Abbey Wood and Greenwich

When visiting London we have tended to stay at the Crystal Palace and Alderstead sites in the past but recently decided to break up our stay in London with a few days at Abbey Wood to the east of London. Like many Caravan Club sites, you are hidden away in woodland within a surprisingly built up area. It never ceases to amaze how Caravan Club sites can feel like you're entering a secret garden - this one certainly does.

 

Abbey Wood as the name suggests was once part of larger woodland and surrounded by trees. The friendly notice at the reception warns you of foxes and squirrels that will steal your shoes and food (if left out). There is also an abundance of birdlife; the usual garden birds, green perroquets, woodpeckers and owls.

 

Although you feel like you are miles from everyone, there are plenty of conveniences at close hand. The train station is short walk away and provides easy access into London. We caught the train to Greenwich where of course there is a range of activities to do. Avoiding the more costly entrance fees for the Observatory, Meridian line, Cutty Sark (some or all of which we had seen in the past), we opted for a visit to the Old Royal Naval College and were pleasantly surprised.

 

The Old Royal Naval College is neighbours with the Cutty Sark. It gives an insight into the historical past of this particular area along the Thames, the Kings and Queens associated with it and the naval influence during times of war. There are tours at various times throughout the day. We arrived in time for a midday tour which lasted approximately three quarters of hour; it took us around the site, stopping at points of interest. One of our highlights was the Painted Hall with its impressive ceiling, painted between 1708 and 1727 by Sir James Thornhill . The ceiling in the end section of the hall has been restored and looks much brighter. There are plans to do the same in the main hall. When the scaffolding is errected for work to begin, the public will be allowed to climb up onto the scaffolding to get a closer look at the painting, which I'm sure will be impressive. On the day that we were there a BBC crew for Flog It were preparing for the next day of filming. It all added to the prestige and excitement!

 

We ended the afternoon with a trip to Greenwich market, where we wandered amongst the stalls and stopped to buy some culinary fare, each of us opting for different international dish. 

 

On our final day at Abbey Wood we to the Thames Barrier, which is only about 5 miles away, but travelling in London always takes longer than you think! The Thames Barrier is not only a London landmark but also has an information centre where you can learn about the history of the barrier, how it was built and how it works. A video and working models demonstrate how the barriers work.