Connect Croydon with Slow Ways
We’re creating a network of walking routes that connect all of Britain’s towns, cities and national parks
more walks and reviews are needed to fully connect Croydon to the verified network. Can you give a hike and help?
Give a hike!Croydon
Greater London
Slow Ways linking Croydon and Crystal Palace, Elmers End, Mitcham, New Addington, Norbury, Purley, Selsdon, Wallington
England / Greater London / Croydon
Croydon’s eight Slow Ways are 69% checked
Help connect Croydon
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Croydon’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Croydon from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Croydon—Crystal Palace
|
Crocry one |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 7km/4mi | Ascent 52m | Descent 39m | ||
Croydon—Elmers End
|
Croelm one |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 8m | Descent 35m | ||
Croydon—Elmers End
|
Croelm two |
|
|
U U |
|
Verify me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 15m | Descent 41m | |
Croydon—New Addington
|
Cronew one |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 171m | Descent 83m | ||
Croydon—New Addington
|
Cronew two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 9km/6mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Croydon—Selsdon
|
Crosel one |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 38m | Descent 122m | ||
Mitcham—Croydon
|
Mitcro one |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 7km/4mi | Ascent 47m | Descent 8m | ||
Mitcham—Croydon
|
Mitcro two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 7km/4mi | Ascent - | Descent - | ||
Norbury—Croydon
|
Norcro one |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 7km/5mi | Ascent 13m | Descent 40m | ||
Purley—Croydon
|
Purcro one |
|
U U |
|
Verify me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 76m | Descent 85m | ||
Purley—Croydon
|
Purcro two |
|
U U |
|
Verify me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 92m | Descent 101m | ||
Wallington—Croydon
|
Walcro one |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 43m | Descent 38m | ||
Wallington—Croydon
|
Walcro two |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 5km/3mi | Ascent 51m | Descent 44m | ||
Wallington—Croydon
|
Walcro three |
|
U U |
|
Pioneer me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 51m | Descent 45m | ||
Wallington—Croydon
|
Walcro four |
|
|
2 X |
|
Verify me | Distance 6km/3mi | Ascent - | Descent - | |
Wallington—Croydon
|
Walcro five |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 118m | Descent 52m |
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Croydon and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Collective progress
53% of Croydon’s eight route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
16/16
11/16
1/16
6/16
9 people have contributed to Croydon’s Slow Ways
3 people have pledged to walk and review a route
1 people have surveyed a route in Croydon
69km out of 100km have been walked and reviewed
184km of reviews have been shared in Croydon
Latest Updates
It’s a good clear route avoiding main roads - and it picks up 3 intermediate railway stations (South Croydon, Sanderstead, and Purley Oaks) on the way, in addition to the start and end ones....
Jane Taylor
I was looking forward to ‘snailing’ this one but came adrift at South Norwood country park where the given route is completely blocked/overgrown in several places, leading to me walking around in circles trying to find a way through. (Photos). With a decent all weather path nearby I’d recommend sticking with that...
Jane Taylor
This is a very pleasant walk in an area straddling countryside and urban London. The Croydon end is residential but the route is largely off road and many of the footpaths are much greener and more open than you might guess from a map, e.g. in the Forestdale/Selsdon area.The previous two reviews have plenty of details and better photos than mine. These are a few things they didn't mention, perhaps because they both walked in the opposite direction than I did.. 4) At Heathfield House/gardens the car park onto Riesco Drive is locked half an hour before sunset with no alternative pedestrian exit that side. But the Coombe Lane entrance has no gate to lock so you shouldn't actually be trapped. 7) If you don't need the shop or chippy in Forestdale that bit of route is fiddly, just stay in the alley linking Selsdon Park Road straight to Pixton Way....
Daisy C
Good route, probably best used if you want to walk directly between Sutton and Croydon, where you can jump between 2 Slow Ways routes and skip the spur along Manor Road to Wallington station....
Jane Taylor
After finding my way from the busy transport hub at East Croydon, the route starts off through some residential streets (photo #1). Another residential street, Estcourt Road goes fairly down hill (photo #5), before a narrow path (photo #6) past the Arena tram stop gets you into South Norwood Country park (photo #7, #8)....
Derick Rethans
Pleasant route through Beddington Park and following the Wandle Trail....
JohnMyerson
After a while, you turn off London Road (photo #2) and around a pond (photo #3) before entering Beddington Park (photo #4, #5). Then after going down a hill (photo #7), the route follows the river Wandle for a while, with good paths (photo #8, #9)....
Derick Rethans
It's a lovely route, but I am failing this one, as it was so badly drawn that at places it wasn't possible to follow the route. I've uploaded WalCro5, which is the same route (I think), but much more accurately drawn....
Derick Rethans
Derick Rethans added Walcro five, a new walk from Wallington to Croydon
Walk this routeAfter leaving the busy shopping streets, a small section through some alleyways (photo #1) (with fly-tipping and cats, photo #2) you end up going along/through Croydon Cemetery. After that, part two takes you along (and up) Mitcham Common, with some good views (photo #3), grass, and a bunch of crows (photo #4)....
Derick Rethans
From New Addington's tram stop, you quickly end up going down the very steep Hutchingson's Bank (photo #1) to end up next to Featherbed Lane, which has a lovely (metalled) footpath alongside it (photo #2). You then continue following the LOOP across Coombe Lane's tram stop (photo #6), and through woods (photo #7) you end up in Lloyd Park (photo #8)....
Derick Rethans
It’s well plotted, there was one road crossing at Woodside Green that could be tightened up - there’s a nearby zebra crossing (clearly visible) which gives a safe crossing point onto the green....
Jane Taylor
Pleasant walk with easy to find paths although Croelm Two misses out the Railway Park from Blackhorse Lane tram stop that's there in Croelm One. Note that Croydon Parks are closed at night (4.30 in Winter!) even though they are cycle routes. main roads have pedestrian crossings....
JohnMyerson
A short section of B road at the Selsdon end is why I lopped a star off, but otherwise a full 5 star experience....
Jane Taylor
I started in Croydon and it was a long stretch of fairly busy roads, but busy with pedestrians rather traffic....
Daisy C
But slightly marred by two uncomfortable road crossings where a couple of traffic islands seem like an obvious local need. The beginning of Fairfield Path is only a few hundred metres from East Croydon station, and although it starts as an alleyway there's little of that, it is mostly linked small green spaces in small quiet estates. The next road to cross is Croham Lane, again quite busy but with a traffic island, not a numbered road though. I rejoined the bridleway at the golf course, but again I'd like a traffic island where it comes out (beside a bus stop!) and you *must* cross over Upper Selsdon Rd / B275....
Daisy C
The advantage of starting at New Addington is that the route begins by going downhill through a nature reserve. The house isn’t open to the public and there’s no cafe, but its a good place to picnic. Next up is a tram stop at Coombe Lane and then the route plunges into the woods at Addington Hills. This is the trickiest area underfoot I would say - the tram runs quite close by on a fairly flat gradient, while the path in the woods has some steep and rooty ups and downs. There’s a cafe and its a lovely place to picnic. There are some steps and steep paths, a number of refreshment stops, and also picnic spots; very good public transport at each end, with a drop out point at Coombe Lane....
Jane Taylor
Jane Taylor added Cronew two, a new walk from Croydon to New Addington
Walk this routeOnly point on the 80% mark that didn’t make sense as you could of cut that bit off Other than that a nice walk...
Scott Johnson
Paths are mixed - urban pavements, footpaths and some steep, some uneven, and when I walked some soggy muddy patches on the Common....
Jane Taylor
Steps at Sanderstead Station and Whitmead Close (over route of former railway). Pleasant area at Park Hill Recreation Ground before getting to East Croydon. I've added Purcro two to correct slight route error at Sanderstead Station....
JohnMyerson
Same as Purcro one but with correction to slight route error at Sanderstead Station. Good walk along mainly quiet roads. Toilets in Tesco at Purley (across A22)....
JohnMyerson
One thing - some of the paths are quite rough and prone to being muddy with lots of puddles after wet weather....
Intrepid Rabbit
The route does need a couple of minor tweaks as mentioned in the other review - when you enter Queen's Road Cemetery rather than turning right and walking through the cemetery to a gate that is now permanently locked, head straight on across the cemetery and then bear slightly left to exit at another gate....
Intrepid Rabbit
I walked from Selsdon to Croydon (after walking from Warlingham to Selsdon). The best part is through Croham Hurst woods although from Lloyd Park (café and toilets) you follow the Fairfield Path along footpaths and quiet roads into East Croydon. There's a large Sainsbury's at Selsdon at the start, with toilets....
JohnMyerson
However there is an exit on Pawsons Road almost directly opposite the Princes Road entrance....
LondonIn360
Once you dodge a few trams out of East Croydon and go through a less an desirable underpass the routes takes you along a rather splendid series of footpaths. Beddington Park offers the biggest treat of the walk before a short main road jaunt up to Wallington Station....
LondonIn360
It's a good route with a bit of greenery in the South Norwood Country Park and the Addiscombe Railway Park - it's about as green as you can get in this part of the city. If you have the time, do explore the South Norwood Country Park near Elmer's End....
Hysteresis
Pleasant route through Beddington Park and following the Wandle Trail....
JohnMyerson
JohnMyerson added Walcro four, a new walk from Wallington to Croydon
Walk this routeI think first part could go along Oval Road rather than Cedar Road as there are two nice pubs The Oval and Builders Arms on Oval Road (just parallel to Cedar Rd) both with food as well as drinks....
Sally Thorpe
Paul Hammond added Croelm two, a new walk from Croydon to Elmers End
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Crocry one, a new walk from Croydon to Crystal Palace
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Croelm one, a new walk from Croydon to Elmers End
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Cronew one, a new walk from Croydon to New Addington
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Walcro one, a new walk from Wallington to Croydon
Walk this routeCroydon’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
TQ3284665704
Lat / Lon
51.37486° / -0.09271°
Easting / Northing
532,846E / 165,704N
what3words
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Croydon and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Croydon's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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