Bromley North - 5.69 miles - Thursday 3rd November

The first walk of the new project commenced in Bromley. I was in Bromley finalising the purchase of another new sofa (that's three altogether) we were going to get one of our existing sofa's recovered but having taken delivery of two new sofas it looked a little silly.

Bromley North Railway Station

Having completed the purchase (at great expense) and after buying a couple of Christmas Presents I retraced my steps back to Bromley North Railway Station and commenced my walk home at approximately 12:20.

The first stage took me up Station Road into Babbacombe Road through some alleys and soon I was at Sundridge Park village (apparently) and railway station. There is a Mansion in Sundridge Park and very impressive it is to, given the pictures on the Internet but I never saw it!

When the railway line to Bromley North opened in 1878 the Scott family, owners of Sundridge Park mansion had a station built for their private use. Near the end of the century the Scott family began to sell off the estate and a rebuilt station opened to the public in 1896. The park became a golf course, with a new clubhouse opened by prime minister AJ Balfour in 1903.

My route took me around the edge of the golf course, down a narrow fenced in path, actually this was a theme of this walk! I was now on the Green Chain Walk which crossed the railway from Grove Park to Elmstead Woods, the latter station being far closer to Sundridge Park Mansion than Sundridge Park railway station.

Sundridge Park

The trees at this point in Elmstead Wood were in magnificent autumn colour and my route took me through Chinbrook Meadows.

A very pleasant park with all amenities, tennis courts, children's play area, football pitches, tea hut, little streams and wild gardens, there's also a Desmond Tutu peace garden, he used to live in the area.

Chinbrook Meadows

Having crossed Marvels Lane I entered Eltham College Sports Ground but was soon being directed to a narrow path with a tall green metal fence protecting the sports fields from invaders.

The school dates back to the early Victorian era, when it was founded as the London Missionary Society's School for the Sons and Orphans of Missionaries.

Having circuited the playing fields I came out into Mottingham Lane and I spied a blue plaque, on investigation it advised that W G Grace, Cricketer, lived here 1848 - 1915, its now an Old Peoples Rest Home.

Having crossed the Sidcup By-pass and walked up St John's Walk I came to Eltham Palace, but not before I took in the views across London to the City and Docklands and beyond. The Wembley Arch can be seen on a fine day.

Eltham Palace boasts a medieval Great Hall and a rather nice Art Deco extension created by millionaires Stephen and Virgina Courtauld, as far as I can tell their money was from family investments, no real work! It's well worth a visit, highly recommended!

From here I walked into Eltham and stopped off at the Weatherspoons (The Bankers Draught) a former Bank branch, but I can't remember which one.

Eltham High Street

Eltham High Street it was a short 20 minutes walk home, arriving home about 14:45.