Abberi two

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This is a pleasant and green route through Lenses Abbey Woods (ancient woodland and abbey ruins), Franks Park and along the Thames waterfront at Erith, linked by quieter residential streets. It's an improved version of AbbEri one which required a certain amount of winging it (or winged flight) around Abbey Wood station and through Lesnes Abbey Woods park and woodlands.

There's a nice kiosk and picnic tables by the LA Wds Lodge and a couple of small shops between LA Wds and F Pk. Around there you can also access a few bus routes, or take a short walk to Belvedere Station.

If starting from Abbey Wood Station entrance cross the road immediately outside and turn right along the flyover. This seems an unpromising start but at the bottom is a meadow which is the closest part of LA Woods to the station. Turn into it, keeping to the left then along a small lane to come out opposite the section of the woods with the Abbey ruins and the Lodge, kiosk and toilets. Head past these, keeping the bulk of the woodland on your right until the playground. This is where you turn into the woods proper although the paths roughly parallel the woodland edge. You will meet up with the Green Chain Walk (section 2) and from there it's very easy to follow the "G-C" markers and fingerposts all the way to Erith Station.

At Erith the path goes along the Thames waterfront. This was a highlight of my own walk but there are a few blind corners on the sometimes narrow path so you could follow the "Link to Erith Station" signs, basically using West St to cut out the river altogether.

As well as making the route feasible and easy to use in Abbey Wood there's a change in Franks Park to use the Green Chain Walk, which you would already be using either side. The path used in AbbEri one, nearer the bottom edge of the park is just as good bar the signage.

Edited to add: If you walk this route between mid February and early May it's well worth a detour to see the Lesnes Abbey spring flowers, particularly the unusual wild daffodils in Feb/Mar but as these fade sheets of wood anemones and then bluebells take over. There aren't that many actually on this route but some areas south of the Lodge and Abbey have been protected from trampling with spectacular results. The photo is from one of those areas, and on the little map you can see the thin black line marking the edges of the enclosures

This is a pleasant and green route through Lenses Abbey Woods (ancient woodland and abbey ruins), Franks Park and along the Thames waterfront at Erith, linked by quieter residential streets. It's an improved version of AbbEri one which required a certain amount of winging it (or winged flight) around Abbey Wood station and through Lesnes Abbey Woods park and woodlands.

There's a nice kiosk and picnic tables by the LA Wds Lodge and a couple of small shops between LA Wds and F Pk. Around there you can also access a few bus routes, or take a short walk to Belvedere Station.

If starting from Abbey Wood Station entrance cross the road immediately outside and turn right along the flyover. This seems an unpromising start but at the bottom is a meadow which is the closest part of LA Woods to the station. Turn into it, keeping to the left then along a small lane to come out opposite the section of the woods with the Abbey ruins and the Lodge, kiosk and toilets. Head past these, keeping the bulk of the woodland on your right until the playground. This is where you turn into the woods proper although the paths roughly parallel the woodland edge. You will meet up with the Green Chain Walk (section 2) and from there it's very easy to follow the "G-C" markers and fingerposts all the way to Erith Station.

At Erith the path goes along the Thames waterfront. This was a highlight of my own walk but there are a few blind corners on the sometimes narrow path so you could follow the "Link to Erith Station" signs, basically using West St to cut out the river altogether.

As well as making the route feasible and easy to use in Abbey Wood there's a change in Franks Park to use the Green Chain Walk, which you would already be using either side. The path used in AbbEri one, nearer the bottom edge of the park is just as good bar the signage.

Edited to add: If you walk this route between mid February and early May it's well worth a detour to see the Lesnes Abbey spring flowers, particularly the unusual wild daffodils in Feb/Mar but as these fade sheets of wood anemones and then bluebells take over. There aren't that many actually on this route but some areas south of the Lodge and Abbey have been protected from trampling with spectacular results. The photo is from one of those areas, and on the little map you can see the thin black line marking the edges of the enclosures