It’s a stiff start up the steep path through the woods. At the top look out for the old stationmaster’s house below which the Hillcrest Wood tunnel emerges.
Follow the line of the railway to see it disappear again into its final tunnel before it would have disgorged excited passengers at Crystal Palace high level station. That’s not the way into Crystal Palace Park today. Instead pass by oversize Victorian mansions for the wealthy, attracted by the Palace and its setting to find a narrow gateway leading to the concert bowl.
Beyond, guarded by its sphinxes, the vast stretch of terracing gives scale to the site of that glass palace, burnt down nearly 90 years ago.
The landscaping still has grandeur and space – needed when before World War 1 100,000 strong football crowds came to cup finals here. Swing south, past the fine avenue of planes to find the lake, its islands still inhabited by 30 monstrous dinosaurs.
Keep your distance and escape towards Anerley, where on the main road the distinctive form of the one-time Penge Town Hall signals the conclusion.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
ant –
Walk 11 takes us through the wooded areas again with gems of interest being pointed out by Charlie on the way to Crystal Palace. What an enormous area and the recent renovations are reviving the place. So good to hear the history of Crystal Palace itself – once in Hyde Park – and the importance of the Eiffel like Transmitter tower. Of course there are also the dinosaurs – also recently renovated.
Once again Charlie shows is expertise as a top guide.
Jacky –
Sections 11 & 12: Sydenham Hill to Arena Tram
A steep uphill walk from Sydenham Hill station through woodland was the start to our morning.
Fascinating to see Six Pillars house, a Grade II listed building, the only modernist house amongst magnificent Victorian villas, echoing the architecture of the Isoken flats building we saw in NW3 on an earlier walk in this series. It’s interesting how much of this “Ultimate London Walk” (North to South) is almost a mirror image on quite a few levels.
Most of this morning’s walk is within Crystal Palace Park – as I’ve only ever seen the Crystal Palace transmitting station from vantage points in North London, it was amazing to stand underneath the “Eiffel Tower” of Crystal Palace, with its striking open-lattice design.
Our guides, Charlie & Mary, talked us through the history of the Crystal Palace site. The park is currently undergoing massive upgrading and redevelopment. Planners/developers/custodians please note: some toilets would be very welcome!
A B A –
Section 11 of the Ultimate London Walk, September 2026.
It was another well-thought-out and structured walk. It covered the history of Crystal Palace Park, notable former local residents, and its current uses—including the UK’s most important TV transmitter, which has delivered many broadcasting world firsts. We also enjoyed visiting the recently restored gardens and model dinosaurs.
The pre-walk information was excellent. The detailed email regarding meeting points, potential toilet stops, and terrain made it easy to prepare and pack appropriately. Additionally, the group size was ideal, allowing everyone to hear clearly and walk at a comfortable pace without feeling rushed.
Finally, our guide, Charlie, was outstanding—attentive, passionate about sharing his knowledge, and very open to input from the group.
Melanie Goodwin –
Another fascinating walk with Charlie, ably assisted by Mary. Really enjoyed finding out about the Crystal Palace and what an impressive sight it must have been as it was brought to life by our guides. Will definitely return to see how the area has been regenerated and back in use as a place of educational leisure!
Dorothy MacDonald –
Great to learn so much about Crystal Palace and how the whole area developed from 2 excellent guides this time, I’m amazed by the size of the Palace and the grounds, highly recommended.