Erith to Bexley

21 March. Thirteen of us started from Erith Station and, despite a cold start, we warmed quickly as we walked along the Thames – a different vision of the Thames with mud flats and remnants of old piers – through Crayford Marshes or Saltings as they were called.   We were very lucky with the weather so could appreciate the mixture of mud and rushes on one side, fields on the other with a few metal recycling plants on the other.  

We followed the Darent river and then the Cray river, all very low water as they are totally tidal at that level.  The Cray river became a real river and part of some wetlands until we arrived in central Crayford. We had a picnic in Crayford before walking along the old Vickers factories (now a large Sainsbury’s) and rejoining the Cray river, which we then left to reach a path through a wood to reach  Old Bexley.  Spring was definitively there, anemones, a few blue bells and shrubs showing signs of leaves.  This is Section 1 of the London Loop so very well posted and easy to follow.

Elisabeth, with thanks to Mary-Jane for additional photos.