Directions for Crystal Palace

For GPS or Sat Nav users it's SE19 2BB, or if you just want the link to the Streetmap map.

Otherwise, Phil Tanner has sent us a detailed route for swimmers heading to the National Sports Centre Pool:

Follow the M4/A4 and leave it immediately before the Hammersmith Flyover. Go round the block (a large Coca Cola office building) and after passing back under the flyover turn left down Fulham Palace Road.

Pass Charing Cross Hospital on the left. Bear right at the mini-roundabout at the end of the road, after about a mile, but just before Putney Bridge (traffic lights by a pub called The Larrick) turn left into New King's Road and then immediately right under the railway bridge into Hurlingham Road, alongside Hurlingham Park.

At the end of the park, bear right into Broomhouse Lane (i.e. along another side of the park) and follow this until its end, where you turn sharp left into Carnwath Road.

This will bring you out at a set of lights almost on Wandsworth Bridge. Turn right to cross the bridge and head uphill, away from the river. Pass Wandsworth Jail on the right. Eventually the road becomes Tooting Bec Road. Straight across the junction by Tooting Bec underground station.

The next bit is important. Soon after passing Tooting Bec Common on the left (signs for the lido), the road goes uphill and bears left round a one-way system. Stay in the middle lane here and after a set of lights, turn sharp second right downhill into Streatham High Road (the A23). (Recently voted the grimmest in Britain, by the way. Look out for signs asking for witnesses to stabbings, etc.)

Pass Streatham Ice Rink almost immediately on the right and soon after, turn left at the lights, keeping the park on your right. Follow this road up hill and down dale for a couple of miles, across a major junction, and eventually it will take you along the main street of West Norwood to a junction which is at the top of the hill on which Crystal Palace stands.

Bear right down Anerley Hill and the entrance to the car park is on the left. In earlier years there seems to be a parking charge when there is a computer fair in the sports hall adjoining the pool, but otherwise it’s free.

A few variants coming back because of one-way systems and no-right-turns:

Immediately on leaving CP: Turn left at the top of the hill, right at the next lights and then left to rejoin the road to Streatham.

In Streatham:turn left at the lights at the foot of the hill after passing the ice rink. Right after about 50 yards, uphill across the junction and left to rejoin the road to Tooting Bec.

After crossing Wandsworth Bridge: carry straight on up Wandsworth Bridge Road until it ends at a junction with New King’s Road. Turn left here. After about half a mile, turn right into Munster Road, then left into Fulham Road. At the end of Fulham Road, turn right (mini-roundabout) and you are on Fulham Palace Road to retrace your steps home.)


(Thanks to Tony Woodward for most of the route and Graeme Thomas for the bit around Hurlingham Park.)

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