It was a sunny day when 9 Polyramblers met at the Elizabeth Line Woolwich station. We walked up to Woolwich Common, passing St George’s Garrison Church which was bombed during the Second World War. The beautiful mosaics have been restored and are protected from the elements by a canopy roof. We crossed the common which was covered with Queen Anne’s Lace (am I right, Kim?) as far as the eyes could see.

After Hornfair Park, we arrived in Charlton Park. We had lunch in the sun on the terrace of Charlton House, one of the finest Jacobean houses in the country. Geoffrey used to go to the library there but it is now a venue for different events. We had a look at a small exhibition on saris and sneaked a glance at the beautiful room which served as a library. 

After lunch and a group photo, we passed what was formerly a summer house and is the only part of the Charlton buildings attributable to Inigo Jones. The Borough Council converted it into public toilets in 1936. Geoffrey remembers when the building was a public toilet. It is now unused and empty. Then, we walked through Charlton village, went back to Charlton Park and crossed into Maryon-Wilson Park. The Maryon-Wilson family used to own Charlton House but sold it to Greenwich Borough Council. It’s a nice park with animal enclosures (sheep, pigs and poultry). We continued through Maryon Park and up and down Cox Mount (89 ft) to the Thames Barrier. We followed the Thames, first through a tunnel under the Barrier buildings, then along industrial estates and newly built flats.

In the middle of all this is the Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park, a small oasis with a lake and a visitor centre. We stopped there for a rest and to have a look at the birds from one of the hides. We then crossed the Greenwich Peninsula going above the Blackwall Tunnel Southern Approach – better forget this part of the walk which, although not very pleasant, is thankfully short. The last part of the walk was towards Greenwich with, at first, newly built flats, then Greenwich Power Station built in 1906, The Trinity Hospital which is being renovated, Crane Street and the Trafalgar Tavern and, finally, the Royal Naval College buildings, the Cutty Sark and the end of the walk.

Dominique