How to walk from Woolwich to Dartford: Thames Path Day 20

There have been very few times in my life where I have felt unsafe, but this walk from Woolwich to Dartford was one of them.

Looking across the river, with broken wood sticking out and a crane hanging over, along the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

What to expect on the walk from Woolwich to Dartford

The walk from Woolwich to Dartford started out alright. A pleasant path, with a view to Canary Wharf back in the distance.

Looking along the river towards the city skyline in the distance, along the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

Then it’s a long stretch of not much to look at. Despite it being a sunny weekend, it was eerily quiet. I was very aware that I had a lot of expensive stuff on me. Camera, watch, iPhone. I’ve done plenty of walks where I’m all alone, and never felt unsafe. It’s hard to explain it, it was just a vibe.

Looking over the overgrown grass to the river and industrial area on the other side.

A long straight walking path, lined with grass to the left and a metal fence to the right, on the route from Woolwich to Dartford.

You will also walk through industrial Thames. A lot of fences, concrete walls, and danger signs. And the star of the show, the sewage plant. The smell was vile. I wanted to be sick.

A long straight, wide, concrete path with a concrete wall to the left and metal fence to the right.

Looking over the green plants to the river and big ship in the river, along the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

A path lined with metal fences and industrial buildings ahead, on the walk between Woolwich and Dartford.

The river with wooden structures, and a platform on the other side.

Then there is Erith. There was the smell of weed, and I felt like eyes were on me. I had a man tell me to move along in an aggressive tone, and a motorbike whiz past on the riverside walking path. I wanted to cry.

A long straight narrow path with a big wall on the right, and metal fence on the left, and river to the left of it.

When I got home later, I told my friend about Erith and she told me her ex had once said to her that one place she should never walk alone is Erith.

Then there is a very nice trail to finish through the marshes. But I found it hard to enjoy, as my anxiety was high, wondering if someone might come and rob me. I’m probably being dramatic. Maybe I was just having a bad day.

Logistics

Start: Woolwich Arsenal, London.
Finish: Dartford, Kent.
Distance: 12 miles
Option to shorten the walk: Yes (see public transport below)
Time: 3h 30min
Difficulty: Easy in theory.
Terrain: Concrete, asphalt, a bit of dirt trail towards the end.

Amenities: Lots of stuff in Woolwich, Morrisons in Erith, next to the station in Dartford is a shopping area with Asda and Starbucks.
Time of year: I walked from Woolwich to Dartford in July.

Read the previous day here: Tower Bridge to Thames Barrier – Day 19

Public Transport

Woolwich Arsenal has the DLR, Thameslink, South Eastern, and Elizabeth line trains. Dartford is on the South Eastern, and Thameslink railway lines.

Erith has a train station if you want to end the walk there.

Map for the walk from Woolwich to Dartford

Route Description: How to walk from Woolwich to Dartford

Out of Woolwich Arsenal station it’s a little confusing. There are multiple exits, and even though I got my map out to figure out which way to go, I still got a bit lost. So I’m gonna leave you to figure out how to get onto the river.

Once there, turn right. You are going to be walking with the river on your left side all day. In fact, there are no more bridge crossings for the rest of the way to the sea.

A paved walking path with wall and river to the left.

The walk starts out on concrete, with a view to Canary Wharf back in the distance. Goodbye city.

A blue metal walkway across the river, with a view to the city skyline in the distance, at the start of the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

After not too long it turns to a wide dirt path, with greenery. So far so good. I was actually quite pleased, after days of concrete, it was nice to be on something more dirt like. It doesn’t last long though, and you are soon on hard ground again. There is some asphalt in there, but it’s mostly concrete.

A metal fence blocking a platform over the river, with a red danger sign.

A long straight dirt path lined with grass on both sides, and trees to the right and river to the left.

Looking over the green leafed bushes to a red and brown cargo ship, along the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

A long straight and wide path lined with green leafy bushes, on the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

A paved walking path lined with metal fence on the left and a red brick wall and green hedge to the right. The river is on the left open the other side of the fence.

The long stretch of nothing

For a long while, there isn’t much to look at. It started raining so I hid under a small tree for a bit, then got bored to kept going.

What struck me was how eerily quiet it was. There was the odd person/cyclist, but I was mostly alone. It was a hot weekend. Where was everyone?

The industrial

Things start to become a bit more industrial. You will pass by the Crossness Pumping Station, which is the old sewer pumping station. It was opened in 1865, and decommissioned in the 1950s. It’s now a museum and has been used as a filming location for Sherlock Holmes.

Looking across the neatly cut green grass to an old brown building.

I soon discover that the new sewage station is just next door. The smell let me know. My gosh, the smell. I tried to hold my breath, but it goes on too long for that. It was a hot day which didn’t help matters. I had already decided I would stop to eat soon, but I would have too delay that for a bit.

a long straight and wide concrete path lined with a tall concrete wall on the left and metal fence on the right, partway through the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

A walking path leading straight on the way from Woolwich to Dartford. There is a concrete wall to the left, and metal fence to the right with green bushes poking through it.

A large fence blocking the entrance to a platform across the river.

Out the other end, and once trauma from the smell had dissipated, I sat on a concrete wall to eat my lunch with a view to some other industrial building.

A narrow path with concrete wall to the left and grass and bushes to the right. There is an industrial budding ahead to the right. — I sat on the wall facing that building

Going forward, it’s more concrete and bleakness. That uneasiness I mentioned earlier, I had been feeling for a while now. I considered at least taking my watch off and putting it in my bag, but decided I was being paranoid.

A walking path leading ahead, with concrete wall to the right and metal fence on the left with the river on the other side of it.

Looking across the river to a cargo ship in the middle and a green grass hill on the other side, partway through the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

A walking path leading g up and lined with metal fence, surrounded by other metal structures in the industrial path of the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

A corner of the river with apartment blocks on the corner.

A long narrow walking path with big concrete wall, on the right and metal fence and river to the left. There is black graffiti on the wall.

Erith

You will reach a sign that points left and right for Erith and the Thames Path. Either is fine. I took the left which gave me a little more river walking before being pushed onto the road.

At the road turn left and walk to the end, then turn left again which will get you back to the river.

Looking across the calm river, with a line of seagulls skating on a strip platform leading into the water.

A road curving ahead, with the pavement to the left. — Walk to the end of here, then turn left.

Somewhere along here I got my phone out to see the route. This is where a man asked me if I was lost. I said no. He told me to ‘move along then’, in quite an aggressive tone. So I put my head down and shuffled along. I then put my phone away and took my watch off.

I felt like I was being watched.

The river path is just to the right of the blue hut building (see photo below). It was on this path where I heard a loud revving behind me. I looked back to see a motorbike coming my way, weaving around the benches. I stopped still. He zoomed on past. I wanted to go home.

A blue timber building with brown roof, and lots of pigeons sitting on top, on the walk between Woolwich and Dartford. — The path is just to the right of here

the paved riverside walkway, with houses to the right and metal fence and river to the left. There are benches along the walkway and lampposts.

I picked up the pace following the path back onto the road.

A blue disc thames path sign on a lamppost.

Along this road, take the road behind the Wheatley Terrace road sign to get onto the main road, where you turn left.

A road leading ahead with pavement on the left. On the left side of the pavement is a black lamppost with a blue disc thames path sign.

Walk to the marshes

A bit further along the main road, turn left when you see the sign for the Yacht club, then when you reach the metal fence, go through it into the marshes.

A path leading ahead, lined with green bushes to the right and metal fence to the left.

A road with green bushes and metal fence on the left side, and a white sign pointing to the Erith Yacht club.

A metal fence with a gap leading to a walking trail.

Walking through the marshes was a bit of a surprise. Very different from the rest of the walk. It was very nice, although, I couldn’t fully relax, thinking about what just happened. If anyone had been watching me (they probably weren’t, and I’m being dramatic), it would have been quite obvious where I was walking to.

A long straight dirt trail leading through the tall grass, near the end of the walk between Woolwich and Dartford.

Looking over the green plants to little sailboats on the river, near the end of the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

The marshes continue for some time, about 3 miles. I was really ready to go home now. It was hot, and my feet were hurting from all that hard ground from earlier.

A dirt path on the right with grass and marshland to the left.

A split in the trail, with green bushes in the split. — Take the left here

Looking across the marsh with river running through it, near the end of the walk from Woolwich to Dartford.

a barely visible trial through the overgrown green bushes.

Walk to Dartford

At the very end, you will be back onto road. Keep going under the bridge, then at the U junction, take the left to reach the main road, where you turn left.

A grey lamppost with walking signs on it, pointing ahead along the pavement and road towards a bridge.

A road leading under a brown brick bridge arch in Dartford.

A short way along, the official route is left at the industrial estate. I tried this way, and encountered a few spiders webs blocking the path, with spiders in them. I had to throw sticks at them to break them down to walk past. Then there was a lot of rubbish about, and then a lot of overgrowth. I decided to turn back I didn’t want to walk this way.

Back onto the main road, I continued towards the roundabout, passing by a ‘welcome to Kent, the garden of England’ sign. I had to laugh.

A sign saying 'welcome to kent' next to the main road in Dartford.

At the roundabout, if you turn left and go over a river, there should be a trail on the right which will take you all the way to Dartford Station. I had had enough, and decided to take the path of least resistance, and stayed on the road.

Read next: Dartford to Northfleet – Day 21