Sydenham's Green Chain walking weekend.

[Ian Bull]

Hullo everyone,

The weekend of 25th & 26th September sees Sydenham finding itself firmly on South East London's Green Chain footpath network. Yes, at long last, the GCs extension from Crystal Palace to Nunhead will open on Sunday 26th. An important new amenity, this is the first major extension to the Green Chain since its inception in 1977. To make the most of this, two free guided walks are taking place and all members of Sydenham Town are more than welcome to join them.

On the 25th there'll be the fifth Green Chain Megawalk. This takes us from Crystal Palace to the furthest point on the network in just one day. If you've ever wondered where the GC goes to this is for you and, you don't need to be an athlete to complete it. Despite being 21.5 miles long the measured pace has always seen just about everyone finish. You CAN do this, and you won't regret it!

The 26th sees the opening of the extension. The most important day for walking in this area for a very long time, or indeed, ever? I won't bore you with how pleasant the route is as you probably already know! We'll start fairly late at 2pm (time to recover from the Megawalk) and make our way to Dulwich Park for a reception. The walk will then progress to Crystal Palace (8.5 miles) so that we can say that we we're the first people ever to complete it. We should be there by 6pm. It's hoped for a really well attended and jolly event, do tell everyone and bring them along.

Full details of both walks are given below. I'm leading both walks and very much hope to see you over the weekend.

For those of you whom I met before, I might just break my rules and enjoin you to wet the extension's head with a pint in the Grape & Grain after we've finished on the 26th!

All the best

Ian Bull

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** The 25th's 'Megawalk' has brief details at...

<http://www.walklondon.org.uk/our_events ... asp?ID=273>

** The opening of the Green Chain Walk's extension on the 26th has brief details at...

<http://www.walklondon.org.uk/our_events ... asp?ID=281>

***Full details are given below.***

You'll note that I'm not the public contact for the extension's walk. (V. pleased - I've got enough on my plate as it is!) That said, I will actually be leading on the day and can give you any information you might require. Feel free to ask here or PM me.

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Saturday 25th September 2010. The fifth Green Chain 'Megawalk'.

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South East London's 'Green Chain' stretches in a great arc from Crystal Palace to Erith. The first long distance footpath in the Capital it links together a huge variety of undeveloped greenery ranging from playing fields to miles of uninterrupted dense woodland. The Green Chain also offers spectacular views over London and out into the North Sea.

The annual Megawalk allows you to see the best of those views and landscapes in one day.

A 9.15am start at Crystal Palace is followed by 21.5 miles of splendid walking to Erith. For much of the walk you'll have no idea that you are in a City, let alone London.

The key to completing this pleasantly challenging walk is solid progress at average walking pace. No faster and certainly no slower. If three, to three and a half mph is maintained the walk will be comfortably completed by our cut-off time of 6.10pm. The cream of walking in London, the Megawalk generates terrific camaraderie and, a wonderful feeling of achievement at the end.

You can see the route online at...

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3142264 for Crystal Palace to Shooters Hill.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3095310 for Shooters Hill to Erith.

** Some important points! **

* Meet 9.15am at Crystal Palace railway station.

* You must be reasonably fit to complete this walk. It is steep in places, notably after lunch.

* A packed lunch is essential.

* Make sure you have plenty of water with you.

* The walk leaders No. on the day is 077 998 101 78. NOTE: this cannot accept SMS Texts or voicemail.

There's always pleasant company, the camaraderie and landscape sees everyone through to the finish and yes, it really is London's best walk.

Feel free to contact the Walk Leader, Ian Bull, in advance.

020 7223 3572

ianbull@btinternet.com

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Sunday 26th September 2010. Opening of the Green Chain Walks extension.

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Good news! On Sunday 26th the Green Chain Walk's long awaited extension from Crystal Palace to Nunhead will open.

There will be an opening ceremony followed by a walk along the route. Everyone is most welcome.

The route really is very pleasant. The ridge of land between Nunhead and Crystal Palace affords wonderful views and the greenery throughout makes the course feel almost rural. If you've not been to the area before you'll some wonderful vistas of London that might surprise you.

We'll start from Nunhead station at 2pm and make our way into Nunhead Cemetery for the 'Ribbon Cutting' ceremony. We then progress via Camberwell New Cemetery, One Tree Hill, Camberwell Old Cemetery and Horniman Gardens (Public Conveniences available) to Sydenham Hill Woods Nature Reserve. Here we'll take the extensions branch to Dulwich Park where a reception with refreshments will take place between 3.30-4.00pm or slightly later. We'll have covered just under five miles. There will be the option of a flatter route via Brenchley Gardens avoiding the steep climb up One Tree Hill.

For those wishing to enjoy the whole route we'll continue from the Dulwich Park reception back down the branch to Sydenham Hill Woods and make our way through the rest of the Nature Reserve to the former Upper Sydenham railway station, High Level Drive and Crystal Palace Park for buses and trains home. We'll be there by 6pm and will have done just under 8.5 miles.

The walk will be led by Mark Budd, the Green Chain Walk's Project Officer, and myself, on behalf of Walk London. If you'd like further details contact Mark at mark.budd@greenchain.com . We both very much look forward to seeing you.

Also feel free to contact me if you'd like any further information. ianbull@btinternet.com

If you'd like to make it a Green Chain walking weekend, Saturday 25th sees the fifth Green Chain 'Megawalk'. See <http://www.walklondon.org.uk/our_events ... asp?ID=273>

I look forward to seeing you.

Ian Bull

[mummycat]

hehe

[Pat Trembath]

And through Wells Park.....

[Ian Bull]

Hullo everyone,

I think I should have said that the Green Chain extension walk on Sunday 26th poses some problems for Prams, pushchairs, buggies etc.. There are kissing gates in Sydenham Hill Woods Nature Reserve that require lifting of such vehicles, to quite a height.

Ian Bull

[Ian Bull]

Hullo everyone,

Many thanks to all who braved the weather and attended the opening of the Green Chain Walk's extension on Sunday 26th September. Thanks also to those who took part in the fifth Crystal Palace to Erith 'Megawalk' on Saturday 25th.

Does anyone have any photos of the Nunhead - Dulwich - Crystal Palace walk? Please let me know!

It was a real pleasure, on both days, to walk with such splendid people. I'm sorry I couldn't speak with more of you. The penalty of being stuck at the front...

I had my work cut out. About 200 people participated on the 26th, I wonder how many more there'd have been with better weather? Thanks to Allen and Muir for being the back-markers and to Jason for guidance within Sydenham Hill Woods Nature Reserve.

The railway to Crystal Palace High Level station closed in 1954. Since then it's been a well trodden route, not least by my fellow railway enthusiasts. The Green Chain footpath network opened in 1977 and adding the old railway was first mooted decades ago. Publicly financed mootings began about seven years ago. Today's route follows the line less closely but I hope you'll agree that the landscape and views are the better for that.

Now that the extension is with us you might like to follow the Green Chain a little further, perhaps a lot further. It's well worth it! One of the participants on Saturdays Megawalk has placed an insight into what's East of Crystal Palace online. If I put the link here his bandwidth would be exceeded very rapidly! But, if you send me a PM, I'll supply the link.

There will be more walks on the Green Chain over the last weekend in January. I hope the moderators won't mind if I post some details here.

Again, thank you all for being such great company and I hope you enjoyed the weekend's walks as much as I did.

All the best

Ian Bull