Winter Solstice Walk

Sat 21st Dec 2019

Walk Details:

Event Type
Group Walk
Region
Southern England
Local Group
London
Distance
18ml.
Start Time
09.30
Route
Starts outside the Richmal Crompton Wetherspoons (opposite Bromley South station) - breakfast for early birds. Regular trains from Victoria and Blackfriars

In the morning the route will take us to Greenwich for Christmas lunch at The Gate Clock, Wetherspoons (12 miles) via Eltham Palace and Oxleas Wood, Woolwich common and Greenwich Observatory. After lunch we will follow the Thames Path diverting to Russian Docks Woodland, Stave Hill and Surrey Water. The walk finishes at The Liberty Bounds (yet another Wetherspoons!), Tower Hill

General Notes
Coffee stop at Eltham Park South (6 miles)
Finish

Entry Details:

Cost

Walk Report

Winter Solstice Walk, Saturday 21st December 2019
26 walkers, 18 miles - leader Keith Lane
26 walkers started
7 left at Greenwich (12 miles)
19 walkers witnessed sunset at Stave Hill
12 reached the Wetherspoons at Cannon Street Station
The Wetherspoons at Bromley south was busier than usual with 25 walkers congregating for the start of the walk.
We headed out of Bromley using conveniently sited alleyways to Sundridge Park where we picked up the Green Chain Walk. Following the recent heavy rain it wasn't surprising that the footpaths were muddy but a large puddle blocking the path in Elmstead Woods was a surprise and needed a divert.
Another walker joined us at Eltham Palace just in time to join in coffee and the leader's home baked cake at Eltham Park South. After Oxleas Woods we circumnavigated Severndroog Castle and crossed Eltham and Woolwich Commons to reach Greenwich Park and the Observatory.
Surprisingly there were empty tables at the Wetherspoons in Greenwich but lunch had to be kept to 45 minutes to ensure we would arrived at Stave Hill in time for sunset at 15:52 which we did with 5 minutes to spare.
The remainder of the walk took us along the Thames crossing London Bridge to reach The Wetherspoons at Cannon Street Station to meet up with 4 Strollers from the Surrey Walking Club. Fortunately this venue also had spare tables.
This was the third Winter Solstice Walk which the leader initiated as an antidote for the Summer Solstice Challenge Event held in 2017. Based on the feedback from participants it may become a permanent feature in the walks programme, albeit with different routes. However the three key elements, Wetherspoons, Stave Hill and light hearted banter will not change.
Photographs by Barry Arnold; more by Barry are on the group Facebook site.

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