The Greenwich Meridian marker.
We set off and soon crossed an epic landmark.
Tom stands by the mighty Meridian marker.
This marker shows where the line of zero longitude goes. We were hoping for something bigger.
What is a lychgate?
We soon came to a church, and there was much discussion about what a lychgate might actually be.
St. John the Baptist Church.
The lychgate stands proud!
The door to the church is always open (but not right now)
Looking back at the church.
The path to this church has been here for hundreds of years supposedly.
The wall in the woods.
Nobody knows what is behind the mysterious wall.
Where the LOOP goes.
Where the loop came from.
We formally dispute the distances displayed on this sign. Erith at the start of the loop should be 27 miles away.
We enter the London Borough of Croydon.
We went through a lot of suburbs, and small woods and passed from Bromley Borough to Croydon Borough.
Fred is over in Croydon, yet I am still in Bromley!
Once again, the size of the marker left a little to be desired. But size isn't always important I suppose.
Fred looks at his hat.
Tom phones his mum.
Tom had an urgent question about Three Halfpenny Wood. The guide book said 'Try explaining that to the younger generation'
We enter Three Halfpenny Wood.
We were not satisfied with Tom's mum's explanation of why exactly people would say 'Three Halfpenny', and not 'One and a half pence'.
Across open fields.
And while we're at it, why is it pronounced 'Hay Penny'. Madness...
Here comes Fred.
Pretty berries grow on the LOOP.
They look good enough to eat.
Back in the Forest.
Scramble up to the viewing platform.
The Addington HIlls viewing platform.
The Addington Hills overlook the thriving metropolis of Croydon, and many central London landmarks can be seen in the distance.
Tom surveys his Kingdom.
View over Croydon
It had already started raining, and visibility was getting low. We made a mental note to return on a sunnier day.
Many landmarks can be spotted from here.
Coombe Lane tram station.
We were quite excited to see trams, but the rain was getting worse.
It's raining at the station.
In the grounds of Heathfield House.
Heathfield house and gardens were very pretty, and had lots of little paths.
A horse gently grazing on the verdant slopes of South London.
A horse has so far been seen on every LOOP stage. Cool!
Despite the rain, Tom enters the field.
Someone thoughtfully provided logs to sit on.
We hit open countryside.
The scenery was getting nicer, but the rain was getting heavier, and it was too wet to stop and appreciate the scenery.
Fred tries to turn off the rain with his phone.
Looks just like the real countryside.
Generic sheltered tree path by field
The last part of the walk we completed in great haste and soaking wet.
The driving rain makes Tom and Fred look weird.
Waiting for the bus to Croydon.
We were on the border of London and Surrey, and a bus ride away from civilisation (of sorts) in Croydon.
The Good Companions Pub.
We took refuge in the pub, and ate quite a nice dinner.