William Morris built Red House in Bexleyheath in 1859 as a family home, and it was there that he and his friends started the business that changed British design. It's one of several historic houses in Bexley, along with Hall Place and Danson House, and they give a mostly suburban borough of family homes, good schools and big parks a surprising amount to see. Minibus hire Bexley customers book is mostly for families and schools, with day trips, school outings and sports fixtures, weddings, and airport runs, often across the Dartford Crossing.
The borough covers Bexleyheath, Sidcup, Welling, Erith, Crayford, Belvedere, Bexley Village and part of Thamesmead, in the far south-east of London. From our base in SE1, Bexleyheath is about forty-five minutes to an hour outside the rush hour, out along the A2.
Minibus hire Bexley for family day trips
Bexley is well placed for a day out in Kent. Bluewater, the big shopping centre in an old chalk quarry, is about fifteen minutes away, Leeds Castle about forty-five, Chatham Historic Dockyard about forty, and the coast at Margate, Whitstable or Broadstairs about an hour and a quarter. For days out north of the river, the Dartford Crossing puts Essex and Lakeside a few minutes away.
Families, community groups and senior clubs book us for days like these. The driver drops at the venue and comes back at an agreed time, or waits nearby. Senior clubs often prefer a shorter day with lunch, such as a garden visit at Sissinghurst or a pub lunch in a Kentish village, back by mid-afternoon. Send the destination, group size and times for a quote.
Schools and the historic houses
Bexley has a lot of primary and secondary schools, including several grammar schools, and they book us for museum visits, swimming, sports fixtures and residential trips. The borough's own historic sites make good local trips.
Hall Place, a Tudor house with topiary gardens by the River Cray in Bexley Village, runs school sessions. Danson House, a Georgian villa in Danson Park, and Red House, now run by the National Trust, both welcome groups. Lesnes Abbey, the ruins of a twelfth-century abbey in Belvedere, sits in woodland with views over the Thames. Crossness Pumping Station, a Victorian sewage works with ornate ironwork and giant beam engines, opens on steam days.
Weddings at Danson and Hall Place
Danson House, Hall Place and other venues across the borough host weddings, and couples also marry at churches across Bexleyheath, Sidcup and Bexley Village. Receptions follow at golf clubs, hotels and country venues in Kent.
A guest loop covers homes or hotels, the ceremony, the reception and the ride home. Minibus hire Bexley couples book for a Kent venue usually includes a late run home, because most country venues have no public transport nearby.
Erith, the river and the parks
Erith, on the Thames in the north of the borough, has the longest pier in London, a riverside walk and a small museum. Danson Park, between Bexleyheath and Welling, has a large lake used for sailing and rowing, and hosts summer events. Footscray Meadows, on the River Cray near Sidcup, has woodland and riverside paths. Thamesmead, in the north-west of the borough, has lakes and canals for a short nature walk.
These suit school outings, youth groups and family picnics. Drop-off is at the park entrance, with the return at a time you choose.
Gatwick, the Dartford Crossing and the airports
Gatwick is about forty-five minutes to an hour from most of Bexley outside the rush hour, via the M25. Stansted is about an hour, across the Dartford Crossing and up the M11. London City is about thirty to forty minutes, via the Blackwall Tunnel or the A2016 and the Woolwich Ferry. Heathrow is about an hour and a quarter or more.
The Dartford Crossing has its own charge, which isn't paid at a booth. It has to be paid online or by account, and if your trip crosses the river at Dartford, the charge goes on the quote. The crossing itself can back up badly, especially northbound in the evening and southbound in the morning, so for Stansted flights we'll build in a margin.
The A2 and the Black Prince
The A2 is the borough's main route into London, and the Black Prince interchange, where it meets the A220 near Bexley Village, is busy at peak times. The A20 through Sidcup and the A206 along the river are the other main roads. Bexleyheath Broadway is partly pedestrianised, with buses and a one-way system around it. For pickups in the town centres, we'll agree a point on a side road. Minibus hire Bexley schools book for early starts into London usually means leaving before half past seven to beat the A2.
For minibus hire in Bexley, call 020 7183 0567.