Footscray Meadow is a wonderful place. Always used to think it was called Five Arch Meadow too. Years back when my parents moved to Sidcup I wrote the place off, but that and Lamorbey Park (only just discovered that's what it's called!) are cracking spots and have completely redeemed the area in my tiny mind.
Went for a very long walk on Saturday and ended up at East Wickham Open Space - you'd think from the name that it was some dog-shit green on an estate, but it's superb. I need to explore it properly one day. (Would make a good parkrun, I reckon, saw it'd been marked out as a running route.) Got lost in Shrewsbury Park/ Dothill on the way, walked back through Oxleas Woods which I haven't done in years.
I'm lucky where I am - even if we had an Irish-style lockdown (no more than 2km), I'd still be able to reach Greenwich Park and Blackheath, while I've been exploring little bits of Maryon Wilson Park too. There are bits of Woolwich Common I never knew about until the lockdown that seem only known to people who live next to it. It's fantastic.
(edit after seeing the Kidbrooke thread: Sutcliffe Park is cracking too.)
Dothill Road locally known as 'the Red road' & was an unmade road which ran between High Grove/Garland Road & Shrewsbury Lane,it has now been grassed over at one end & is almost completely overgrown at the other end, it used to be part of my route to Eaglesfield School.
Footscray meadows has just been mentioned. I'm lucky enough to live just a 3 minute walk from it, at Sidcup. Most days I walk the dog there and the place never fails to lift my spirits.
My walks often end up at, what's known as, the penny farthing bridge. From the bridge I once saw a massive pike, estimated two and a half feet long. I know, sounds like a fishy story. Sadly my dogs arthritis means he doesn't want to walk that far very often.
I love Footscray Meadows. Only went for the first time about two years ago despite living in the same borough virtually all my life
I've always known it as 5 Arches. We used to go there a lot as kids but haven't been there for years, despite living about a 15 minute walk away.
Walked down there with my wife and daughter earlier and had a lovely hour or so walking about. Didn’t realise how lovely it is there
Went for a very long walk on Saturday and ended up at East Wickham Open Space - you'd think from the name that it was some dog-shit green on an estate, but it's superb. I need to explore it properly one day. (Would make a good parkrun, I reckon, saw it'd been marked out as a running route.) Got lost in Shrewsbury Park/ Dothill on the way, walked back through Oxleas Woods which I haven't done in years.
EWOS is know as Fanny on the hill.
I was going to ask if that was what people were calling it these days EWOS my fucking arse. Could this be the birthplace of our own FannyF ?
Mind you it's no longer the Fanny on the Hill that I remember, it used to be fields & I'm sure a couple of giant bomb craters. All the youngsters around used to go over there playing cowboys & indians & stuff or jumping in soapboxes or on bikes & go hurtling down the hill more often than not turning the cart over half way down gaining a few more cuts & bruises, happy days in a different world. Health & safety didn't exist in those days :-)
Went for a very long walk on Saturday and ended up at East Wickham Open Space - you'd think from the name that it was some dog-shit green on an estate, but it's superb. I need to explore it properly one day. (Would make a good parkrun, I reckon, saw it'd been marked out as a running route.) Got lost in Shrewsbury Park/ Dothill on the way, walked back through Oxleas Woods which I haven't done in years.
EWOS is know as Fanny on the hill.
I was going to ask if that was what people were calling it these days EWOS my fucking arse. Could this be the birthplace of our own FannyF ?
Mind you it's no longer the Fanny on the Hill that I remember, it used to be fields & I'm sure a couple of giant bomb craters. All the youngsters around used to go over there playing cowboys & indians & stuff or jumping in soapboxes or on bikes & go hurtling down the hill more often than not turning the cart over half way down gaining a few more cuts & bruises, happy days in a different world. Health & safety didn't exist in those days :-)
Despite being suburbia we are blessed with such beautiful green space still (which makes council approvals to dig up parks for houses so annoying).
Oxleas Wood branching out to Eltham Park South, Avery Hill Park, Danson, Hall Place, The Glade, Footscray Meadows, all wonderful walking spots (and picnics when you can).
In the last week though we discovered Scadbury Park by the A20 just past Queen Mary’s on the other side of the A20. Live a mile way, yet had never even heard of it before. The most wonderful 3 mile wood land walk with set trails, fields with horses etc. Felt like you was 30 miles out in the deep countryside.
Scadbury connects to Petts Wood, Hawkswood, St Pauls Cray Common and Chislehurst (and then Elmstead Woods if you want!)
I think there's something like 500 acres in total and can take you hours to do the lot.
I'd say give me a shout next time but not much point at the moment!
I'm literally a 4-5 min walk away from the entrance to Petts Wood on Birchwood Road. About 100 yards away from where I go in under the railway bridge, there's a Range Rover with the reg no AD11CKS. No doubt whoever owns that Range must be on here lol.
Its a fantastic place on our doorstep to go take yourself away from the hustle and bustle of life. I've been over there twice during the lockdown and we found there were far too many people on the paths which made social distancing a problem, especially on some of the narrow paths so we've decided to stay away until lockdown is over.
You're the other side of Petts Wood (the woods, not the area!) to me then. We take the dogs around there but avoid weekends and I know some quieter paths especially near St Paul Cray Road.
That said, I avoid the underpath by the train as it's nearly always busy.
Footscray meadows has just been mentioned. I'm lucky enough to live just a 3 minute walk from it, at Sidcup. Most days I walk the dog there and the place never fails to lift my spirits.
My walks often end up at, what's known as, the penny farthing bridge. From the bridge I once saw a massive pike, estimated two and a half feet long. I know, sounds like a fishy story. Sadly my dogs arthritis means he doesn't want to walk that far very often.
I love Footscray Meadows. Only went for the first time about two years ago despite living in the same borough virtually all my life
If only someone on here had started a thread about it .....
Footscray meadows has just been mentioned. I'm lucky enough to live just a 3 minute walk from it, at Sidcup. Most days I walk the dog there and the place never fails to lift my spirits.
My walks often end up at, what's known as, the penny farthing bridge. From the bridge I once saw a massive pike, estimated two and a half feet long. I know, sounds like a fishy story. Sadly my dogs arthritis means he doesn't want to walk that far very often.
Where's the best place to park & access Footscray Meadow, if I should ever venture that way?
Who got out where this weekend? . Had a lovely early morning walk around Oxleas Wood for an hour or so. Great place.
6 mile loop round Petts Wood with eldest daughter who I havent seen for 8 weeks but enough was enough. She'd never done the woods loop before so she enjoyed it.
Jeez though, so many bloody people. So so many. We went out at 9 and was back before 11 but last hour was mentally busy.
From Bromley head for Ruxley roundabout. Then as you go along North Cray Road heading towards old Bexley there is a one way road called Leafield Lane, where you can park for free.
The five arch Bridge which is essentially the central and most popular part of the meadows is 5 minutes walk from there.
Lovely walks in the woods and along the stream. Happy to show you sometime if you like.
I took a lovely 300 yard walk to the Tesco garage to pick up some beers earlier. Even after 8 weeks working from home, having spent my 34 year (to date) working life Involved with local authority parks, I do not have the urge to visit one, even though one is directly opposite my place.
Danson Park looks like an absolute shit tip. Those fucking canisters these kids leave everywhere fucking grates on me. At least with pills, you just swallowed them. The park has cans and all sorts littered everywhere. Really like taking a walk over there with the dog, but looks like the morning after Glastonbury.
Today’s discovery was Lesness Abbey and Abbey Woods. Saw the ruins and then followed an excellent 4k trail (not for the faint hearted as seriously up and down). Was great fun and the woods were really empty.
Having grown up just off Brampton Rd, can’t believe I’ve never been there before.
Danson has been absolutely immaculate upto the point of reducing lockdown for just solely exercise. Since then, its been sad to see the amount of litter left in the park. Shame stricter measures/fines aren't imposed.
Not quite a park, but took the bike out along the Thames Path on Saturday as I had to nip to Woolwich, and ended up pedalling down to Belvedere marsh as I hadn't realised the path has now got a proper surface beyond Thamesmead. Hadn't been down that way for years - very peaceful and impressively bleak.
Very bleak isn't it? When i was training for my 50k, I'd walk from mine through Bostall woods etc all the way to Franks Park in Erith then back along the river. Most of the time I found myself completely alone on the part from Erith to Thamesmead. Eerie.
Lessness is great AFKA. There are some very steep bits, you can follow it along to Plumstead common from there. Really is a very nice walk.
Very bleak isn't it? When i was training for my 50k, I'd walk from mine through Bostall woods etc all the way to Franks Park in Erith then back along the river. Most of the time I found myself completely alone on the part from Erith to Thamesmead. Eerie.
Lessness is great AFKA. There are some very steep bits, you can follow it along to Plumstead common from there. Really is a very nice walk.
One of Plumstead Runners main training routes taking in Lesness and Plumstead Common. Some proper hill work, used to love that!
Comments
Could this be the birthplace of our own FannyF ?
Mind you it's no longer the Fanny on the Hill that I remember, it used to be fields & I'm sure a couple of giant bomb craters. All the youngsters around used to go over there playing cowboys & indians & stuff or jumping in soapboxes or on bikes & go hurtling down the hill more often than not turning the cart over half way down gaining a few more cuts & bruises, happy days in a different world. Health & safety didn't exist in those days :-)
I'm known as Fanny over the hill these days....
That said, I avoid the underpath by the train as it's nearly always busy.
Enjoyed today's walk in Foots Cray Meadows...definitely felt like a spa retreat.
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Had a lovely early morning walk around Oxleas Wood for an hour or so. Great place.
https://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/55635/footscray-meadows-footscray-place
Jeez though, so many bloody people. So so many. We went out at 9 and was back before 11 but last hour was mentally busy.
The five arch Bridge which is essentially the central and most popular part of the meadows is 5 minutes walk from there.
Lovely walks in the woods and along the stream. Happy to show you sometime if you like.
Even after 8 weeks working from home, having spent my 34 year (to date) working life Involved with local authority parks, I do not have the urge to visit one, even though one is directly opposite my place.
Cheers.
Park in Summerbee Avenue (I think) entrance.
Those fucking canisters these kids leave everywhere fucking grates on me.
At least with pills, you just swallowed them.
The park has cans and all sorts littered everywhere.
Really like taking a walk over there with the dog, but looks like the morning after Glastonbury.
Having grown up just off Brampton Rd, can’t believe I’ve never been there before.
Lessness is great AFKA. There are some very steep bits, you can follow it along to Plumstead common from there. Really is a very nice walk.
Very creative and growing by the day
I'm told they were/are shut?