Hullo everyone,

Nearly all of this is in SE23 so I've put it here. I apologise for a little local cross-posting.

On Sunday 31st, at 10am 'Walk London' is offering a guided walk from Nunhead station to Crystal Palace. Some of you joined this a year ago and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. This year it's a bit longer but still leisurely and has a very special treat in Crystal Palace Park. There's no need to book.



The route follows the Green Chain Walk's forthcoming Crystal Palace to Nunhead extension. There will be a publicised opening walk in April but that will be less comprehensive than ours and they won't get the historical photos or commentary!

Leaving the station we'll take a good look around Nunhead Cemetery and then to Camberwell New Cemetery. Up the steep path to the top of One Tree Hill to see 'The Oak of Honour' and the wonderful view.

Down the other side of One Tree Hill and meet with resident, Ian White, at the pioneering self-build housing in Walter's Way for a talk. Very popular last year. We'll then go to the Horniman Museum for lunch.

The muddy and green Sydenham Hill Woods Nature Reserve follows. We'll seek out the remains of the once splendid gardens amongst the trees. Past the modernist 'Six Pillars' and the 'Dulwich Wood House' into the former Upper Sydenham railway station, its station house and the mouths of old railway tunnels.

A strange concrete blockhouse (you'll see) and the imposing entrance to 'Paxton Tunnel' await in High Level Drive and then up the slope to Sydenham Hill. Through Crystal Palace Park to meet Ranger, Andy Hayden, who'll give us our treat. He's going to take us to feed the Dinosaurs. The rare privilege of getting onto their island. NOTE. We'll have to ford one inch deep, three foot wide, water to get onto the island and the visit is strictly for participants only.

Good stuff eh? Should be excellent fun!

Just to sum up...

Sunday 31st. Meet at Nunhead station 10am. About 6.5 miles. Finish by 4.30pm. You can see the route on the web at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3360491

Hope to see you all there. My mobile No. on the day will be 077 998 101 78. PLEASE NOTE that this cannot receive texts or voicemail messages. Meanwhile, feel free to ask any questions you might have.

All the best

Ian Bull

020 7223 3572

Hi, I wouldn't mind joining you for the bit after One Tree Hill but I have a double buggy- is it ok if I do that? I don't think the rest of the route is suitable for buggies however.

Hullo Roz,

A single buggy would just be OK but in places in Sydenham Hill Woods the path we're taking isn't wide enough for a double. I think one of the gates would be too narrow as well. A bit difficult ascending to Sydenham Hill from High Level Drive as well. Sorry.

When the Green Chain opens in April the route will go straight down the old railway which is wide. If the fallen trees are removed and the gates are made wide enough you'll be all right.

Best

Ian

That sounds interesting as well. Any more details?
Will the tunnel be opened up?
At the forest hill end, will there be a new entrance to the woods, this side of the 'pissarro bridge', straight onto the track way?

This would also make an interesting cycle route too.

Hullo Perryman,

I tired soooo hard to get that tunnel opened for us. I even got the Bat Conservation Trust to go over *exactly* what we wanted to do. They said yes - no problem, but the London Wildlife Trust just wouldn't have it. Not allowed to go anywhere near a bat roost they said - "It's a criminal offence". They wouldn't be moved!

Tried for the subway under Crystal Palace Parade as well. Alas, the Rangers (very good people) have been told that slightly flaky brickwork on the outside elevations is a health and safety hazard and they're not allowed to let anyone in. I know houses that have worse facades than that.

Isn't it infuriating?

The Green Chain extension will cross the South Circular at the lowest point of Horniman Gardens and then take the existing route through the housing estate and woods to the 'Pissarro Bridge', through a gate (existing) on the western side and then straight along the railway trackbed to the tunnel mouth. It's unlikely to be made suitable for cyclists. Indeed, the use of kissing gates might well be to deter them!

Come along on Sunday and bring your bike. A couple of people did last year!

Best

Ian

is there a lunch stop please?

Hullo Brockley_Babe,

Lunch will be at the Horniman Museum's Caf?. This could be very busy so feel free to bring a packed lunch.

Best

Ian

I went on a walk with Ian at the end of last year (a rather long one!) and it was great. I can heartily recommend it :o)

Hullo Happysnapper,

Thanks for the kind comments and hope that Tess is taking you for plenty of walkies!

Standby for much more frequent Green Chain Walks from about April. Even, possibly, a 'Supermegawalk' - 30 miles!!

Best

Ian

Tess definitely keeps me busy as you can imagine! She is very well thank you - still as enthusiastic as ever!

Will be keeping my eye out for more GreenChain walks. 30 miles sounds a bit far for Tess though - she was rather stuff after we finished the last one. Probably the only time I've ever walked faster than her!!!

Take care

G

Would it be ok to join you at Horniman?
If so what time do you expect to leave Horniman?
I don't think I'm up to a 10 mile walk, but it sounds like a great walk.

Hullo Michael,

No problem joining at the Horniman. I'd hope we'd be there at between noon and 1pm. You can confirm where we are etc. by calling me on 077 998 101 78 on the day. I'm afraid this can't handle texts or voicemail.

Thanks

Ian

I think Ian was a little taken aback by the numbers who turned out on this walk - 86 was the previous record turnout for Walk London and there were roughly 90 people on today's walk - many more than the 30 he hoped for.

I had to leave at the Horniman, but hopefully the afternoon walk was even better.

My photos from this great day can be found here...
http://sydenham.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.p...1d65890258

Fantastic pictures. I'm glad you all had a good time. I really wanted to make it (but had things I needed to do). Hopefully next year.

Hullo everyone,

Just to say thanks to the dozens of you who took part in the walk. A great group of really nice people. There were 96 adults, one toddler and, two babies. An amazing turn out.

Large numbers are very good for just walking from one place to another, particularly if there's some distance involved, but when commentary is involved it's a bit difficult to give full value. I hope none of you minded the paucity of it.

Of course, there was a disappointment at the end. That came out of the blue to me and I was left cringing with embarrassment.

Never mind, I get the feeling from personal emails that it was generally a very enjoyable day. This good, because that's what these walks are all about.

I'll let you all know about further walks as they come about. After April there should be quite a few more of them.

All the best

Ian