School run drive - Beckenhan to Dulwich

[LouiseAH1]

We are relocating to Beckenham and would really like to know what the school run drive is like to schools in Dulwich. Is anyone currently doing this? If so, how long does it take? Many thanks.

We currently drive from West Wickham to Forest Hill....takes approx 30 mins. I found a quicker route to avoid certain roads that were always gridlocked.

Thanks Newbie22. What time do you leave in the mornings roughly?

We'd heard rumours that the Beckenham to Dulwich run is really terrible, so we've been questioning our move. But around 30 minutes isn't bad at all.

We leave about 8.15 and usually pull up to the school gates around 8.45. Which part of Dulwich do you mean?

Sorry to tell you that the road which leads from Beckenham to Penge and up the hill towards Dulwich is always stop /start traffic in the morning......

We drive Beckenham to Dulwich and it takes 30mins.
Depending on where you live, trains are also an option.
Feel free to message me

Your problem isn't so much Beckenham to Dulwich (although that's not great whichever way you go but through Penge definitely the worst), it's the journey home. It can take a looonnnngg time in winter. Can you take the train instead?

Welcome though, it's a great place to live

I think the very fastest we did it was 8.21 leaving 8.36 arriving, but that was to DC. Not jags/alleyns Rosemead elsewhere.

Penge bit not great but you learn the dodges.

Any tips to avoid Crystal Palace park road, Westwood hill or Sydenham High St?!
TIA

We have two to avoid Penge then Crystal Palace Hill..can't recall Road names, sorry.

Turn left after the Tesco Express on the way to Penge. Turn right and the mini roundabout, carry straight up till you get to the Travelodge on the Croydon Road. Left then right takes you up to Homebase. When there you have a choice.

left takes you to Anerley. Go up the hill ( slow), then right at the top, second left takes you down a little road to join the main left turn from Crystal Palace and then out at the big roundabout.

Right takes you on to Crystal Palace hill. From there we take the second on the right, which takes you via that wonderful Pisarro view to is it Westwood Hill, but if Crystal Palace has roadworks or is slow, Westwood is usually better. ( if Westwood is the one up from Sydenham).

You can try the Sydenham Hill, down as if you were going via the Horniman but turn left instead, then follow the S Circular if going to DC or DCPL, Rosemead, straight ahead if Alleyns/jags.

None is brilliant.

Don't the schools run coaches anymore? We used to live in Anerley and then moved to Beckenham and I cycled past a couple of the Dulwich schools on my way to and from work in the city every day, was a pretty easy journey. We were thinking of sending our kids to Alleyns for secondary and thought their journey would be quite reasonable (options of cycling, bus or train plus walking) but moved instead. Was quite a while ago now though.A double room booking would make me think that there was a double bed, not twins, and I agree with others that a preference is something you'd like rather than a requirement.

The Alleynian group has coaches, don't know about the non-aligned.

@nooka I think you might have confused two posts in one

There are coaches but I don't think they let the children use them until Y3 so if the OPs DC are little ones, no good to her.

Thanks Orlanda, I know the roads you mean.

nooka - yes, there are coaches for the Foundation schools but only from Y3.

No just read this one as it was on my last 15 mins list I think, I was curious and it was fun to read about my old neighbourhood. I did wonder if the OP had quite young children and that's why they needed driving to school. Hope you find something that works for you OP!

We just moved our son from nursery in Denmark Hill after 5 months driving each day since our move to Beckenham. We're north of Beckenham centre and would usually drive via Penge East station to Sydenham (rather than the road from Penge > Crystal Palace). Most days was about 30 mins in morning (leaving at 7.30) and 40ish coming home - although traffic could be bad and be up to an hour. Train from Beckenham Junction / Birkbeck to E Dulwich is not frequent, but is only about 25 mins and usually nice and empty.

noneedtocry - did you go along Sydenham high street, then kirkdale to join the south circ?