Chiorp one

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I started this route at Chislehurst having first walked Bromchi one. A pleasant semi-rural route and following the London LOOP. Steps of course to cross the railways. I followed Daisy's advice at Crofton Wood. There's a drier path just in the trees to the north of the track. I turned left at the information board along the surfaced path and right across the small bridge into St. Thomas' Drive which makes a shorter route to Crofton Lane (see map). There's a coffee bar and toilets in Orpington Station. Just past the station is a large Tesco store.

A great but maybe seasonal peri-urban walk. There is a continuous set of large green areas covering the the first 3km. Then quiet residential streets lead to a large, but possibly muddy woodland and noisier streets towards the end.

Chislehurst is pretty, and fits around the ragged edge of the Common, itself mature woodland with scattered meadows. Hawkwood Estate (a National Trust working farm) is incongruously rural with "wide open vistas to the south". Jubilee Country Park is just the other side of 3 (!) railway footbridges. Quiet and leafy streets of Crofton next which that leads into shady, lush and seasonally very wet, Crofton Woods (aka Sparrow Woods and a few other names). I think Crofton Woods could/should be easier to navigate through. The GPX line is based on an OS map, but the reality is different, that line doesn't quite work, woods have grown where once was open land and multiple other paths just muddy the issue (pun intended). It is do-able but disorienting. I had GPS signal, but no internet in Crofton Woods, so if you get lost and your app doesn't have saved maps you'll just have to hope for a friendly dog walker. Following the London Loop signs, and then heading up beside the Kyd Brook was very straightforward, I tested both and have uploaded a diagram with the photos.

I don't like the next bit. It goes to Orpington along a couple of progressively busy and noisier roads the. Although there is another view and it does go right past Orpington Station and Crofton Roman Villa (open twice a week folks). The way used for BroOrp 1 was better, very peaceful with its own east facing view on Knoll Rise. Ok so it's a bit more fiddly but it's a tad shorter. There's also a slight messiness with the GPX line at the alley entrance west of the railway. It's not on Andover Rd, just turn into Cathcart Drive and it's a few metres along from the turning at TQ 4523 6612. And if you want Orpington Station then take take the first right once you're in that alley, it's a straight run south.

Some path surfaces on C Common, the H Estate and Jubilee C Pk are earth, or gravel tracks but the worst surfaces will be in Crofton Woods. If it's dry and hard it'll have significant rutting and some dips you could not wheel around. If it's wet and soft it could be bad news for wheels, shoes an apparently even small dogs. There are 3 railway footbridges between H Estate and Jubilee C Pk, and a few short moderately steep sections.

I wouldn't do this walk in winter, or a wet spring or autumn, not because of the mud but as I wouldn't like the aftermath of waiting for a connecting bus home wearing mud splattered trousers and wellies. Although outside London I wouldn't care.

The photos are a bit patchy and from different seasons as I didn't walk this all in one go. I I tested it all, but while doing routes that overlap. I just walked the last part around Crofton Woods this weekend as part of the "Great Summer Slow Ways Waycheck".

A very pleasant walk consisted of quiet residential roads, mixture of green space – park, common ground and woods – and ended on fairly busy, but safe main road.
A couple of pubs and small shops at the Chislehurst end, pubs and larger shops at the Orpington end, nothing on the route in between.
There were three pedestrian footbridges over various railway lines, no immediate assistance/alternative for wheelchair access.
Easy to follow route, although I did wander off track in Jubilee Country Park, by following the tarmacked path, rather than the unmade to the left of it.
The path through Sparrow Woods & Crofton Heath, through to Crofton Woods was a quagmire from near start to finish. Struggled at time to keep footing and shoes! Although I had thought it had been pretty dry weather-wise previous to the walk. However, it was still enjoyable, but I will look forward to returning in summer months when hopefully dryer underfoot.
A slight alternative towards the end, avoiding the Crofton Lane/Crofton Road parts from exiting Crofton Woods to reaching Orpington Station, is to follow the route as per Slow way Broorp one. This continues through quieter residential roads, ending with footpath and stairway to side of the station. However, you would miss a lovely view from top of Crofton Road as you walk down towards Orpington Station.
Apologies for lack of photos, I’ll take and post next time.

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