Bexley

Introduction

I’m writing this rather a long time after the walk, but it’s coming back to me faintly! I think my mum and I did this walk following instructions from an issue of the Woodland Trust magazine.

We started by walking from the station along roads for a short distance, past the parish church.

Nice little garage building beside the station.
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°26′27″N 0°8′54″E
Garage by somebody’s house.
1/250 at f4, 23mm, ISO200 51°26′15″N 0°9′15″E

A small lane took us to a slightly hard-to-find public footpath, a fenced path in fields used for grazing horses. The ground was a little on the damp side. We approached a large electricity substation before entering woods (Woodland Trust woods, presumably).

Nice hill.
1/250 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°26′8″N 0°9′19″E
Bare trees.
1/500 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°26′3″N 0°9′26″E
Ground on the even damper side.
1/250 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°26′1″N 0°9′27″E

Once in the woods, again it was a little hard to spot the point where we were meant to turn right - the walk description we were using mentioned an iron gate, which was no longer evident. However, after backtracking a bit, we found the correct path. This led us on through the woods, and beside an ancient defensive ditch called (six-year-olds prepare your laughing muscles) Faesten Dic.

Information sign about the ditch.
1/30 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′39″N 0°9′35″E
Tree in woods.
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′17″N 0°9′40″E
Partial gate.
1/125 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′23″N 0°9′8″E
Feather.
1/60 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′24″N 0°9′2″E

We left the woods by a path across more horse pasture, then followed a narrow road called Parsonage Lane for a distance.

Gate.
1/60 at f5.6, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′18″N 0°9′0″E
Oil in puddle.
1/60 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′18″N 0°8′53″E
Mossy street sign.
1/125 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′22″N 0°8′42″E
Slightly damp lane.
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′22″N 0°8′39″E
Swimming pool by somebody’s farmhouse.
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′26″N 0°8′22″E

At the bottom of the lane we crossed over a main road at traffic lights and had a look at the outside of a small church (St James’s) before following the path through the meadows to the River Cray.

Bleak traffic lights.
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′33″N 0°8′8″E
Church (overview).
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′31″N 0°7′59″E
Church (roof).
1/60 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′31″N 0°8′0″E
Church (ladder).
1/30 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′31″N 0°7′58″E
Church (gate).
1/30 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′31″N 0°7′58″E

We then followed the river back into Bexley.

River edge 1.
1/30 at f4, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′35″N 0°7′52″E
River edge 2.
1/30 at f4, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′40″N 0°7′57″E
Bridge with five arches, cleverly named Five Arches Bridge.
1/30 at f8, 23mm, ISO200 51°25′35″N 0°7′50″E

Back in Bexley and not in a particular hurry to leave, we wandered down the high street.

Almshouses.
1/30 at f4, 23mm, ISO800 51°26′28″N 0°8′52″E
Yet another church (St. John this time).
1/30 at f4, 23mm, ISO800 51°26′33″N 0°8′38″E
Giant version of me.
1/15 at f2.8, 23mm, ISO800 51°26′32″N 0°8′38″E

All images © Samuel Marshall. All rights reserved.