Eridar one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Eridar here.

A do-able walk although it's a slightly odd choice and the middle third is on rather noisy roads. I was sure it could be better, so now there is a more beautiful alternative route.

Didn't walk this in on single trip, but in pieces over Oct to Jan, hence fluctuating levels of daylight. It starts with an detour north, which lets you have a(n inexplicably) short walk beside the River Thames (no photos sorry). Then roads, with a long middle section along a noisy trunk road (extra serving of lorries) that's topped and tailed by residential sections. The GPX line is out of date and pretty rough in places (see below) so the true length is about 400m longer than the GPX line.

Highlights: Brief views over Thames towards Rainham and Dartford Crossing. Fox sunning itself at the entrance to Thames Wetland just a few metres from thundering traffic. The old stone walls of Dover Priory, now a NCP car park. Mums and kids on the swings at Willow Walk Playground.

Suggested tweaks, starting from Erith:
Join the Thames Path earlier, at Riverside Gardens. Stroll out over the Thames on Erith Pier - the longest in London. Just after the pier don't follow GPX down Wharfside Close as it is a dead end. At about 2km into the walk, between Betsham Rd and Slade Green Rd, new housing has moved the public footpath away from the train tracks. See mini map.

I noticed long shallow steps at Slade Green footbridge and the footpath down to Priory Rd, Dartford, plus steeper ones up to Dartford Station (latter avoidable if you go a bit further down the road). From Francis Rd to Priory Rd is unlit footpaths and the stepped path to Priory Rd is particularly dark with thick tree cover overhead and no overlooking housing.

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