Foots Cray Meadows

Hidden away in the suburbs of London, Foots Cray Meadows offers a beautiful, short, circular walk around a stream, which your dog can enjoy!

How to get there

If approaching from Orpington, make for Crittal’s Corner, go under the A20 and take the opposite exit (the one for B&Q) and carry straight on to the traffic lights at the bottom of Sidcup Hill. Go straight across at the lights into Rectory Lane. The lane bends sharply left at the church and the entrance to Foots Cray Place is on the right 250 metres past the bend.

Explore Foots Cray Meadows in Kent (London Borough of Bexley), a large and beautiful area of public open space offering a delightful mix of riverside walks, open parkland, and woodland. Located between Sidcup and Foots Cray, this historic landscape, once part of Foots Cray Place estate, provides a valuable green oasis for the Kent/South East London community. Foots Cray Meadows is known for its picturesque scenery along the River Cray and its accessible paths.

Well-maintained paths and tracks wind through Foots Cray Meadows, leading visitors alongside the meandering River Cray, through areas of mature woodland (like the North Cray Wood section), and across open grassy fields perfect for picnics and recreation. The park features historical elements like the Five Arch Bridge and is rich in wildlife, including kingfishers, waterfowl, and various woodland birds. It's a popular spot for walkers, families, cyclists, and dog owners in this part of Kent/Bexley.

• Discover Foots Cray Meadows, a large public open space in Kent/Bexley.
• Walk along scenic paths beside the River Cray, through woodland, and across open meadows.
• Explore a historic landscape with features like the Five Arch Bridge.
• A popular and accessible green space for families, walkers, and nature lovers.

Walks in Foots Cray Meadows can range from gentle 1-2 mile accessible loops to longer 3-5 mile routes exploring the full extent of the meadows and connecting with nearby green spaces in Kent/Bexley.

Walk

1 From the car park entrance, turn left along the private drive. At the corner, head through the gate on the right, bear left uphill and up a bank onto a wide track.

2 Turn right with the boundary of Cleeve Park School on the left and woodland on the right. At the corner of the wood, turn right along the track.

3 When you emerge into open meadow, turn left to head along the edge of the woodland. Cross the track leading from the Five Arch Bridge on the right and continue across the meadow.

4 Here, you will reach a footbridge where you should cross the river. Turn right along the riverbank and follow the path which runs parallel to the river. Pass by Five Arch Bridge, but do not cross it. Head on past the broad section of the river, crossing the side stream by a small bridge and continue to another bridge. Cross the River Cray and bear right at the fork, before heading back uphill to the car park.

Grid Reference: TQ 474 715