Description
Added because it includes a 2km stretch through the lovely 'ancient woodland' this area is blessed with, that is longer and drier than ChiOrp 1's shorter stretch. Also as it is completely different to either of the other ChiOrp routes.
Starts with a short walk along a strip of roadside woods (part of Chislehurst Common) down to Petts Wood (the wood not the suburb) and Willetts Memorial Wood, there taking advantage of the waymarked London Loop and the blue National Trust walks. [The Loop here was moved to avoid significant mud in 2024/5 and so doesn't match OS map markings.] Then along residential streets through Poverest, across Covet Wood and Poverest Park before a combination of more quiet roads, tiny Broomhill Common and footpaths/ alleys to Orpington High Street.
It uses more green space than ChiOrp 2 but is exactly the same length and spends considerably less time on roads than either alternative. Technically there's less ascent/ descent than the others but subjectively feels similar. Anti motorbike A-frames, chicanes, mildish mud, long grass and raised roots will be encountered.
Unlike ChiOrp 1 and 2 this doesn't go past Orpington train station (650m walk away) or even Chislehurst (1.5km) as both those Slow Ways points are a hike away too. Mid-route Petts Wood station is 1.3km away, but St Mary Cray station is 1km and adds direct connections to Blackfriars, Rochester, Ashford and Maidstone. There are some mid-route bus stops. No shops, cafes, etc are passed, as per ChiOrp 1
Added because it includes a 2km stretch through the lovely 'ancient woodland' this area is blessed with, that is longer and drier than ChiOrp 1's shorter stretch. Also as it is completely different to either of the other ChiOrp routes.
Starts with a short walk along a strip of roadside woods (part of Chislehurst Common) down to Petts Wood (the wood not the suburb) and Willetts Memorial Wood, there taking advantage of the waymarked London Loop and the blue National Trust walks. [The Loop here was moved to avoid significant mud in 2024/5 and so doesn't match OS map markings.] Then along residential streets through Poverest, across Covet Wood and Poverest Park before a combination of more quiet roads, tiny Broomhill Common and footpaths/ alleys to Orpington High Street.
It uses more green space than ChiOrp 2 but is exactly the same length and spends considerably less time on roads than either alternative. Technically there's less ascent/ descent than the others but subjectively feels similar. Anti motorbike A-frames, chicanes, mildish mud, long grass and raised roots will be encountered.
Unlike ChiOrp 1 and 2 this doesn't go past Orpington train station (650m walk away) or even Chislehurst (1.5km) as both those Slow Ways points are a hike away too. Mid-route Petts Wood station is 1.3km away, but St Mary Cray station is 1km and adds direct connections to Blackfriars, Rochester, Ashford and Maidstone. There are some mid-route bus stops. No shops, cafes, etc are passed, as per ChiOrp 1
Status
This route has been reviewed by 2 people.
There are no issues flagged.
Photos for Chiorp three
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Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 2
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (2)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 1
Surveys
What is this route like?
Surveys are submitted by fellow users of this website and show what you might expect from this Slow Ways route. Scroll down the page to read more detailed surveys.
| Grade 3X based on 1 surveys | Sign up or log in to survey this route. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Note | ||
| Grade 3: Route includes rough surfaces that may include small boulders, potholes, shallow ruts, loose gravel, short muddy sections. Access grade X: At least one stile, flight of steps or other obstacle that is highly likely to block access for wheelchair and scooter users. |
Grading is based on average scores by surveyors. This slow way has 1 surveys. | ||
| Full grading description | |||
Only people who have completed our training can become Slow Ways surveyors and submit a survey. We do not vet contributors, so we cannot guarantee the quality or completeness of the surveys they complete. If you are dependent on the information being correct we recommend reading and comparing surveys before setting off.
Survey Photos
Facilities
Facilities in the middle third of this route.
Challenges
Potential challenges reported on this route. Some challenges are seasonal.
Obstacles
Obstacles on this route.
Accessibility
Is this route step and stile free?
Measurements
Surveyors were asked to measure the narrowest and steepest parts of paths.
The narrowest part of the path is 48.0cm (1)
The steepest uphill gradient walking East 7.0% (1)
The steepest uphill gradient walking West 6.0% (1)
The steepest camber gradient across the path 4.0% (1)
How clear is the waymarking on the route: Unclear in places (1)
Successfully completed
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Recommended by an expert
We asked route surveyors "Are you a trained access professional, officer or expert? If so, is this route suitable for someone travelling with any of the following?" Here is how they replied.
Terrain
We asked route surveyors to estimate how much of the route goes through different kinds of terrain.
There is no data on how much of this route is on roads
There is no data on how much of this route is lit at night
Thereis no data on amount of route paved
There is no data on muddiness
There is no data on rough ground
There is no data on long grass
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1 surveys
Information from verified surveys.
Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Chislehurst
Grid Ref
TQ4440070175
Lat / Lon
51.41221° / 0.07500°
Easting / Northing
544,400E / 170,175N
What3Words
emerge.shapes.walks
Orpington
Grid Ref
TQ4611465896
Lat / Lon
51.37333° / 0.09787°
Easting / Northing
546,114E / 165,896N
What3Words
gates.deck.truth
| Chislehurst | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | TQ4440070175 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.41221° / 0.07500° |
| Easting / Northing | 544,400E / 170,175N |
| What3Words | emerge.shapes.walks |
| Orpington | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | TQ4611465896 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.37333° / 0.09787° |
| Easting / Northing | 546,114E / 165,896N |
| What3Words | gates.deck.truth |
Sorry Land Cover data is not currently available for this route. Please check back later.
reviews
Strider
15 May 2026I walked from Chislehurst to Orpington on a sunny day with threatening clouds.
I actually walked from Chislehurst Station, crossed the A-road over a foot bridge down a lane and joined the last part of Bromchi to take me to the start of this route. An excellent warm-up.
This route is well described (as always) by Daisy. Quiet roads, alleyways, and woodland walking make this a very pleasant route. Despite the suburban roads it felt very green. Walked it during BST, so William Willett would have approved.
Possibly doable on rugged wheel chair but for a 48cm cycle barrier, not that it would stop a bike.
Liked this walk.
Daisy C
18 Jan 2026Walked on a bright late autumn day in mid November 2025. Recent weather neither extremely wet not dry. Good conditions underfoot in the woodland parts and limited mud, nothing like the extensive sections in Crofton Woods on ChiOrp 1.
It was very enjoyable. Personal highlights were discovering three new green spaces, the view from Poverest Park, amazing and very unexpected colonies of waxcap fungi in the lawns of Kedlestone Drive, more fungi throughout, glorious autumn colours especially in Petts Wood, some relict and successfully restored heather heathland in Petts Wood and I took a short detour to see one of the other restored areas at ///levels.watch.scam. The only thing not to like was crossing St Paul's Cray Road, traffic is a bit too busy and fast given the poor sightlines going W->E.
I walked from Orpington towards Chislehurst, part of a three Slow Way day from Swanley to Sidcup. This part was pioneering a brand new ChiOrp approach using 'Petts Wood'* and keeping east of the railway line. I made a few adjustments as I went, such as following woodlands waymarkings and finding, hopefully, the quietest combination of roads on this side of the railway. It definitely has less traffic exposure than the other two ChiOrp Slow Ways. The photo's positions on the Slow Ways maps are sometimes out by several hundred metres.
* I think Petts Wood is used locally as an umbrella term for the unbuilt area (mostly wooded) bounded by St Paul's Cray Road, the Swanley railway line, and built up areas west and north. I.e. including most of St Paul's Cray Common, Willetts Memorial Wood, Petts Wood proper, the Hawkwood Estate (NT farm and enclosed/ adjacent smaller woods). There's potential for confusion with: Petts Wood the smaller woodland, Petts Wood the suburb, Petts Wood the station or Petts Wood the sizeable shopping area!
Another geographic comment, this is an odd location to have chosen as the Chislehurst Slow Ways point. The only transport is by bus, the bus stop names go under "Chislehurst War Memorial". It is undoubtedly attractive but essentially just a short parade of shops and not comparable to the main high street in Chislehurst Village, around 900m NW ///couple.larger.fear. Likewise it is a long walk from here, about 1.5km SW along busy roads, to the station named Chislehurst, which itself is closest to the housing area called Bickley Park.
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