Having never ventured this far east in Lo that I was doing the right thing by starting here. Very quickly after leaving Slade Green railway station I was walking through fields. OK, they’re not the same type of fields I’ll see later in Oxfordshire countryside, but these were quite pleasant urban fringe fields, and they’ll be the last I see for a while on this journendon I wondered what I’d find. Clearly I was on the eastern edge of the conurbation and it quickly felty.The Thames Path South Eastern Extension, to give its full name, starts at Crayford Ness, a reasonably remote spot sticking out into the Thames Estuary just upstream of where the River Darent flows into the Thames. To get their by public transport involves a journey to Slade Green and then a walk to the Ness, via the walkways on the banks of the Darent and the a ‘nature trail’ complete with interpretation boards for the concrete loving urbanite.
The country is very flat here, and looming in the distance is the flood barrier for the Darent. This was where the path was heading and for a short while in the warmish spring sunshine it felt almost like a country stoll. But then the shabby industrial estate near the Ness and somewhat orphaned from nearby Erith appeared alongside the path. This became more ugly as the mouth of the Darent approached, and turned into a car scrap yard at the Ness itself.
Crayford Ness was a non event. Rather the first glimpse of the Thames here was the event. It’s very wide at this point and the large pool of water around Erith makes it look like the sea, not a river. From the Ness the QEII bridge could be seen downstream. But this was where the journey proper began up the Thames. Although there was no fanfare at the Ness. The beacon marked on the map was just an aerial on a scaffold tower, and the interpretation boards were strangely absent.
For now I would be following the symbol of the extension. The National Trails use an acorn to guide walkers along the right route, but the extension uses a little sailing boat, a Thames barge according to the publicity material.
The path then dropped down onto the streets of Erith, moving past the entrances to different wharfs and industrial yard with river frontage. Close to Erith’s Morrison’s supermarket was one of the few piers into the river that is open to the public with a small hut at its end (and also a group of Erith’s chavs!).
Other piers, probably once used for offloading cargoes, are now largely derelict, some in a very dilapidated state. The path clings to the river wall moving in and out of inlets (as it will do throughout London). The path leaves Erith by going past large industrial plants, once of which belonging to the global agribusiness, ADM, with it’s large white silos and complex array of conveyors and piers processing oil seed rape. Still very much active, a boat was moored one of the piers.
The buildings thin out a little, particularly on the north bank. On the south side large modern industrial shed and distribution warehouses predominate, particular near the Crabtree Manorway. On the north bank the building of Ford’s Dagenham plant come into view with its two prominent wind turbines.
Then the sight of the Crossness incerator building appears around the corner, as the path passes along a derelict site and draws nearer to this unique building. Its metal curves anticipate the Thames Barrier ahead, as well as Frank Gheary’s creations such as the Guggenheim in Bilboa.
Immediately after the incinerator, the path drops down into a concrete walkway. Although only yards away the river goes out of view as the path runs alongside the Crossness sewage works. Thames Water have clearly been doing the local PR thing here, with lots of cast slabs with ‘Did you know’ facts about anything connecting London and water, including cholera! To make up for the lack of a river view, Thames Water provide some scenic paintings on the concrete retaining wall. At the far western end of the sewage works are some older Victorian buildings, some of which were being refurbished. Once contained the Crossness Beam Engines, first built and installed by Joseph Bazelgette, the Victorian engineer who created the Victoria Embankment and the modern sewers in Central London.
Passing a small golf driving range then brings some first substantial flats and houses with river access. At this stage they are reasonable small less prestigious than what will come, but this is the edge of Thamesmead. Then the first glimpse of the Millennium Dome and beyond it Canary Wharf while walking a long, stark stretch of promenade. This extends for some distance and eventually the housing receeds back as I approached Tripcock Ness. Over the river the flood barrier at Creekmouth dominated the skyline.
The river now turns south with the entrance to the Royal Docks on the opposite side of the river. Eventually more flats, first on building site, but then other modern blocks. This area is very stark and windswept and I can’t help feeling that we’re going to make the same problems that were made in the 1960s. What will these new developments be like in the 2030s?
Having said that the residential development at Royal Woolwich Arsenal looks impressive and the conversion of the old Arsenal buildings look well done. Unlike future sections, there has been thought about cyclist and walkers on the river, and you’re not forced off the river by modern developments. Some clever bridges and walkways also help you up and over the various inlets.
At the Woolwich Arsenal an cluster of Anthony Gormley style iron figures in a circle, some of the better public art I have seen. Canary Wharf and the Dome appear closer now as I turn into the stretch up to the Thames Barrier. After passing the queue for the Woolwich ferry, the pathway moves off the river for the first time due to a residential building site. When it does return there is only a short stretch with a last look at the Barrier before leaving the river for some time, until the path down to the Barrier itself. But that will have to wait for another day. After a day of pavement pounding, I wait for a bus that takes me to Greenwich station and then back home.
