Greswa one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Greswa here.

From either end this route quickly gets you off-road either through a small part of Swanscombe Marshes or onto the Thames Path (some signage now rebranded as the pithily named King Charles III England Coast Path).

The path down to the marshes has been quarried out either side of the lane and there are occasional glimpses up and down the river over the banks. At the base is Swanscombe Marshes “a remarkable mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, brownfield features, scrub and wetlands” under threat from development as a theme park. https://www.buglife.org.uk/campaigns/save-swanscombe-marshes/
The path winds through scrub (where there may be nightingales) and some reedbeds to the riverside. Turning left you can take either the grassy riverbank, the sea wall (sometimes rocky) or the old roadway next to Black Duck Marshes. A recent housing development is next, first along a separate concrete path beside the water then along a promenade and a small park. You could turn here to take a look at Ingress Abbey, a Victorian “Tudor Gothic” mansion. The building isn't open to visitors but some of the former grounds are a park, with follies, grottoes and hermit’s caves. Very soon is the old Greenhithe High Street, not remotely a commercial hub but there are two pubs and very close to the station.

From either end this route quickly gets you off-road either through a small part of Swanscombe Marshes or onto the Thames Path (some signage now rebranded as the pithily named King Charles III England Coast Path).

The path down to the marshes has been quarried out either side of the lane and there are occasional glimpses up and down the river over the banks. At the base is Swanscombe Marshes “a remarkable mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, brownfield features, scrub and wetlands” under threat from development as a theme park. https://www.buglife.org.uk/campaigns/save-swanscombe-marshes/
The path winds through scrub where there may be nightingales and some reedbeds to the riverside. Turning left you can take the grassy riverbank, the sea wall (sometimes rocky) or the old roadway next to Black Duck Marshes. A recent housing development is next, first along a separate concrete path beside the water then along a promenade and a small park. You could turn here to take a look at Ingress Abbey, a Victorian “Tudor Gothic” mansion. It's not open to visitors but the grounds are a park, with follies, grottoes and hermit’s caves. Very soon is the old Greenhithe High Street, not remotely a commercial hub but there are two pubs and very close to the station.

The route is pretty short but you could grab some food in Greenhithe at Asda and the two pubs serve food (John Franklin, Pier Hotel, call in advance re kitchen days/times). There are a few shorter flights of steps of varying quality and length, a kissing gate and a pair of motorbike restrictors but no stiles. The Thames side paths may be exposed to wind and tides but if the salt spray is too much there is generally a parallel path set back from the waves. The marshes are where there is most potential for mud but in Dec 2023, after weeks of wet weather, it was very easy going compared to other recent walks. Even in the couple of places where a plank had been laid as if to bridge a wet patch. Swanscombe Station is in a deep cutting and there are long steep flights of steps down to both platforms. Greenhithe is very new and accessible, it’s very well connected to local bus routes

From either end this route quickly gets you off-road either through a small part of Swanscombe Marshes or onto the Thames Path (some signage now rebranded as the pithily named King Charles III England Coast Path).

The path down to the marshes has been quarried out either side of the lane and there are occasional glimpses up and down the river over the banks. At the base is Swanscombe Marshes “a remarkable mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, brownfield features, scrub and wetlands” under threat from development as a theme park. https://www.buglife.org.uk/campaigns/save-swanscombe-marshes/
The path winds through scrub (where there may be nightingales) and some reedbeds to the riverside. Turning left you can take either the grassy riverbank, the sea wall (sometimes rocky) or the old roadway next to Black Duck Marshes. A recent housing development is next, first along a separate concrete path beside the water then along a promenade and a small park. You could turn here to take a look at Ingress Abbey, a Victorian “Tudor Gothic” mansion. The building isn't open to visitors but some of the former grounds are a park, with follies, grottoes and hermit’s caves. Very soon is the old Greenhithe High Street, not remotely a commercial hub but there are two pubs and very close to the station.

From either end this route quickly gets you off-road either through a small part of Swanscombe Marshes or onto the Thames Path (some signage now rebranded as the pithily named King Charles III England Coast Path).

The path down to the marshes has been quarried out either side of the lane and there are occasional glimpses up and down the river over the banks. At the base is Swanscombe Marshes “a remarkable mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, brownfield features, scrub and wetlands” under threat from development as a theme park. https://www.buglife.org.uk/campaigns/save-swanscombe-marshes/
The path winds through scrub where there may be nightingales and some reedbeds to the riverside. Turning left you can take the grassy riverbank, the sea wall (sometimes rocky) or the old roadway next to Black Duck Marshes. A recent housing development is next, first along a separate concrete path beside the water then along a promenade and a small park. You could turn here to take a look at Ingress Abbey, a Victorian “Tudor Gothic” mansion. It's not open to visitors but the grounds are a park, with follies, grottoes and hermit’s caves. Very soon is the old Greenhithe High Street, not remotely a commercial hub but there are two pubs and very close to the station.

The route is pretty short but you could grab some food in Greenhithe at Asda and the two pubs serve food (John Franklin, Pier Hotel, call in advance re kitchen days/times). There are a few shorter flights of steps of varying quality and length, a kissing gate and a pair of motorbike restrictors but no stiles. The Thames side paths may be exposed to wind and tides but if the salt spray is too much there is generally a parallel path set back from the waves. The marshes are where there is most potential for mud but in Dec 2023, after weeks of wet weather, it was very easy going compared to other recent walks. Even in the couple of places where a plank had been laid as if to bridge a wet patch. Swanscombe Station is in a deep cutting and there are long steep flights of steps down to both platforms. Greenhithe is very new and accessible, it’s very well connected to local bus routes