01/04/17 - Waterlinks Way

Start - Beckenham Junction
Finish - Greenwich
Walk Inspiration
Geocaches - 12
Pubs - 2


London has its big name walks - the Capital Ring, the London Loop and the Jubilee Walkway but it has a series of smaller day walks, that often involve following the course of a river.

The latest one to be tackled is the Waterlinks Way, promoted by Lewisham Council.  Its meant to start at Lower Sydenham Station but ease of access means I start it at Beckenham Junction.

It follows the crystal clear rivers Pool and Ravensbourne, through Catsford and Lewisham to where it empties into the Thames at Deptford Creek.

Walking it is easy and surprisingly green, although of course, there is a fair selection of urban art, shopping centres and trampy looking fellows loitering with cans of very strong lager.  As with all these walks in London, the signage is first class.   The GPS is only required for the high quantity (and quality) geocaches that have been placed along the route.

Photos can summarise the walk.

First of the WW Signs - Lower Sydenham Station

River Pool - Where most of the Geocaches are

Err... Welcome to Ladywell

Funky Lewisham

Street Art

Deptford Creek

The Thames - Canary Wharf Opposite

The Cutty Sark at Greenwich

The walk is over when you reach the Thames near Greenwich.   And I am sure its a couple of miles short of the advertised 8 miles.

I was in danger of it being "pre-opening" hour.

The CAMRA Good Beer Guide was consulted and surprisingly, Greenwich - a place that is teeming with pubs, has no entries to be found in the 2017 edition.

All is not lost.  There is one nearby at Deptford.  I also consulted Bob Steel's CAMRA Pub Walks in London and noticed there is one left to knock off from Walk 16.  A pre-blogging pub crawl completed 11 years ago.

The Dog and Bell, 116 Prince Street, London Pride

Having walked the Thames Path from Windsor to Erith, I presumably must have been passed this handsome riverside pub.  Yet, this is my first visit.

Immaculate inside and out.  Looks like the decorators have been in.

Beer Delivery ruining the lines on my photo

I am met with a warning that the I need to be aware the prices have changed.  I ask if this is an April Fool's joke and its going to cost a dead Brazilian for a pint.  I am fluent in Cockney and the natives like it when you attempt to talk their language.

The response is a bemused £3.80.  The same as I was paying in Worcestershire.

With the pub empty, I have a good look around at the pubs nooks and crannies.  Is this the only pub in London with a working skittles table?

Eventually settle down in the shade of the stained glass windows, on church furniture - reading the first half of their complimentary Times.

A near religious experience

The Ashburnham Arms, Ashburnham Grove, Master Brew

Plenty of time for more entertainment, so I walk a bit of the Thames Path to Deptford Creek and then head inland to a fine residential street of beautiful housing.  Half way along Asburnham Grove is the handsome, eponymous pub.

And the only punter?  A Worcestershire Rambler.

Use it or lose it people of South London

Shepherds Neame...  The answer to a quiz question that caused a near riot in my local last year and still a cause of debate.  The question was "What is England's oldest Brewery?".  Despite having just visited the Three Tuns in Bishops Castle, I was deemed to be incorrect.

I only seem to get the chance to try their ales if I am either in London or Lidl.

The Master Brew should win a prize for most beautiful colouring.

Its a looker

To get over the sound of silence, I find their complimentary copy of the Times and finish it off.   That's £1.50 saved today.   But is it cheeky to attempt the fiendish Sudoku on a communal newspaper?

Not if you get it right.

All that remains of the day is how to get back to the City but really, there's no choice.  Flush with an extra £1.50, I can treat myself on the Thames Clipper.

Only way to travel