Things To Do In The Borough Of Bexley

For real ale trails, William Morris heritage and sound baths in ancient woods, head out east to the borough of Bexley.

Immerse yourself in a sound bath in the woods

Bexley is better linked than ever (well the northwest tip of it is) thanks to the Elizabeth line, which will speed you from central London to Abbey Wood in no time. Here, the station spills you out by Lesnes Abbey Woods, where ancient woodlands and a ruined abbey founded in 1178 are steeped in a decidedly mystical ambiance, particularly on a misty/frosty morn. Throw into that mix the small industry of sound baths that's sprung up around Abbey Wood, run by people like Dawn Sadler and Storm Webb, who invite you to switch off the sounds of the city and tune into soothing gong song. You can do yoga among the trees in Abbey Wood too — this bosky manor is a veritable retreat for burned out Londoners.

Check out the most beautiful sewage works in the world

Jospeh Bazalgette's 'cathedral of sewage' is not only a remarkable piece of engineering, but a glorious work of art, what with its ornate wrought iron painted in vermillions and golds. Hardly one of London's best-kept secrets anymore, Crossness Pumping Station is, nonetheless, somewhere that has to be experienced; sign up for a guided tour, then dip into the Great Stink exhibition, which charts how the Victorians tackled pestilence and disease with ingenuity and beauty. Better still, visit Crossness on an, ahem, full-blown 'steaming day', when you can witness the Prince Consort Engine in steam, and travel from the car park to the pumping station via narrow gauge railway. Fair warning: these can book out months in advance.

Take in Thamesmead

Another location that, prima facie, might look like one to gloss over, Thamesmead has more to offer than you might think. The eastern tranche of the 1960s 'town of tomorrow' lies in Bexley borough, and offers up Southmere Park, with its swan-and-brutalism-studded lake, and the Lakeside Centre, where you can admire local art and take part in classes yourself. Every summer, the park comes alive with the Thamesmead Festival, a riot of arts and music.

(If you can hold on till the early 2030s, you'll be able to get to Thamesmead by DLR, too.)

Go on a micropub crawl of Sidcup (and elsewhere)

Forget the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Forget the Blackhorse Beer Mile too. Sidcup is where it's at for supping real ale in non-pretentious surroundings, thanks to its parade of micropubs, which runs thus:

• Broken Drum: Kentish and Surrey-based breweries are usually poured here, with the likes of Titsey, Musket and Surrey Hills providing the golden/bitter/pale liquid goods.
• Halfway House: Keep your voice down when discussing answers at the Halfway House's Tuesday pub quiz; the compact nature of this micropub doesn't lend itself to keeping secrets. It's no secret, however, that the cask game is strong, with Verdant, Tiny Rebel, Mighty Oak and Vibrant Forest often on the pumps.
• Hackney Carriage: Even if the beer was rotten, surely you'd come to a pub which hosts a weekly 'Courtesy Cheese Sunday'. As it happens, the cask beer at Hackney Carriage (named after co-owner Mark's profession as a cabbie) is never short of excellent.
• Hopper's Hut: It's not just about the ale here; they also stock over 90 gins, whiskies, vodkas, rums and liqueurs. Everyone's a winner.

These are not the only fine hostelries in the area: the Kentish Belle in Bexleyheath has an admirable beer selection, as does the Door Hinge in Welling, where we once whiled away an afternoon being fed quail's eggs and rhubarb gin by the delightful regulars. Bexley Brewery's Bird and Barrel micropub between Bexleyheath and Erith should also be on your radar.

Dip your toe into Foots Cray

Not all of the bucolic Crays sit within the boundary of Bexley, but Foots Cray Meadows does, a gorgeous spot for a pootle along the River Cray, and home to the picturesque Five Arches Bridge. The Penny Farthing Bridge is another crossing worth seeking out, and lends its name (at least we presume it does) to the nearby Sidcup micropub.

Visit an historic house

Bexley is home to three historic houses that merit your time, two of them especially:

Danson House: Danson House is a handsome Palladian pile, which was restored in 2005, and offers public tours between May and September. Although no Buckingham Palace, consider weaving this into a visit to the Danson Park with its boating lake and rose gardens (and possibly some of those micropubs we mentioned too). Just don't ask if Ted is in.

Hall Place and Gardens: This not-so-well-known attraction welcomes visitors year-round to explore a house which dates back to the 16th century, and retains its Tudor kitchen and great hall (plus has lots of family-friendly experiences, including dress up boxes, and brass rubbing). Aside from admiring the topiary in the gardens (aka London's least scary monsters), for a small add-on fee you can check in on the resident parliament of owls. With a cafe too, you could spend the best part of half a day at Hall Place.

The Red House: Once home to William Morris and his wife Jane, this unique National Trust property, designed by the Morris' architect friend Philip Webb, offers a glimpse into life as a Pre-Raphaelite; it was, after all, where Morris and co did a lot of their creative brainstorming — and everything from the oriel windows to the murals on the wall are a work of art. A must for any aesthete, it's open from March-November.

Cheer on Welling United

With tickets costing a mere £15 to watch Welling United play at their 4,000 capacity home ground (which is just north of Danson Park), casual footies fans should consider an afternoon slurping Bovril and learning all the local chants.

A second opinion

If you're after a second opinion for things to get up to in Bexley, you could always try Tripadvisor, although we must point out that according to them, the 10th best thing to do in the entire borough is to catch a taxi to Heathrow Airport. Your call.