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Mark Moxon's Travel Writing

London Loop: Day 3: Jubilee Park to West Wickham

Petts Wood
The intriguing striped gables along the main drag of Petts Wood

This walk was the first Loop section I did, and what an introduction it is; this is a lovely walk, with plenty of variety in the scenery, a healthy dose of ancient and recent historical stories, and a good pub en route. It sums up all that is good about the Loop.

Village Life

Jubilee Park
The grassy expanse of Jubilee Park

After a pleasant little woodland walk and yet more suburbia in the shape of Crofton, the Loop shakes off its fairly standard start and rolls up its sleeves, leaving suburbia well behind; it's not until the end of the walk that houses make a significant impact on the route. After a hill with a bench that's well placed for a quick stop, it's down into the village of Farnborough, home to a picturesque village centre that soon leads to an atmospheric churchyard with a bench under an old yew tree; it's a good place for a rest.

Caesar's Well

The Loop still has some lovely surprises left, even though it's not far to the end of this section. Wandering down the hill takes you to Caesar's Well, a spring that bubbles clear water even today, filling the pleasantly shaded Keston Ponds with water that once provided Holwood with its supply. If all these reminders of high society are making your head swim, don't panic; just down the road is the Fox Pub, a good spot for a pint of non-aristocratic real ale and a pleasant place to sit outside on a sunny day.