Report: The Unlock London Walk 2015

This is what Unlock London say about the event:

Celia,  Diane,  Beate and myself set ourselves the challenge of walking as much as we could of the route from Bermondsey Station to Lewisham Hospital.

This took us to St James CofE/ St Olavs Norwegian Church/ Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception/ Deptford Methodist Mission/ The Bear Church/  St Peters CofE and Crofton Park Baptist church.

We strolled along main roads/ back streets/ Southwark Park/ Russia Dock Woodland/ down to Greenland Dock/ we noted the varied design of houses and flats – some very ‘on top of each other’ to the more generous size of older housing to modern developments.

Armed with packed lunches and maps – yes the A-Z which Celia and myself had pored over one evening for an hour alongside the map we are given trying to make sure we knew exactly where we were going! we set off and continually checked at every junction that we were going the right way.

The rain had cleared before we got to Bermondsey so we only had the wind to contend with whenever we got the map out – fighting with that as we wrangled over the direction we had to go in ! Having begun just before 10 from Bermondsey Stn we had all day so no hurry but just stroll along and stop at each church and along the way when something caught our interest.

We got down to Deptford Methodist Mission around 12.30 – before getting there we had worried that we might have to take  a diversion as we came across a Police Cordon blocking off a road but then we saw that this wasn’t the road we needed – and were very glad of the lunch break and tea and rest as it had been a long walk along Russia Dock woodland and round Greenland Dock.

From there we found ourselves in the High St and a market which was busting with crowds and continued on and finally got down to the park outside Lewisham Hospital around 4 – 4.30. Then we got the 47 bus back into Bermondsey as they suggested so we had managed to complete the circuit which covered the area which the late Bishop of Woolwich and Chairman of Unlock   Peter Hall had worked in!

We enjoy seeing what the church is doing in other parts of London/ seeing different parts of London and learning more about its history. We also like the fact that you can start at a time that suits us/from whatever point is easiest/ you can walk as much as you want so you don’t have to complete the walk and you have all day so you can take your time and stop and rest and eat whenever you like. They also mark out on the route areas which are more wheelchair friendly / steps involved. So if anyone is interested then look out for the 2016 walk.