Croydon start point - has anyone walked the Vanguard way?

[Oriole]

If you have, would you recommend it? Is it well signposted? Are there sections you wouldn't bother with? Was it all weather or does it turn into a mud pit?

 

[orient slacker]

Did it a few years back as a series of day walks with a few mates, when I was living in Tun Wells. It’s well signposted, passes through some lovely countryside, was usually a decent pub lunch spot on the route, and I don’t recall any muddy horrors. Though that might not be the case right now in places after such a wet winter…

 

[hash tag]

I've not walked it; never heard of it before but would be up for it. Where can I find free weekends to even start it

 

[kenny g]

I've not walked it; never heard of it before but would be up for it. Where can I find free weekends to even start it

I've been mentioning this to people since I found the website Nd m yet to meet anyone who has done it. Would be up for doing it in weekend stages.

 

[baldrick]

ATOMIC SUPLEX has adventured on it I believe

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

ATOMIC SUPLEX has adventured on it I believe

Correct.
I have done the half marathon route from Croydon to Oxted and back several times as it starts about one km from my house.
Personally I am a big fan. You can run right through croydon only seeing glimpses of road. As soon as you get to Selsdon Wood (only 7km in) it's full on woodland and countryside and hard to imagine that you set off from london.
Signposting seems to have gotten better recently, but when I say 'sign posts' it's more like metre high posts in the ground with a small arrow on them every now and then.
It is definitely a little confusing at times in certain places, but if you use google maps and gps or whatever it should fine. I know I got a bit flustered the first time, but I was running and would have to stop to check my phone. Someone from U75 sent me a GPS map to use on strava which was very helpful in one particular area.

There are some bits that are muddy during the rainy period, just like anywhere, but it is fine in summer and winter.
Obviously up to oxted is only a very short way along the vanguard way but I assume it carries on in the same vein.
The parts of it that I know, I like very much. I am so glad it begins on my doorstep

 

[toblerone3]

I am interested in doing this footpath. I saw the signposts in Selsdon Woods

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I think I would like to run the whole thing, but obvioulsy / realistically that would be two or three days depending on if you decided to continue to walk extra sections after you had had enough of running.

 

[Leafster]

I only know the stretch on my patch. kenny g - we did a bit of it on the walk I organised - from just before the field of cows, up the long haul to the round water tower and down to the M25. Most of it is well sign-posted with little roundels like this



but as AS mentioned there's the odd bit that probably means you'll need a map or similar to keep you on track.

There's definitely some beautiful countryside to admire along the way.

 

[BassJunkie]

Wow, this is my thread. On Friday 24th May I'm working a half day. Then I'll get the train to London.

I'll spend the Friday afternoon walking from St Pancras to Croydon.

Saturday I'll be embarking on it proper. Plan to finish on the Tuesday. I've got a train booked from Newhaven to Leicester on the Wednesday morning. That only cost £25!

 

[hash tag]

I'll spend the Friday afternoon walking from St Pancras to Croydon

You crazy person, I can think of many better places to walk. You will see " some sights" and that's for sure. Depending on route, the most picturesque place could be the gardens at the top of Streatham common. Digressing, there is a kite festival there on Saturday or Sunday. Enjoy the urban walk.

 

[BassJunkie]

You crazy person, I can think of many better places to walk. You will see " some sights" and that's for sure. Depending on route, the most picturesque place could be the gardens at the top of Streatham common. Digressing, there is a kite festival there on Saturday or Sunday. Enjoy the urban walk.

Lol. I love walking around London. It's one of the world's greatest cities and is endlessly fascinating.

Part of my motivation is that I use the app City Strides. Got to collect 'em all!

Thanks for the tips.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I'll spend the Friday afternoon walking from St Pancras to Croydon.

I've run from Croydon to London and vice versa several times and I have to say there are some challengingly dull low points. . . But too love going through / exploring cities on foot probably as much as I do the countryside (though running is more my thing, walking can feel a bit too slow).
If you are at all interested I can share my preferred routes, though as a londoner and a runner I am perhaps less interested in seeing specific 'sights' and more keen on avoiding people, traffic and ugliness.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I'm actually currently training for the vanguard way marathon on the 4th August, so I'm running up and down it every weekend, (I did a small bit of it this morning). However I am playing a gig in Bristol on the 25th so I won't be able to wave at you as you go about your way.

 

[hash tag]

Lol. I love walking around London. It's one of the world's greatest cities and is endlessly fascinating.

Part of my motivation is that I use the app City Strides. Got to collect 'em all!

Thanks for the tips.

Admittedly, There are some great bits in London, some ok bits in London but South of the river to Croydon possibly the crowded and polluted roads of Stockwell, Brixton, Streatham and Norbury. Alternatively, Southwark ( equally as bad ) afterwards possibly Herne hill, West Norwood, Crystal Palace which aren't so bad.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Admittedly, There are some great bits in London, some ok bits in London but South of the river to Croydon possibly the crowded and polluted roads of Stockwell, Brixton, Streatham and Norbury. Alternatively, Southwark ( equally as bad ) afterwards possibly Herne hill, West Norwood, Crystal Palace which aren't so bad.

There are some decent hit points. With footpaths though Stretham to Clapham Common, Wandsworth, crystal place, mitcham common, beddington nature reserve, south Norwood country park and more. London Road to Brixton is NOT the way to go.
I tend to come back through Dulwich, crystal palace or via the river wandle walk & mitcham common. . . But whichever way you swing it, it's probably going to be a tad shit from the north of Croydon to Lloyd Park where the vanguard way begins.

 

[hash tag]

There are some decent hit points. With footpaths though Stretham to Clapham Common, Wandsworth, crystal place, mitcham common, beddington nature reserve, south Norwood country park and more. London Road to Brixton is NOT the way to go.
I tend to come back through Dulwich, crystal palace or via the river wandle walk & mitcham common. . . But whichever way you swing it, it's probably going to be a tad shit from the north of Croydon to Lloyd Park where the vanguard way begins.

I agree but it will add a few miles to an already reasonable distance of walking.

 

[TopCat]

Admittedly, There are some great bits in London, some ok bits in London but South of the river to Croydon possibly the crowded and polluted roads of Stockwell, Brixton, Streatham and Norbury. Alternatively, Southwark ( equally as bad ) afterwards possibly Herne hill, West Norwood, Crystal Palace which aren't so bad.

You could head down the Blackfriars Road, go via the elephant down Walworth Road and then follow the ridge over to East Dulwich. Up towards the Palace and then over Norwood Heights. A nice walk.

 

[BassJunkie]

I've run from Croydon to London and vice versa several times and I have to say there are some challengingly dull low points. . . But too love going through / exploring cities on foot probably as much as I do the countryside (though running is more my thing, walking can feel a bit too slow).
If you are at all interested I can share my preferred routes, though as a londoner and a runner I am perhaps less interested in seeing specific 'sights' and more keen on avoiding people, traffic and ugliness.

Thanks for the offer. Back in the 1990s I lived in London, but rarely ventured further South than Strawberry Sunday in Vauxhall.

I take your point regarding potential dull low points, but I've yet to see a street which I've never walked down before which doesn't appeal to me.

I need to get back into running too, thanks for the inspiration.

 

[BassJunkie]

I'm certainly intending to take a stroll through Brixton. Doesn't get any more Urban75 than that right?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I guess so. For me, going through Brixton and down the London road is the most dreary route, though maybe that's OK walking. It is fairly straight (and straightforward).

 

[hash tag]

Brixton road or Walworth road will both be crowded with Peds and heavily polluted with few redeeming features.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

If I had to do Brixton I would then head to Dulwich village, Crystal Palace, south Norwood lake depending on where you need to be in Croydon.

 

[kenny g]

One option to get to the start of the Vanguard way seems to be to follow the Wandle although you would need to start further up the Thames around Wandsworth. I suppose depending on funds/inclination you could catch a river boat or just walk up the Thames a bit.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

One option to get to the start of the Vanguard way seems to be to follow the Wandle although you would need to start further up the Thames around Wandsworth. I suppose depending on funds/inclination you could catch a river boat or just walk up the Thames a bit.

They are starting from Kings Cross, but they want to go through Brixton so the wandle walk is not really an option.

EDIT
When I say "They" I mean Bass Junkie not the OP.

 

[Callie]

Lol. I love walking around London. It's one of the world's greatest cities and is endlessly fascinating.

Part of my motivation is that I use the app City Strides. Got to collect 'em all!

Thanks for the tips.

I'm the same. I can find a lot of interest in fairly bleak urban landscapes and it's always exciting to find unusual bits you had never seen before.

I really loved looking at the houses on the back streets around Norbury which loads still had their original stained glass and little names over their front doors

On the same note though I like trying to do park link ups for urban walks so will often take a detour for a park or open space.

 

[Callie]

Never walked any of the Vanguard Way which is silly as it's on my door step and I like bring outside, walking and going to the seaside.

Is that the route they use for the London to Brighton bike ride? Or part of it??

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Never walked any of the Vanguard Way which is silly as it's on my door step and I like bring outside, walking and going to the seaside.

You can always walk to oxted and get the train back or vice versa. . . Walking all the way to the seaside is going to be a long one.

Is that the route they use for the London to Brighton bike ride? Or part of it??

No.
It's not really bikeable unless you are an extreme off-roader.

 

[Leafster]

It's not really bikeable unless you are an extreme off-roader.

I've done some of the section you've run on my MTB but only where it coincides with bridleways. I'm not keen on lifting my bike over the stiles or the stupidly steep bits.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Yes, I've seen moutain bikes along a few stretches, but some parts can be very narrow and of course the massive hills through cow fields and whatnot would not be a route a sensible cyclist would take from London to Brighton. I believe it's all done by road and still a bit of a slog.