Eltbex one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Eltbex here.

A very direct route with two decent sized green spaces but also avoidable road walking with busy traffic.

I started from Eltham Station. The first section is on a footpath then residential roads with a low traffic, but some traffic noise from the A2 cutting below. Eltham Park North blends into shady Shepherdleas Wood but again noise from the A2 cutting. At the end of the woods don't take the footpath ahead, turn right on the road bridge to Falconwood station, then Lingfield and Millbrook, it's fairly obvious just that it's the only section of the route which is not perfectly plotted. Then it's quiet on residential streets until Danson Park, which was new to me so I enjoyed that. There is a cafe and pub within, it's a more formal park. The last mile or so was a bit grim, a straight busy road with queueing rush hour traffic. It's also been busy on other visits. I ran this and took no photos, these are from overlaps with other Slow Ways.

This route could be made 4 star without losing directness. In Eltham by crossing the Westmount Rd footbridge to Dunvegan Rd, a little less traffic noise. More significantly in Bexleyheath by taking a different exit from Danson Park then, perhaps, Sydney Road.

There are bus routes near Falconwood Station, a Harvester and a couple of shops. Be aware that Bexleyheath Station is quite a way from the town centre. The green spaces are open 24/7 but unlit. There is a short sharp slope up into Eltham Park North. Hard surfaces all the way bar this path through Shepherdleas (the firmest way), it may have lightly muddy patches in winter, but you could probably step around or squidge through. It's a small detour in Bexleyheath to visit William Morris' The Red House (National Trust) or into Shepherdleas in spring for a lovely bluebell display.

Edited 1) to add photos 2) I might walk the route again, with Bexleyheath amendments, but for pleasure and purpose combined I'd use EltSid 2 and BexSid 2. 3) A more accessible version with hard surfaces and no sharp slopes would use Eltham Park South and the path to Falconwood Station which is on that side of the A2 but it has more A2 traffic noise.

This was a good route for the area, mainly using smaller quiet roads and going through two parks which I hadn't visited before. I did not do the last section (to bexleyheath high street) as I went from the park to the train station so I cannot comment on this section.

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