Kenpec one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 75.00% of reviewers

I walked this from Peckham to Oval on a cloudy morning. It had just rained.

I really enjoyed this walk, and don't agree that it was hard to follow and it being inaccurate. IMO, there was no need for a flag here.

It was pretty much a few dashes in between parks, which all had lovely flowers in bloom.

This is a really great route, but there are a few problems with it.

Likely not an issue if you're walking Peckham to Kennington, but the exit from Kennington Park isn't where the route says it is. It's not a huge issue, but the route is drawn inaccurately. There are also a few other minor tweaks I'd make, like taking a more direct path through Kennington Common. I've uploaded a new route (Kenpec two).

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this route. You spend very little time on busy roads and instead a lot of time on quiet streets and in parks. There was so much to discover and the route really did keep giving and giving. With the minor tweaks, this could be a really fantastic route.

Nice route from Peckham to Kennington (or vice versa) avoiding main roads and taking advantage of some hidden green spaces in the city. Completely flat. Option to extend your walk by exploring Burgess Park as well.

This is a very enjoyable and varied walk crossing from Lambeth into Southwark and illustrates how many small and large green spaces there are in the inner-city areas. On the walk one can view a great variety of housing both private and social housing from the elegant 18th century Addington square to the tower blocks surrounding some of Kennington Park. The route starts by the Oval tube station and close to the famous Oval cricket ground. It is easy to cross the roads to the entrance to Kennington Park. The route throughout uses pedestrian operated or zebra crossings with drop down curbs to cross major roads. The pavements are either paved or tarmac except for a narrow earth footpath across the south of Kennington Park. This can easily be circumnavigated by taking an obvious tarmac path. All pavements have dropped curbs.

The route crosses Kennington Park and through to Kennington gardens. There is a cafe in the park and close by there are several portaloos including a special large disabled portaloo. There is also close to the cafe an interesting Bee urban centre which also sells honey. After leaving the park the route takes you along several roads. You pass the Charlie Chaplin Adventure playground x on Bolton Crescent and later on Bethwin Road you see the small Blue Elephant theatre which can seat 50 people. After crossing Camberwell Road the route takes you round Addington Square and to the edge of Burgess Park where there is a cafe. You pass the Cambridge Road settlement in Addington square which was founded in 1889 by graduates of Cambridge University " to work with people with incomes below the poverty line.” It is a grade 2 listed building. Unfortunately, the route does not take in much of Burgess Park which is huge and beautiful. The road diverts southwards on Edmonds Street where you pass the Eritrean orthodox church on your right and later in Benhill Road make sure you find the Benhill Nature Garden (main path is compacted gravel) which has some seating and is an ideal place for a picnic.

Then turn left into Elmington Road and then right along St Giles Road where you walk through Brunswick Park which has a cafe. The toilets in this park have been turned into a small art gallery only open at weekends. Crossing Peckham Road, you then enter Lucas Gardens and up Vestry Road. We found the pavements in Lucas gardens were slippery after some rain. The walk so far has been very flat but at Vestry Road there is an incline until you reach Lyndhurst Road. When you turn left here there is a further uphill slope until you reach the junction between Crofton Road and Lyndhurst Grove. The slope is then downhill through Warwick Gardens. The gates into Warwick gardens are quite heavy. The slope ends at the end of Warwick Gardens after which you pass through the linear garden in Holly Grove and Peckham Rye station. There are no toilets at the station but numerous cafes and restaurants on Rye Lane. The hill between Vestry Grove and the end of Warwick Gardens can be circumvented by continuing along Peckham Road and turning right down Bellenden Road, eventually re-joining the route at Holly Grove.

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