ( Hayes Station ) which was last time the end point I reached by bus in about 1 h 15 min. to walk quickly to the entry point of the LOOP.
After a short walk I reached the Recreational Gardens of Coney Hall with the little pillar standing on the Greenwich Meridian.
Climbing a bit up-hill one reaches St.John the Baptist Church with ii's partly overgrown churchyard and fantastic views over the at this part of London very rural countryside.
But civilization is never far: a big round-about needed to be crossed to reach the gates to the Sparrow De's playing fields. The local rugby club was teaching it's juniors. After watching the training session for a while I went on the reach the Spring Park Woods, ancient woodlands, owned by the Corporation of London since 1926.
Passing through Threehalfpenny Wood with the border stone between Bromley Borough and Croydon Borough and very close by the old boundary bank that once separated Kent from Surrey.
Heading on via Shirley Heath, a beautiful open grassland with sloping meadows ( if only the power masts wouldn't be there ! ) which make you forget that one is in London one reaches Upper Shirley.Passing through is rural part of London I discovered at a house this great sign ( should put this up at my house as well ! )
Leaving Upper Shirley after a little rest the path climbs steadily to reach Addington Hill. Fantastic views over Croydon and London.
The Crystal Palace transmitter, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Wembley Stadium are clearly visible.
According to my tour-book also Epping Forest and Windsor Castle. Having indulged the views the LOOP goes downhill to reach the Tramlink Station Coombe Lane.
No, I went on passing Heathfield Park with Heathfield House, a Borough of Croydon Training centre, and Bramley Bank, another local nature reserve., where clearings gave fantastic views of the southernmost parts of London.
From here on the LOOP path coincides for about 2 m with the Vanguard Way, a long distance trail from Croydon to Newhaven, to reach a footpath called Baker Boy Lane.
Following this lane for quite a while one has London on your right and Surrey on your left; the Greater London boundary.
At it's end one has clearly reached the very rural part of London: meadows with cows and horses and the working Elm Farm. Walking on through farmland on reaches again civilization: the first houses of Hamsey Green, a part of Croydon. In it's centre the bus station whre this part of the LOOP finishes.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here.
This concludes the 4.section: 8 ½ miles, 117 m still to go.
So be it as long as the weather is fine ( and it is ! ) nothing speaks against it.
West Wickham ( Hayes Station ) which was last time the end point I reached by bus in about 1 h 15 min. to walk quickly to the entry point of the LOOP.
After a short walk I reached the Recreational Gardens of Coney Hall with the little pillar standing on the Greenwich Meridian.
Climbing a bit up-hill one reaches St.John the Baptist Church with ii's partly overgrown churchyard and fantastic views over the at this part of London very rural countryside.
But civilization is never far: a big round-about needed to be crossed to reach the gates to the Sparrow De's playing fields. The local rugby club was teaching it's juniors. After watching the training session for a while I went on the reach the Spring Park Woods, ancient woodlands, owned by the Corporation of London since 1926.
Passing through Threehalfpenny Wood with the border stone between Bromley Borough and Croydon Borough and very close by the old boundary bank that once separated Kent from Surrey.
Heading on via Shirley Heath, a beautiful open grassland with sloping meadows ( if only the power masts wouldn't be there ! ) which make you forget that one is in London one reaches Upper Shirley.Passing through is rural part of London I discovered at a house this great sign ( should put this up at my house as well ! )
Leaving Upper Shirley after a little rest the path climbs steadily to reach Addington Hill. Fantastic views over Croydon and London.
The Crystal Palace transmitter, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Wembley Stadium are clearly visible.
According to my tour-book also Epping Forest and Windsor Castle. Having indulged the views the LOOP goes downhill to reach the Tramlink Station Coombe Lane.
No, I went on passing Heathfield Park with Heathfield House, a Borough of Croydon Training centre, and Bramley Bank, another local nature reserve., where clearings gave fantastic views of the southernmost parts of London.
From here on the LOOP path coincides for about 2 m with the Vanguard Way, a long distance trail from Croydon to Newhaven, to reach a footpath called Baker Boy Lane.
Following this lane for quite a while one has London on your right and Surrey on your left; the Greater London boundary.
At it's end one has clearly reached the very rural part of London: meadows with cows and horses and the working Elm Farm. Walking on through farmland on reaches again civilization: the first houses of Hamsey Green, a part of Croydon. In it's centre the bus station whre this part of the LOOP finishes.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here.
This concludes the 4.section: 8 ½ miles, 117 m still to go.
1.8.2013 Section 3
01/08/13 22:50
Weather is fine so off I go to start the next leg of the LOOP: Jubilee Park ( Petts Wood ) to West Wickham Common.
10 miles including station links are in font of me.Starting point as usual is the 51 bus which gets me via Orpington to Petts Wood Station the previous leg's finish point.
It starts with a pleasant walk through Jubilee Park with it's dense woodland.
The path gets me to Crofton, a part of the London Borough of Bromley, where I am entering the Darrick and Newstead Woods, a local nature reserve, reaching hilltop with fantastic views south over the last suburbia.Crossing the busy A21 one gets after a short walk into the lovely village of Farnborough with its ancient buildings and its beautifully set church St.Giles the Abbott, dating back to times even before 1640 when the church was rebuild after storm damage.
Crossing the churchyard with and passing a huge open field with fantastic views of the downs I am reaching the High Elms Country Park a 400-acre estate, now owned by Bromley Council but ones the home of the Lubbock family ( the Earls of Avebury ). Unfortunately the house burned down in 1967 and only the stables and an Eton Fives Court. Heading on through the woodlands with its specimen trees from around the world one reaches the High Elms Golf Course and passes the High Elms Clockhouse. The bell was rung to tell farm workers of the Lubbock family when their lunch break started or finished.. Walking along farmland with farmers busy harvesting and ploughing, all part of the Holwood estate who owner at one point in time was the younger William Pitt, Prime Minister at the time. In the estate and at the LOOP way is the Wilberforce Oak where William Wilberforce and Pitt discussed in 1788 a parliamentary bill to resolve the slave trade.
From here the path drops gently towards Keston Common ( Keston also being a part of Bromley Borough). On the common the earthworks of an old iron age fort are still visible but the one finds here also Ceasar's Well, the source of the Ravensbourne.
Along three connected ponds, used in former times as a water reservoir for the Holwood estate but used for fishing these days, I am getting into West Wickham Common, owned by the Corporation of London. A delightful walk gets me to the other end of the common where a huge sign proclaims the end of the third section of the walk also marked by several incredible pollarded oak trees. According to my tour book the "Domesday Oaks".
A little stroll gets me to Hayes station from where my return bus to home will be leaving.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here.
This concludes the 3.section: 10 miles, 125 ½ m still to go.
10 miles including station links are in font of me.Starting point as usual is the 51 bus which gets me via Orpington to Petts Wood Station the previous leg's finish point.
It starts with a pleasant walk through Jubilee Park with it's dense woodland.
The path gets me to Crofton, a part of the London Borough of Bromley, where I am entering the Darrick and Newstead Woods, a local nature reserve, reaching hilltop with fantastic views south over the last suburbia.Crossing the busy A21 one gets after a short walk into the lovely village of Farnborough with its ancient buildings and its beautifully set church St.Giles the Abbott, dating back to times even before 1640 when the church was rebuild after storm damage.
Crossing the churchyard with and passing a huge open field with fantastic views of the downs I am reaching the High Elms Country Park a 400-acre estate, now owned by Bromley Council but ones the home of the Lubbock family ( the Earls of Avebury ). Unfortunately the house burned down in 1967 and only the stables and an Eton Fives Court. Heading on through the woodlands with its specimen trees from around the world one reaches the High Elms Golf Course and passes the High Elms Clockhouse. The bell was rung to tell farm workers of the Lubbock family when their lunch break started or finished.. Walking along farmland with farmers busy harvesting and ploughing, all part of the Holwood estate who owner at one point in time was the younger William Pitt, Prime Minister at the time. In the estate and at the LOOP way is the Wilberforce Oak where William Wilberforce and Pitt discussed in 1788 a parliamentary bill to resolve the slave trade.
From here the path drops gently towards Keston Common ( Keston also being a part of Bromley Borough). On the common the earthworks of an old iron age fort are still visible but the one finds here also Ceasar's Well, the source of the Ravensbourne.
Along three connected ponds, used in former times as a water reservoir for the Holwood estate but used for fishing these days, I am getting into West Wickham Common, owned by the Corporation of London. A delightful walk gets me to the other end of the common where a huge sign proclaims the end of the third section of the walk also marked by several incredible pollarded oak trees. According to my tour book the "Domesday Oaks".
A little stroll gets me to Hayes station from where my return bus to home will be leaving.
Some more pictures of this section can be found here.
This concludes the 3.section: 10 miles, 125 ½ m still to go.
