Catbec one

Verified Slow Way

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This route is mostly off road as it uses Beckenham Place Park and the Waterlink Way - a walking and cycling route following the River Ravensbourne through a series of linear parks.

You join the Waterlink Way almost immediately at Catford Station via the forecourt of the next-door Catford Bridge Station just 75m away. There’s a short foot tunnel under the South Circular road into the Halfords car park and then shortly into the River Pool Linear Park. After Lower Sydenham station you pass between private sports fields until turning up the residential road Overbrae, with a good view back towards Crystal Palace from the top. Next is Beckenham Place Park, where you could stop to explore, have a picnic, do some wild swimming, or get a coffee in the mansion courtyard cafe. I believe it’s the largest “park” in SE London, certainly bigger than either Greenwich or Crystal Palace.

There are many bus stops along the way, six bus routes converge at the retail park at Bell Green just off the route. Also has wheelchair accessible “community toilets” in Sainsbury’s or you could eat in their cafe. There’s a much smaller shop right on the route on the east side of Lower Sydenham Station and a cafe nearby. It is a fairly steep climb up Overbrae in Beckenham and to get over the train lines at Lower Sydenham is a footbridge with steps and no ramps. You could avoid both by using the full length of Worsley Bridge Rd from Southend Lane to Brackley Road in Beckenham but would then miss Beckenham Place Park altogether

This route is mostly off road as it uses Beckenham Place Park and the Waterlink Way - a walking and cycling route following the River Ravensbourne through a series of linear parks.

You join the Waterlink Way almost immediately at Catford Station via the forecourt of the next-door Catford Bridge Station just 75m away. There’s a short foot tunnel under the South Circular road into the Halfords car park and then shortly into the River Pool Linear Park. After Lower Sydenham station you pass between private sports fields until turning up the residential road Overbrae, with a good view back towards Crystal Palace from the top. Next is Beckenham Place Park, where you could stop to explore, have a picnic, do some wild swimming, or get a coffee in the mansion courtyard cafe. I believe it’s the largest “park” in SE London, certainly bigger than either Greenwich or Crystal Palace.

There are many bus stops along the way, six bus routes converge at the retail park at Bell Green just off the route. Also has wheelchair accessible “community toilets” in Sainsbury’s or you could eat in their cafe. There’s a much smaller shop right on the route on the east side of Lower Sydenham Station and a cafe nearby. It is a fairly steep climb up Overbrae in Beckenham and to get over the train lines at Lower Sydenham is a footbridge with steps and no ramps. You could avoid both by using the full length of Worsley Bridge Rd from Southend Lane to Brackley Road in Beckenham but would then miss Beckenham Place Park altogether