Ravensbourne River walk

Canary Wharf

 The Ravensbourne River is a tributary of the Thames and rises in Keston, four miles south of Bromley. However, the part I was going to walk (taken from London's Waterside Walks) began at Depford Bridge and ends at Lower Sydenham. This equates to just under five miles.

This was the warmest day of the year so far. Nice and sunny for once. Getting to Deptford Bridge was easy from London. I took the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf and the DLR (Lewisham line) to Depford Bridge. However, the walk itself turned out to be extremely frustrating..

The first part of the path was sealed off, which meant I didn't see everything mentioned in the book. Luckily, the diversion was short and I was soon at the river. This was a pleasant walk through parks, crossing the river a few times. Arriving in Lewisham, I viewed the rather colourful Glass Mill Leisure Centre, after crossing a busy road, and I was soon following the river again. However, Cornmill Gardens looked nothing like the photo in the book! I think this might have been due to the age of the book whoch was published in 2019. A lot can happen building-wise in a few years in London.

I missed a turning after that and had to double back, then realising I wasn't that far out as I had to cross under Catford railway bridge. Soon I was in Ladywell Fields, where the book told me there was a cafe and toilets. Neither were open. Luckily, I had lunch with me, but I did need the toilets. Again I missed the turning in the park and had to double back and walk over a bridge to the other part of Ladywell Fields, where I sat at a bench to eat half my lunch.

Glass Mill Leisure Centre (above & below)

University Hospital

It wasn't long after this that the big diversion happened at a place called River Pool. I couldn't access the path as there were barriers. Walking back to the main road, I could see no other notices, so I walked down a side road to see if I could access the river from there. It was a dead end, and I retraced my steps back to the main road. I carried on walking, this time using Google Maps as this is an area I don't know. The longer I walked, the more fed up I became, and in the end, not seeing a way back to the river, decided to catch a bus and come home.

Dutch Elm, Ladywell Fields

My last view of the river before the diversion

The bus I caught had hardly got moving when I saw a notice to the river (at least I think it was a way back). Too late. I was on my way. The station it dropped me at was not the station in the book, but I used it anyway (if I could find it - it wasn't easy). There were no toilets at the station, so I hopped on the Overground train to West Crydon, a few stops down the line. 

Taken through the bus window

At Croydon, I ended up in M&S to use the loos! Even this was torturous as the shop was having work done and I had to follow the arrows and ended up almost going round in circles. I'd hoped at West Croydon I'd be by the bus station where the Superloop bus starts back to my hometown. I wasn't, or I'd walked the wrong way. In the end I walked to East Croydon station and caught the tram to Wimbledon and then the bus home. I was really fed up and tired.  

Maybe one day I will return and complete the walk, but I'd start at Lower Syndenham (I can catch a train direct from Waterloo East), and walk the last part that I couldn't do before and then turn back. It might be a while before I can face it again, though!