Route instructions:

Route instructions:

Notes: Originally developed by DT

Route instructions:

[1] Leave the centre and turn left, then left again and onto Watson Street. Head left towards the Iyengar Yoga Centre until reaching the very busy Deptford Broadway / New Cross Road. At the nearby traffic lights cross and head left towards the Star & Garter pub on Wilshaw Street, passing Addey and Stanhope’s School, with its mixture of old and strikingly new buildings.

[2] Turn right along Wilshaw Street and follow the road round into Pearsons Avenue until you cross Tanners Hill into Vanguard Street. Walk the full length of Vanguard Street, passing, the square factory-like buildings on the left (Harton Street) until reaching the Victorian, Friendly Street.

[3] Turn left here to reach the busy Brookmill Road. Cross here with care, and head right toward a grey steel and glass building, the recently opened Stephen Lawrence Centre, which provides courses and events for young people, especially those wishing to become architects and designers. You will see pedestrian and cycle lanes heading right into Brookmill Park. Follow the sign to Blackheath and Lewisham.There is another path, leading left, through Broadway Fields, back to Deptford Broadway. Do not take it.

Brookmill Park was recently re-developed and was opened to the public in 1998. Here the Ravensbourne follows a natural course, rather than the concrete banks along most of its route. This was done to form a nature reserve on the opposite bank, offsetting the environmental damage caused by building the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

[4] Follow these into the park until reaching a circular pond surrounded by metal seats. Pass by the pond and continue to head in the same direction. On your right is a large pond which you may wish to walk around, keeping the pond on your left. Several types of waterfowl live on the pond; keep an eye out for a heron with its grey feathers and long yellow beak. (It may also be standing in the river.) Rejoin the path and continue ahead with the river on your left. Soon you will reach a metal bridge, which has wheelchair access ramps, leading to Elverson Road DLR station.

[5] Cross the bridge over the river and then over the DLR tracks.

The DLR was opened in 1987 to help encourage growth in the former industrial areas of the Docklands. Today, the line carries over 60 million passengers a year and has been twice extended to cover 39 stations and 19 miles of track.

You will emerge at the junction of Elverson Road and Conington Road, then turn left into residential Coldbath Street. Walk the length of Coldbath Street.

[6] Towards the end you will see street signs for Franklin Close and Franklin Court, which you should ignore. Bear right and then left into a footpath, called Ditch Alley, used by walkers and cyclists. Beware of cyclists. Take this path, and at the end cross the usually busy Blackheath Road, using the traffic lights.

[7] After crossing, head left and then almost immediately right again into Egerton Drive, with a row of handsome double-fronted houses, built around 1830, on the left-hand side. Cross Devonshire Drive, passing the stone Seventh Day Adventist Church on your right. At the end of Egerton Drive cross Greenwich High Road turn right and continue along Greenwich High Road, turning left into Norman Road, past the North Pole pub.

[8] Head towards the white concrete DLR rail bridge. At the bridge, turn left along a path signed ‘Creekside via Ha’penny Hatch’. Continue along the path, first crossing the Ravensbourne River by the new Ha’penny Hatch footbridge, beside the old lifting bridge, whose remnants stand on either side of the railway line, and then the narrow Creekside. Proceed straight ahead, keeping the railway arches to your right.

On reaching the end of the path, pass under one of the arches to reach a tarmac area. Turn right and continue along Deptford Church Street, crossing to Coffey Street using the traffic lights.

(A) As you walk along Coffey Street you can see St Paul’s Church, built in 1711.

St Paul’s Church was designed by Thomas Archer, a famous 18th Century architect also responsible for St John’s Church in Westminster and Birmingham Cathedral, as well as helping to remodel Chatsworth House, as seen in Pride & Prejudice on the BBC. The fabric and decoration of the St Paul’s was completed by 1720, but it was to be another 10 years until the church was consecrated in 1730.  Unusually for an English church, St Paul’s was built in the style of Roman baroque architecture.

[10] Continue along Coffey Street, through the pleasant semi-pedestrianised green space at the back of St Joseph’s R.C. School, and once past the main entrance to the church you will emerge onto Deptford High Street.

Deptford High Street was voted the most diverse in the country in a 2005 survey by the Yellow Pages and hosts a large market on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Cross the High Street and turn left, towards the station.

Deptford station is the oldest passenger-only station in London, and one of the stations on the oldest suburban railway in the world, the London to Greenwich line. This was built between 1836 and 1838 and was carried by a viaduct of 878 brick arches.

(B) As you carry on along the high street you may notice a brightly painted railway carriage on your right. This is the Deptford Project café, with palm trees, outside tables and a wonderful ‘Elvis Shoe Superloo’ (open weekdays, 8.00 to 7.00; Sat. 8.00 to 6.00, Sun. 11.00 to 4.00).

[11] Continue along to the end of Deptford High Street until you come to the large metal anchor at the end.  Turn right onto Deptford Broadway / New Cross Road and continue along until you come to Watson Street.  Walk along Watson Street, turning right into Comet Street and after a short distance turn right into Speedwell Street to return to the Deptford Churches Centre.

Alternatively, continue along Deptford High Street until you reach until you reach Reginald Road on your right.  Follow Reginald Road to the end and turn left into Comet Street.  Follow Comet Street until you come to Speedwell Street on your left.  Turn into Speedwell Street following the road back to Deptford Churches Centre.

Route originally checked by: Imogen Forster

Developed by: Holding Account
Checked by: Julia Wootley

[1] Turn left outside the Albany Centre and go down Douglas Way. Cross Deptford High Street in its pedestrianised section (on your right), and go straight ahead down the right side of Giffin Street. (There are free toilets on the left side). Cross Giffin Street opposite the Leisure Centre and turn left into Deptford Church Street. Cross this road at the pedestrian lights and continue left under the railway bridge. After 50 yards, turn right through a gate into a green area, then right again, past a baseball court to your left, to go back under the railway arches, and finally left. Cross Creekside (careful with intersecting green cycle path) and go straight on, with the Crossfield estate on your right. The path here is shared with cyclists but pedestrians have priority.

[2] Cross Ha’penny Hatch (the swing-bridge over Deptford Creek), passing on your left a spectacular relic of Deptford’s industrial past. At the T-junction with Norman Road, cross and go left until you reach the City Peninsula development.  Go right into Tarves Way. The pavement is very narrow here – walkers might prefer to use the (quiet) development car park opposite. Go under the railway at Greenwich station, then left at the T-junction with Greenwich High Road, passing another entrance to Greenwich station. Cross Greenwich High Road at the pelican traffic lights, then go left, then right into Greenwich South Street. Cross this at more traffic lights and turn right along it. After some attractive shops take the first left into Circus Street (the pavement is bumpy here in places). Cross Royal Hill carefully and go straight ahead into Gloucester Circus. Go round this square; the right side is more historic. At the far end, continue to the main road (Crooms Hill), where a zebra crossing brings you directly to the gate of Greenwich Park.

(A) Greenwich Park, which boasts a Green Flag for excellence, is open daily between 6 am and dusk. Its attractions include hills which offer spectacular views of the Thames, and the Royal Observatory. This was founded by Charles the Second and built by Sir Christopher Wren to study astronomy and fix longitude. Eventually Greenwich was adopted as the Prime Meridian. The time ball on the roof was the first public time signal, dropping at exactly 1 o’clock. Ships on the river used the signal to check the time.

[3] From your left, take the third path of 4 in front of you, crossing The Avenue.  Look out for cyclists. Cross the grass to the tarmac path running alongside the National Maritime Museum (entry free).

(B) The Museum contains thousands of exhibits, illuminating the whole history of our relationship with the sea. From here there are views left to Canary Wharf and right to the old Royal Observatory.

At the end of the Museum, turn left, leave the Park and go straight down the left side of Park Row. Cross Romney Road at the traffic lights.  After this crossing, wheelchair and buggy users might prefer the right pavement, which is wider. Pass the old Greenwich Hospital on your right and the Royal Naval College on your left, now part of the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music, to reach the river.

(C) The Royal Naval College was formerly a royal palace, the birthplace of Henry the Eighth and Elizabeth the First among others. The Chapel and Painted Hall are worth visiting, admission free.

[4] At the river, look at the view: the Millennium Dome to your right and the Isle of Dogs straight ahead. Following the “Thames Path” sign, go left past the Royal Naval College and follow the water’s edge towards the domed roof of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel entrance, past the site of the Cutty Sark, currently being reconstructed. After the tunnel entrance, cross the concrete area (no buggy/disability access due to path improvements, please use steps) and follow the signpost onto the Thames Path. Ignore a left path leading down to a green area. Pass two cannons and on reaching a modern winebar, RB@G, turn left via six black bollards to go down Horseferry Place (unsigned). Cross the quiet Thames Street and continue to the T-junction with Creek Road. Turn right here and continue as far as Deptford Creek Bridge.

[5] At the next pedestrian lights, cross Creek Road and turn right along it, then left into Creekside.  Cross the road and go left along Creekside. Cross the end of Berthon Street on your right and turn immediately right into the new garden terraces to enter the Sue Godfrey Nature Reserve. Follow the path towards the church. At the left-hand corner, cross Deptford Church Street at the pedestrian lights and go straight ahead down Coffey Street, which bears half right becoming Crossfield Street. At the cobbles and the T-junction, cross Deptford High Street at the pedestrian crossing to your right. Turn left and go under the railway bridge, eventually reaching Douglas Way and the Albany Centre.

Camberwell College of Arts, Peckham Road. SE5 8UF

Until the arrival of the railways, in the mid-nineteenth century, Camberwell was visited, by Londoners, for its rural tranquility and the reputed healing properties of its mineral springs.

[1] Turn right from the Camberwell College of Arts and walk along Peckham Road until you reach Benhill Road on your left. Turn left into Benhill Road and keep on the right-hand side. At the junction with Brunswick Park cross the road and enter the park. Keep to the left-hand path through the park and then turn right, between the playground and the tennis courts.   Here you may like to rest or play before continuing.

(A) Brunswick Park – was originally named Brunswick Square in celebration of the marriage of King George IV to Caroline, the daughter of the Duke of Brunswick, and was intended as a private square for the adjoining residents.  It was acquired by the council in 1901 and opened as a public park in 1907.

[2] Leave park, at exit by playground. Go straight across, to the left-hand side of Ada Road and, shortly, turn left, crossing to right-hand side of Elmington Road. At corner, turn right onto Stacey Path.  Go through barriers and continue straight on, at road.  At Havil Street, cross and turn left.  Use zebra crossing, to cross Southampton Way, into Rainbow Street.  Cross Dowlas Street.  Cross and turn left, into Coleman Road.

Go past the school and use the pedestrian island to cross and turn left, along the bus route (Wells Way).  Fork right into Cottage Green and, in the vicinity of the chapel cross to left hand side.  At traffic lights, go straight across Southampton Way, into the pedestrian path alongside the Housing Office. At the Harris Street / Benhill Road corner continue straight on and then at the staggered cross-roads, turn right and then immediately left to cross to the right-hand side of Picton Street.

[3] After the school, cross to left-hand side and turn left at the British Queen Pub, into Brisbane Street.  At end, turn right into Elmington Road and at the corner, cross towards Lomond House, using the pedestrian refuge.  Turn left on the far side and almost immediately, fork right, across the piazza, in front of Camberwell Magistrates Court. At the far side, cross road and enter Camberwell Green(B).

(B) The ancient village of Camberwell had no market place and Camberwell Green was the centre of social activity.  From 1279 until 1855 a fair was held every August, to celebrate the Feast of Saint Giles.  In 1885 the green was acquired, on a 1000 year lease, now held by Southwark Council, with covenants requiring it to be kept as ‘an ornamental pleasure ground for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Camberwell’.

[4] Follow the path ahead across the Green to a junction by the children’s playground. There, fork right to leave the Green by the traffic lights (where there is also a 24-hour toilet).  Go straight on at the traffic lights and on the far side by the green tiled Tiger pub, turn left and, almost immediately, by Lloyds Bank, turn right into Wren Road.  At the barrier, go slightly right and continue straight on alongside Morrisons.  At T-junction, cross the road (Daneville Road) and go slightly right onto the path, into Allendale Close.

[5] Shortly turn right into Evesham Walk.  Go under arch and, at end, by Jennie Lee House, turn left (Love Walk).  At the T-junction (Grove Lane) go straight on, across road, into pedestrian passage.  Turn left and shortly right into Churchyard Passage, and then, go through gate into St Giles Churchyard, a delightful garden tucked behind the Parish Church(C).

(C) St Giles – The current church dates from 1844 but there was a church here as early as 1086. It cost £24,000 in 1844; in 2000 the rebuilding of the 210 ft spire, alone, cost £1.2 million.  St Giles is the patron saint of cripples and it is possible that the name Camberwell, which means cripple-well in Anglo Saxon, arose from the clean water and the treatment given to lepers and other exiles from the City of London.

[6] In the garden, go left and then walk alongside the church, with the church to your right. At the Peckham Road use the lights on the right to cross, then head right  to return to the College of Arts.