London's Lost Rivers - Book and Walking Tours by Paul Talling
  • Home
  • London's Lost Rivers
    • River Peck
    • River Effra
    • River Moselle
    • The Black Ditch
    • Bollo Brook
    • The Cock & Pye Ditch
    • Counter's Creek
    • Earl's Sluice
    • Falcon Brook
    • Carbuncle Ditch
    • River Fleet
    • River Neckinger
    • Parr's Ditch
    • Hackney Brook
    • Pudding Mill River
    • Rotherhithe Mill Streams
    • Stamford Brook
    • River Tyburn
    • Tyburn Brook
    • River Walbrook
    • Muswell Stream
    • River Westbourne
  • London's Lost Canals
    • City Canal
    • Croydon Canal
    • Cumberland Arm
    • Grand Surrey Canal
    • Grosvenor Canal
    • Kensington Canal
    • Romford Canal
    • Royal Arsenal Canal
    • The Royal Gunpowder Mills Canals
  • Author's Guided Walks
    • River Fleet Walk
    • River Westbourne Walk
    • River Tyburn Walk
    • Lost Rivers of Hampstead Walk
    • Lost Docks of Wapping Walk
    • Grand Surrey Canal Walk
    • Woolwich - Dockyard & Royal Arsenal Canal Walk
    • Isle of Dogs Canal and Millwall Docks Walk
    • Derelict Limehouse & Poplar Walk
    • Derelict Silvertown walk
    • River Peck/Earl's Sluice
    • Bow Creek
    • River Neckinger walk
    • Croydon Canal Walk
    • Hammersmith Walk
    • East Finchley to Gospel Oak
    • Whitechapel and Bethnal Green walk
    • Minories to Poplar
  • London's Lesser Known Rivers
    • Beverley Brook
    • Bow Backs Rivers
    • River Brent
    • River Ching
    • River Crane
    • River Cray
    • River Darent
    • Dead River
    • Dollis Brook
    • Duke of Northumberland's River
    • River Ember
    • Hogsmill River
    • River Lea
    • River Mole
    • The New River
    • River Pool
    • River Ravensbourne
    • River Roding
    • The Silk Stream
    • River Wandle
    • Yeading Brook
  • Buy The Book Here
    • Sample Chapter
    • Reviews
  • Contact/Mailing List
  • Advertising on London's Lost Rivers
  • Privacy Policy/Cookies
  • London's Lost Music Venues
  • Home
  • London's Lost Rivers
    • River Peck
    • River Effra
    • River Moselle
    • The Black Ditch
    • Bollo Brook
    • The Cock & Pye Ditch
    • Counter's Creek
    • Earl's Sluice
    • Falcon Brook
    • Carbuncle Ditch
    • River Fleet
    • River Neckinger
    • Parr's Ditch
    • Hackney Brook
    • Pudding Mill River
    • Rotherhithe Mill Streams
    • Stamford Brook
    • River Tyburn
    • Tyburn Brook
    • River Walbrook
    • Muswell Stream
    • River Westbourne
  • London's Lost Canals
    • City Canal
    • Croydon Canal
    • Cumberland Arm
    • Grand Surrey Canal
    • Grosvenor Canal
    • Kensington Canal
    • Romford Canal
    • Royal Arsenal Canal
    • The Royal Gunpowder Mills Canals
  • Author's Guided Walks
    • River Fleet Walk
    • River Westbourne Walk
    • River Tyburn Walk
    • Lost Rivers of Hampstead Walk
    • Lost Docks of Wapping Walk
    • Grand Surrey Canal Walk
    • Woolwich - Dockyard & Royal Arsenal Canal Walk
    • Isle of Dogs Canal and Millwall Docks Walk
    • Derelict Limehouse & Poplar Walk
    • Derelict Silvertown walk
    • River Peck/Earl's Sluice
    • Bow Creek
    • River Neckinger walk
    • Croydon Canal Walk
    • Hammersmith Walk
    • East Finchley to Gospel Oak
    • Whitechapel and Bethnal Green walk
    • Minories to Poplar
  • London's Lesser Known Rivers
    • Beverley Brook
    • Bow Backs Rivers
    • River Brent
    • River Ching
    • River Crane
    • River Cray
    • River Darent
    • Dead River
    • Dollis Brook
    • Duke of Northumberland's River
    • River Ember
    • Hogsmill River
    • River Lea
    • River Mole
    • The New River
    • River Pool
    • River Ravensbourne
    • River Roding
    • The Silk Stream
    • River Wandle
    • Yeading Brook
  • Buy The Book Here
    • Sample Chapter
    • Reviews
  • Contact/Mailing List
  • Advertising on London's Lost Rivers
  • Privacy Policy/Cookies
  • London's Lost Music Venues
London's Lost Rivers - Book and Walking Tours by Paul Talling

Walking the Route of the Long Lost Croydon Canal (an allday walking tour) 
​

Paul Talling, author of the Derelict London and London's Lost Rivers books photographed in South London
pic of Paul Talling courtesy of David Jenner
Since writing the book London's Lost Rivers I have been on foot returning to the routes of these rivers and canals. The route of the Croydon Canal is particularly interesting, and I am organising some guided walking tours of a large chunk of the route of the Croydon Canal - the 'Croydon Canal Alldayer'

​On this walk we walk the route of the long lost Croydon Canal from West Croydon to Forest Hill exploring the delights of Selhurst, South Norwood, Anerley, Penge and Sydenham along the way. 

The Croydon Canal opened in 1809 & enabled lime, timber, chalk and agricultural produce to be sent to London in exchange for coal being handled to Croydon, then an ancient market town. The canal was beset with problems as it had 28 locks between New Cross and Honor Oak, a stretch of just over 2 miles. These locks were costly to maintain, and caused queues & congestion for the barges waiting to negotiate them. The canal was a financial failure and closed in 1836 and the railway line from London Bridge to Croydon was built, generally following the route of the canal, but the railway line used cuttings and embankments to avoid the twists and turns of the canal. West Croydon Station stands on the site of the Croydon Canal Basin. Lengths of canal unsuitable for the railway survived a little longer and carried on trading & used for pleasure boating though these were soon lost due to the rapid residential development as London expanded into the suburbs. 

On this walk we see remnants of the canal in Anerley and Sydenham, many other clues of the lost canal, looking at old maps and illustrations along with stories of the canal's social history plus much more along the way including the odd bit of dereliction (notably dead pubs), the home ground of Crystal Palace F.C. from 1918 until 1924 now a rail depot, the Norbury Brook, the first subway in the world to be made from reinforced concrete and the Sensible Seat, the bench named after & unveiled by local punk rocker Captain Sensible.

Finish around 4 to 5pm depending on how fast we all walk. It's a long one but not an endurance test. The walk is approx 7 miles long mainly on pavement & you are advised to have a hearty breakfast before we meet up. There will be at least one pub break along the walk with the opportunity to get a drink and a snack. There are also many small shops along the walk that we can stop at if required. We finish at Forest Hill Overground Station where there are several pubs and restaurants. 

TIP: Arrive early and enjoy a great fry up at Golden Chef Café(turn right out of station)
​These guided walking tours with Paul Talling sell out of tickets several months ahead. Click the WeGotTickets logo for upcoming tour dates and availability.

​Join the mailing list to be informed of future walks and ticket releases.
Picture
You can follow Paul Talling on Twitter @derelict_london) and the London's Lost Rivers Facebook Page.
modern day Ophelia in the Croydon Canal in Anerley SE London
Anerley
Croydon Canal in Anerley on Paul Talling's guided walking tour of the Croydon Canal from West Croydon to Forest Hill
Anerley
Dacres Wood Nature Area in Sydenham on the course of the Croydon Canal on Paul Talling's guided walking tour
Sydenham
goat heads from the old pub at Goat Bridge in South Norwood now are part of a bench outside flats on the original site
South Norwood
Canal Walk in Sydenham in Lewisham Borough, a clue of the long lost Croydon Canal in SE London
Sydenham
Derelict buildings in Croydon overlooked by modern blocks on the Croydon Canal guided walk with Paul Talling
Croydon
Railway line replaced much of the long lost Croydon Canal from Croydon to New Cross.
Croydon
One of London's Lost Canals - the Croydon Canal here in Dacres Wood, Sydenham on Paul Talling's guided walking tour
Sydenham
London's Lost Rivers by Paul Talling. All images are copyright.