Action, protest, campaigns, demos and issues magazine features, photos, articles, stories photos of London, New York, Wales, England and photography features music, parties, clubs, events, records, releases drug information, harm reduction, no-nonsense guide punch a celebrity football, features, issues, cardiff city games, useless games and diversions technical info, web authoring, reviews and features site news, updates and urban75 blog urban75 community news and events urban75 bulletin boards join the chatroom search urban75 back to urban75 homepage
London features, photos, history, articles New York features, photos, history, articles Brixton features, photos, history, articles panoramas, 360 degree vistas, London, New York, Wales, England Offline London club night festival reports, photos, features and articles urban75 sitemap and page listing about us, info, FAQs, copyright join our mailing list for updates and news contact urban75
A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds
Walks in and around London homepage London photos London panoramas
urban75 featured pages

A walk around Farnborough, Bromley, London
An autumnal walk through fields and woodland paths (4.5 miles)
(Photos/words © urban75, 7th October 2006)

With the decision to go for a walk being a spur-of-the-moment thing (we were still lying in bed trying to shake off last night's hangover), we had to find a location that was relatively quick to get to.

A quick peruse through the 'Jarrold Short Walks' south London edition unearthed a walk in Farnborough, accessible via a train from our local station and then a bus ride from Bromley South.

If you're looking to do this walk, be sure not to confuse this small Kent village with the better known Farnborough in Hampshire or the towns in Berkshire and Warwickshire.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Waiting for the train at Brixton overground station.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
A southbound Eurostar train hurtles through Brixton station.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
We got off at Bromley South and then caught a 358 bus to the stop marked as 'The George, Farnborough.' Sadly, the pub is no longer with us.

The George (and the appropriately named 'Change Of Horses' pub nearby) are former coaching inns for the London-Hastings route.

Thames path, A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Lychgate at St. Giles The Abbot churchyard.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Sited to the south of the village, it's believed that a church has stood on this spot for some 1500 years.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Wooden bench under ancient tree in the church yard.

The original churchyard was probably in use as the Parish Burial Ground by 1000 A.D., and was extended in 1854.

Memorial tombstones only started appearing in the 18th century - previously, the ground was constantly reused for burials, resulting in the earth level gradually rising.

The oldest stone in the churchyard is dated 1725.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Here you can see the tombstone of Levi Boswell (the 'Gipsy Chief') and Urania Boswell (the famous 'Gipsy Lee'), which lies in the Victorian Extension of the churchyard (to the right of the path as you walk through - it's easy to miss!).

Nearby is a memorial to Dr Thomas Young, the smart alec who figured out the Egyptian Hieroglyphics on the Rosetta stone.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Leaving the churchyard and heading south-west over open fields.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
The guidebook was more than a little vague at this point, asking us to go left 'when the path divides' although we were buggered if we could see a clearly defined path matching that description!

Happily, it didn't really matter so long as found Shire Lane at the bottom of the hill, and then cut up past North End Farm.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Signpost on Shire Lane.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Just past North End Farm, we took a right along the amusingly-named Bogey Lane (well, it amused me).

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
We climbed up a little bank to walk parallel with the rather muddy Bogey Lane for a while.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Continuing west along Bogey Lane, there were some lovely views of the open countryside.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
The path was completely covered in acorns, which are apparently great for pigs but bad for horses.

top

Syon Park, A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Like a pair of chumps we'd forgotten to pack any food, so these soon-to-be-wolfed-down blackberries were a welcome find. And they were delicious too!

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
My horse whistling skills managed to persuade this beastie to come over for some stroking action. Unfortunately, Eme's flashgun sent it scuttling off twice as quickly.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
The route was scattered with brightly coloured rosehip hedges.

Used since medieval times for cooking, rosehips are stuffed full of Vitamin C, containing twenty times more of the vitamin than oranges.

When we were kids, we used to open them up and stuff them down the back of our victim's shirt - rosehips work great as itching powder!

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
The path joined Farthing Street, and we turned right down the quiet road a short way before intersecting Shire Lane.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Looking south-east back up Farthing Lane. We then crossed Shire Lane and climbed up to a path behind a hedge which runs behind Holwood Farm.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
We came across this weird scene featuring horse hair, a ladybird and a lurking spider on the coil of a barbed wire fence.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Passing the back of the farm, we turned right to follow an enclosed path up the hill.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Electricity equipment against an autumn blue sky.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Fallen apples.

Thames path, A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Following the path directly up the hill we passes the site of the Wilberforce Oak.

Situated in the grounds of Holwood - the former home of William Pitt the Younger - the stone seat marks the spot where in 1788 William Wilberforce told Pitt of his intention to abolish slavery.

Funnily enough, another urban75 walk had passed this very spot last year.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Rosehips growing by the memorial stone seat.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Another visit to the source of the River Ravensbourne which goes on to run into the Thames at Deptford.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Looking across Keston Ponds.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Clouds and blue sky reflected in Middle Pond.

There were lots of fishermen clustered around the pools, some holding up to four rods which looked a bit like cheating to me.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Attractive Arts and Craftsy house on Westerham Road.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Turning right a short way up the busy Westerham Road (A233), we took a path that runs along the back of people's gardens.

Continuing for nearly a mile, this bridlepath has Stalag-like wooden fencing on the northern side, but there's attractive woodland to the right.

I liked this mysterious pointing glove we encountered on the way.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Arriving back in Farnborough Village. Here's a view of the Village Hall, originally built as the Farnborough Parish Room in 1897.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Farnborough Gospel Hall.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Although sadly understaffed (and thus unable to furnish us with the desired feast'o'food), The Woodman in Farnborough seemed a very pleasant pub and the 'Kent's Best' ale was excellent.

Thames path, A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
The buildings may look old, but this Oast house by the village is just three years old!

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Farnborough street scene.

top

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
We stopped off at big-name-brand-tastic Bromley South on the way home for a coffee. We didn't stay long.

A walk around Farnborough, in the London Borough of Bromley (near Orpington) past the Keston Ponds, Jan 2006
Waiting for the train back to Brixton at Bromley South.


top

« back to walks homepage


» London features
» Brixton guide
» New York guide

URBAN75 WALK:
Farnborough
Map location walk location

« Walks home
Map location London home
Map location Community

OTHER WALKS:
» Hayes to Downe, Kent
» Richmond-Kingston
» Kew - Brentford
» Robertsbridge
» Epping Forest
» Osterley walk
» Kent country walk
« More...

EXTERNAL LINKS:
Eme Flickr pix
Farnborough
Rosehip

post up your opinion on the bulletin boards!

write to usWrite to us
post on the bulletin boardsPost on the boards

copyright infoCopyright
informationCamera: RicohGR

urban75 - community - action - mag - photos - tech - music - drugs - punch - football - offline club - brixton - london - new york - useless - boards - help/FAQs - © - design - contact - sitemap - search