Green Chain Walk from Erith to Charlton (March 2026)

On a bright, sunny, slightly nippy Saturday in late March, 12 Ibexers (including a couple of newbies) met at Erith station to tackle Sections 2, 3 and 5 (in reverse) of the Green Chain Walk, which meanders through South East London linking green 'bit' to green 'bit' - parks, woodlands and commons. The author (a country bumpkin from West Sussex, ha ha!!) doesn't know this area of London at all and it proved to be a really interesting outing. Our approx 12 mile route, which was good underfoot with only a couple of muddy patches, took us along the Thames estuary at Erith, then south west through Franks Park, Lesnes Abbey Wood, Bostall Woods, East Wickham Common, Oxleas Wood and then lunch on Shooters Hill with great views south to the Weald. After lunch we carried on across Eltham and Woolwich Commons and then into Charlton through Charlton Park. Places of interest passed along the way included:

- the semi industrial estuarine landscape along the Thames Path at Erith (complete with Egyptian geese skidding to a landing in the Thames mud);

Geese on Thames mud

- a pretty church near Franks Park (St John the Baptist, Erith);

- the ruins of 13th century Lesnes Abbey

Group at Lesnes Abbey ruins

and the Monks Garden nearby;

Monks Garden

- Severndroog Castle (a folly, not a castle) on Eltham Common.

Severndroog Castle

We finished at the Royal Oak pub near Charlton Athletic FC's Valley Ground (thankfully no football on that weekend) for some well earned refreshments. COYR ! Thanks to Patricia for a grand day out.