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| Grove Park Nature Reserve |
I found myself with a day to spare as a friend cancelled on me. It was a sunny day too, so I didn't want to waste it. What could I do? Ah! Section 3 of the Capital Ring - Grove Park to Crystal Palace. This is the longest walk of the whole walk, and in a way, I wanted this section done. Maybe I had an inkling that this would be a difficult walk. I am one for diversions, little detours, but some detours that day were not intended. The walk, stated as 7.7 miles in the book, turned into a 12.2 mile walk for me (according to my fitbit), and left me barely able to walk towards the end.
Things began well, I found my way back to the start point from Grove Park station (train taken from Waterloo East) and the route was easy to follow. There is a section before the railway bridge known as the Railway Children Walk, as the author of the children's book (E Nesbitt) lived in this area. To the left is Grove Park Nature Reserve, which I dipped into briefly, but felt I didn't have enough time to explore it all.
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| Railway Children Walk |
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| View from footbridge looking towards London |
Soon I came to one of the nicest parts of this walk, the Woodland Walk, which crosses several roads. Walking along the tree-lined path one can hear the birds, but otherwise it is quiet. For me, this is what walking is all about.
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| Views from the Woodland Walk |
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| Robin |
I finally came to Beckenham Place Park, and here I made a mistake. The park at present is full of diggers. The lake has been drained and there is temporary metal fencing around great swathes of it. I ended up going in the wrong direction and having to ask a dog walker for help. He directed me back the way I came to cross the railway line. This added another fifteen minutes of so to the walk. However, once I crossed the railway line, I was back on track and eventually found the beautiful formal gardens where the cafe is. This was a very welcome sight because I already felt I was flagging.
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| Lunch stop - Formal Gardens and Stableyard Cafe |
The cafe is situated in a square, formerly a stable block. It also has a lovely clocktower. As well as the cafe, there are toilets, there is a tap for drinking water (where I topped up my container) and an ethical shop, which I had a look round. I ate at a bench and looked at the next part of the walk. It still seemed a long way to go.
I set off and headed towards the manor house, just around the corner from the cafe. This 18th century manor house was acquired by John Cator in 17773. He was a wealthy timber merchant. These days it is a busy community centre. The front has a grand portico.
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| The Park |
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| Cator Manor |
Back on the road and passing Kent Cricket Ground (Crystal Palace FC training ground behind), I could see the spire of St Paul's Church in the distance. When I arrived, the church was open and decided it would be a nice stopping point....and I do like to visit churches when I can. Not all are open during the day. The interior is lovely, and has a unique angel font.
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| St Paul's, New Beckenham |
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| Font |
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One of my favourite paintings
Light of the World - William Holman Hunt |
Later I passed under a subway by New Beckenham station and towards Cator Park, formerly Kent House Pleasure Gardens. I took another breather here. My legs were hurting, as were my big toes. Walking was becoming increasingly painful, and still the end seemed a way yet to go. Penge was the next major place on the map. Passing Holy Trinity Church, Penge, I continue through other roads until I came to Penge High Street. Here there are two bridges with a pub sandwiched between the two.
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| Holy Trinity Church |
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| The pub between two bridges |
Under the second bridge, I saw the entrance to Crystal Palace Park. I had never been so glad to see the notice. I entered the park and went straight to the cafe for a cuppa, before working my way around where the famous dinosaurs stand on islands. I used to meet a friend here years ago when our children were young, though my youngest says he doesn't remember! I remember there was a fair here once in the holidays, and a miniature railway, I think. The dinosaurs have been given a make-over, and I think other animals have been added.
I made my way towards Crystal Palace station, passing the old athletics stadium and a great view of the transmitter ahead of me. At the station I couldn't find the train I needed. Instead, I caught one to West Croydon and took the SL7 bus back home. This walk had some lovely places to pass through. The highlights for me were the Woodland Walk and the gardens and cafe in Beckenham Place Park. I'm rather glad I don't have to walk this again! Maybe because I've not walked such a long distance in a while that this really got to me. However, I realised later that I was brewing a cold, which laid me low over the weekend. Perhaps that would account for the low energy on that day.
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| Mounded Garden, Beckenham Place Park |
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| Former pub - Penge East Station |
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| Close to Penge East Station |
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| Crystal Palace Athletic Stadium - still waiting for its refurbishment |
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Crystal Palace transmitter
(apologies for the leaning....I was shooting into the sun) |
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