[1] From the front of West Dulwich railway station, walk along the right-hand side of Thurlow Park Road and pass under the railway bridge. Turn left to cross over the road at the pedestrian lights. At the far side turn left on the pavement and immediately right through a narrow gate into Belair Park.
Belair Park is the only Grade II listed parkland in Southwark, meaning it is of nationally importance and special interest.
Following the path, turn right round the end of the tennis courts, then turn left and left again to reach the children’s playground.
Ahead of you, behind the railings, is the only substantial section of the River Effra remaining above ground. When the London sewerage system was constructed during the mid-19th century, the main course of the River Effra was diverted into a sewer and culverts, running from Herne Hill eastwards under Peckham and New Cross to Deptford.
Turn right on the path and then left, keeping a wall and public toilets on your right, to reach a large white building, Beauberry House.
(A) Formerly Belair House, Beauberry House was built in 1785 in the style of, or possibly by, the architect Robert Adam. It is now an upmarket restaurant.
Bear right around the front of Beauberry House and follow the path around to exit the park through wooden gates.
[2] Turn left onto Gallery Road (narrow and uneven pavement in some parts) and follow the left side of the road past Old College Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and Dulwich Picture Gallery on your right. Cross over the road at a zebra crossing and turn right at the far side and immediately left through a gap in a low wall. Ahead of you is a war memorial in the grounds of Christ’s Chapel .
Christ's Chapel was consecrated in 1616 by George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, as part of the Dulwich College Foundation.
In 1619, the Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn founded his “College of God's Gift” (comprising chapel, school and almshouses) on Dulwich Green as an act of thanksgiving to God for his talents as an actor and his ability in business. The purpose of the college was to educate12 poor scholars. It currently has about 1,600 boys, of whom 120 are boarders. The College moved to the current buildings, designed by Charles Barry Jr, in 1869.
On your left is a sculpture by Louise Simson commemorating the 400th anniversary of the purchase of the Manor of Dulwich by Edward Alleyn, depicting the actor with a poor scholar.
Continue in the same direction and come out at College Road. Turn right and cross College Road at the zebra crossing. At the other side turn left and pass the entrance to Dulwich Park on your right. Keep along the right-hand side of the road, passing a roundabout to reach Dulwich Village (watch out for uneven pavement at some areas), with the Crown and Greyhound pub on your right. There are interesting shops as well as cafes and restaurants in Dulwich Village. Continue to the crossroads.
[3] Turn sharp right around a graveyard into Court Lane, keeping to the right side up hill. Pass Court Lane Gardens on the right, and turn right through a large gateway into Dulwich Park (opposite Eynella Road on the left). Inside the park, immediately cross the road to an information board.
Created in 1890, Dulwich Park started its life as farmland and a group of meadows known as "five fields" and many of the ancient boundary oaks survive today. Queen Mary was a regular visitor to the park and loved to view the rhododendrons, which are spectacular when they are in bloom in May. The roads in the park are car-free and there are many seats for resting and admiring the view.
Continue into the park and turn left with open parkland on your right. Ignore the first footpath on your right where bushes start and follow the road as it bends slightly to the left and then around to the right. At a crosstrack turn right on a footpath through rhododendron bushes. Keep to the left of a wooden shelter and soon bear right. Ignore a sharp left to pass an information board, “The American Garden”. Turn left to pass a children’s playground on your left and a bowling green on your right. Go straight over cross paths (note: toilets are signposted to the left) to reach a café.
[4] Past the café, turn left around “The Dry Garden” and turn right through a gate onto a boardwalk over a lake (caution, open water). At the far end go through a gate and turn right, keeping the lake on your right to pass a sculpture on your left “Two Forms (Divided Circle)” by Barbara Hepworth.
Cross over a bridge and ignore a left turn to reach an information board on your right “The History of Dulwich Park”. Turn left opposite the board. At the road, cross straight over to the left-hand side of the road ahead and continue on through some low, black gates to join a pavement on the left side of the road ahead. Note that cars use this road. Continue, to exit the park through a large gateway and turn left.
Turn right over the road at a zebra crossing and at the far side turn left to reach Dulwich Picture Gallery where there is a café.
(B) Dulwich Picture Gallery was England’s first public art gallery and was built by Sir John Soane in 1811. It houses a small but select collection of high quality European old master paintings mostly of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as small but often significant temporary exhibitions.
Continue on the right side of the College Road past College Gardens on the right to reach the crossroads. Turn right and then turn left over Dulwich Common at the pedestrian lights.
Optional short-cut (reduces total walk time to approximately 1 hour 10 minutes, 3.3 miles, 5.3km): After crossing the road, you can shorten the walk by turning right and walk along Dulwich Common to return to West Dulwich station, on your left.
[5] The longer walk continues along College Road so after crossing the road, turn left and then turn right into College Road. Dulwich College is on your right
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn - see above for more information about Edward Alleyn, whose name appears on road names and a local pub later).
Continue on the right side of the road past Blew House and Ivyholme and turn right into Hunts Slip Road. The path here is uneven. For a better path cross the road and walk on the left hand side, but do not cross back until the very end of the road. Continue over a rail bridge
[6] After crossing the railway, turn right along Alleyn Park. Walk past a Royal Mail office on your right and the Alleyns Head pub on your left. At the end of the road just past the pub, turn right along Alleyn Park and then turn left to cross the road at a bollarded refuge under the railway bridge. At the far side turn left. Looking back there is a good view of Dulwich College. Turn right into Acacia Grove and where the road turns left go straight on along a footpath with a wire fence guarding the railway line on your right and flats on your left. Continue past a flight of stairs (to the platform) to reach West Dulwich Station. Follow “Way Out” signs to arrive at the front of the station.