Making a Contribution: London Loop II

CRAYFORD TO PLUMSTEAD VIA THE RIVER CRAY, THE THAMES, ERITH AND LESNES
ABBEY

This was part deux of our very own take on the London Loop. Be aware, it started by accident, is in the anticlockwise direction, it does not begin in a conventional place and I've latched a whole extra leg on it as this section is short. What resulted was a hot Spring walk to the Thames, a lengthy walk upstream to a pumping station, the redemption of an old abbey and what may be the last of the bluebell woods of the season. We seem to be already in the cow parsley zone as we march with undue rapidity into Summer.

To make more of the locations on this route, there is a satisfying connection between Hall Place, as visited in part one and Lesnes Abbey, on the other side of the hill. The material for the hall came from the ruined abbey. So S and I have achieved some circularity.

Crayford was reached via Clapham Junction and return from Plumstead was via London Bridge. I think a 1-6 zone travelcard is best. I could be wrong.

I'll not go into great detail on the Loop as it it documented elsewhere but suffice to give you our route. The last leg ended near Hall Place and so we backtracked on the south side of the railway to cross back westward from Crayford station. Here you cross the road and railway and return east on the north bank of the river. Walking here will take on the edge of Braeburn Nature Reserve.

Leaving the river briefly and on the boundary of Crayford and Bexley, you learn of the towns silk printing and brick businesses. While the waters here might not be the cleanest now, the once abundant waters were increasingly polluted by the industries of iron-working, flour and saw-milling, tanning and chemical processes. I contemplated this as we rejoined the river bank. The path crosses the river at Maiden Lane and then at the Thames Road.

Here the Cray effectively becomes the Crayford Creek and it flows into the Dartford Creek. Either side of you are the Dartford and Crayford Marshes and at times, the river is lost in the reeds. If you're worried or irritated by gunshots, know that the Dartford Clay-Shooting Club is also over to your right. You are walking through the last of the Thames saltmarshes. Soon the brutal concrete arch of the Dartford Creek Barrier swings into view. This section has a very marginal feel before you return to modern London industry.

Note that as you round Crayford Ness, you are also on the King Charles III England Coast Path and the Thames Path. The route ducks inland before rejoining the river at Erith. This place is the official start of the London Loop. Continuing west was not hugely attractive, if I'm honest. The William Cory (former coal merchant) Promenade is littered with spent buoyancy aids, Lime bikes and shopping trolleys but the shelducks are surprisingly happy dabblers.

We headed inland, hoping to refresh ourselves but Erith was not immediately forthcoming and so we pushed on. From the church we rejoined the river. What followed was a sweaty walk past the incinerators, warehouses, The Crossness Nature Reserve and to the now dwarfed Bazalgette-built Crossness Pumping Station.

This was the last place of note on the river before we retreated in at Lytham Close. A footpath passes Crossway Park before passing under the Eastern Road, joining the Ridgeway and the Green Chain Walk. We met the edge of South Mere with many others premenading and cycling, continuing on the green strip to the ruins of Lesnes Abbey, founded in 1178. We took a pleasant break here but a late lunch or a picnic would have been nice. It being a Sunday, our luck was not in. Do a circuit of the viewpoint before essentially sticking with the Green Chain through Abbey and Bostall Woods to Plumstead Common, passing through Great Bartletts Woods. Heading north and descending will take you to the High Street and Plumstead Station.

An ice-cream had to make do.