How to get out of Blackheath - travel plans

I hate a dull commute and like to vary things a little in my journeys. Not that I'm really going to try and go anywhere while it's skittery and icy, and Southeastern trains probably aren't running anyway.

The nearest rail stations to Blackheath are Blackheath, Lee, Lewisham, Westcombe Park and Charlton - all of which go to London Bridge, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. In addition Blackheath also goes to Victoria.

Buses: 53, 54, 89 (&N89), 108, 202, 286, 380, 386, 422
(not a million miles away 472, 486)

[All buses mentioned in this blog post 15 | 17 | 24 | 29 | 53 | 54 | 89/N89 | 108 | 202 | 286 | 380 | 386| 422 | 472 | 486 ]

Blackheath - BKH
Local area map from National Rail Enquiries
Click on the links on the left hand side to see Bus stops in Blackheath village and click on Destinations to see the full list of places where Blackheath bus stops will take you, and whether or not day or night buses go there.
Full details for Blackheath, including train tracker, departures and arrivals.

There are also bus stops serving the Royal Parade area of Blackheath.

Lee - LEE
202 bus (a short walk from Lee Station) goes to Blackheath, past a Sainsbury's.
Local area map | Full details

Charlton - CTN
Local area map, again click on left hand side links for bus destination information and position of bus stops, and full details.
[Charlton rail station really has only one bus serving it, the 486 - the 380 bus stops very close by though].

There are also bus stops serving Charlton Village.

Lewisham - LEW
Local area map | Full details

Westcombe Park - WCB
Local area map | Full details

Railway maps for the UK, including London & South East

Example journey - getting from Blackheath to Camden.
Note that I tend to avoid the underground so that will add a whole layer of travel options that I've not included. I have done all of these journeys, but some of them are faintly ridiculous. I picked this journey because I do it most days, but also because it includes lots of opportunities for at least getting to the middle of town even if you don't want to travel all the way to Camden.

1. Rail and bus, with a tiny bit of tube
Blackheath > Victoria
Either go to Victoria and get the 24 bus (also goes past Westminster) - the stop is on the right hand side of the station after you walk out of the front entrance, or get off at Denmark Hill, walk across the road and get the 68 bus heading to Camberwell, stay on until Elephant and Castle and get the 168 all the way (also goes past Euston).

Blackheath, or other stations > London Bridge
The Northern Line will take you directly to Camden (and may the gods have mercy upon your soul, particularly between 8am and 9.30am). Or you can take the 17 bus to King's Cross and walk, or walk up to Euston and get the 168 or 253.

Blackheath, or other stations > Cannon Street
Bit of a palaver, don't really recommend it unless time is on your side and it's a beautiful day. Take the 15 to Aldwych, while admiring the more beautiful bits of London, cross the road and get the 168, or stay on the 15 to Charing Cross and get the 24 or 29 (longer).

Blackheath, or other stations > Charing Cross
From Trafalgar Square take the 24 and 29 which go up Charing Cross Road / Tottenham Court Road and Hampstead Road to Camden. Or, if you walk along the Strand to Aldwych you can get the 168 which passes Euston.
You can also get off at London Waterloo East and get the 168 from there, or take the 521 (it goes through a cool tunnel and drops you off in Holborn) and pick up the 168 from there.
(If you happen to want to go to Kew Gardens you can do so from London Waterloo East by transferring into London Waterloo mainline - all covered walkways).

2. Bus, underground and overland rail
Get to North Greenwich (by 108, 422 (from Blackheath / Royal Parade) or 472 or 486 from Charlton), then Jubilee Line to Stratford, then overland to Camden Road.

From Royal Parade area you can take the 53 or 54 to Charlton Village and then pick up the 486, or take the 380 to Charlton and pick up the 486 from outside Charlton. Once at Charlton station you can also walk to the next stop and get both the 486 or the 472 to North Greenwich.

3. Bus
The 53 bus travels from the Royal Parade part of Blackheath (does not go to the village) and passes through Deptford, New Cross, Elephant and Castle and goes as far as Westminster Bridge.

4. Ferry (better in the summer months)
Walk to Greenwich, ideally through the park, and float merrily onto one of the many Thames Clippers ferries travelling to Embankment (they also pass London Bridge and Canary Wharf on the way). Alight smugly, especially if it's a hot day and you've sat on the deck with the wind blowing in your hair, walk up to Charing Cross / Trafalgar Square and take the 24 or 29 to Camden. The ferries used to stop by Savoy Pier but this added smugness has been taken away from us and plain old Embankment Pier it is.

5. DLR
Lewisham goes to Bank or Tower Bridge as does Greenwich Cutty Sark (in the main covered shopping area). From Tower Bridge I'd take the RV1 which is actually the best bus in London, to Aldwych (more like the back end of Covent Garden) then the 168 and from Bank I'd walk or take any bus to London Bridge, or Cannon Street and start from there. To be honest, I'd probably give Bank a swerve.