Route Section

Capital Ring

Section 3 (Grove Park to Crystal Palace Park)

Description:

Still in company with the Green Chain Walk, this section takes you through two of London's biggest and best open spaces: Beckenham Place Park, with its porticoed mansion, and Crystal Park Palace - London's "Jurassic Park" with its dinosaurs and prehistory displays. Downham Woodland Walk is one of the few remnants of a great ancient forest.

Generally fairly easy walking but the section through Beckenham Place Park is on rough ground, which may be difficult in wet conditions.

This section of the Capital Ring overshoots the end of the Green Chain Walk by about 250m to finish at Crystal Palace station.

Interesting Places on or near the route:

Crystal Palace

Boroughs which the route passes through:

Bromley
Lewisham

Distance:

8.6 miles ( 13.9 km)

Start:

Grove Park (Baring Road GR 405-727)

Finish:

Crystal Palace station (GR 341-705)

Recommended direction:

East to west

Terrain and surface:

Mainly on roads and tarmac paths but with a long stretch on rough paths and tracks in Beckenham Place Park. Generally level but with some long and quite steep slopes. Steep steps at two railway bridges. No stiles. 5.3km (3.3ml) beside roads

Signage:

Complete both ways. The logo is 'Big Ben' and text 'Capital Ring' in blue and green on white background.

Refreshments and toilets:

Pubs at Grove Park, Beckenham Place, Penge and Crystal Palace station. Cafes at Grove Park, Downham, Beckenham Place, Penge and Crystal Palace Park. Public toilets at Grove Park, Downham, Beckenham Place and Crystal Palace Park

Public transport and breakpoints:

Rail: Grove Park, Beckenham Hill, Beckenham Junction, New Beckenham, Kent House, Penge East, Penge West, Crystal Palace
Tram: Beckenham Junction
Buses: at stations above, plus Downham