Haunted Houses and Modern Miracles

Charlton House and the Thames Barrier
(section 5 of Green Chain Route Pack route pack-see details below)

Nearest Rail Station (arrival and departure): Woolwich Dockyard

This station is approx. 25 minutes from central London (London Bridge Station) or 20 minutes from Kent (Dartford Station) on London and South Eastern Railways.

Alight at Woolwich Dockyard station and follow the Green Chain Walk (GCW) “link” signs from the station to the GCW main sign at Maryon Park (it’s by the tennis courts). It was at this very spot that the final sequence to Michelangelo Antonioni’s rather scandalous cult sixties movie “Blow up” staring David Hemmings and Sarah Miles was filmed.

From here proceed via GCW, following directional signs towards Maryon Wilson Park and Charlton Park (route via steps).

At Maryon Wilson Park you will see deer, pygmy goats, peacocks and a variety of birdlife-but please don’t feed the animals! Budding photographers will also appreciate the panoramic views over London from the top end of the park- on a clear day you can see the iconic Wembley Arch on the skyline.

From the GCW main sign at Maryon Wilson Park (by the animal enclosure), turn left and head up via GCW marked route towards Charlton Park. When you reach the main sign in the park, turn right following GCW signs towards Woolwich Common. The magnificent mansion house will soon appear into view.

Charlton House is one of the best examples of Jacobean architecture in the country and the finest in London. It is also reputed to be haunted by a friendly ghost……..

Imagine yourselves as Lord or Lady of the Manor as you stroll around the grounds (the herb garden is a real treat). Then get your teeth into a picnic lunch or enjoy a hot meal at the delightful Mulberry Tea Rooms, located inside the house.

Suitable rested and refreshed, retrace your steps back to the GCW main sign at Maryon Wilson Park and from here follow the alternative route to the Thames Barrier via Gilberts Pit.

Recently designated as a fully-fledged Local Nature Reserve, Gilberts Pit is a geologists dream with exposed strata dating back to the time when dinosaurs inhabited this part of South London. From here it’s a 10 minute stroll via the Green Chain Walk to the Thames Barrier (keep following the GCW signs).

The Thames Barrier is the world’s largest movable flood barrier and has been described as a miracle of modern engineering (it’s not surprising therefore that it featured in Fred Dibnah’s recent “Magnificient Monuments” series on TV).

Enjoy expansive views across the Thames from the nearby Visitor Centre Café, where you can enjoy a cuppa before heading back to Woolwich Dockyard station where your carriage awaits.

Further details on the Green Chain Walk are provided in the official Green Chain Route Guide, which contains detailed colour maps of the network of footpaths and places of interest along the walk.

(Click here for details on how to purchase the Green Chain Route Guide)