- 6 (four in the park, two optional on Westow Street) stops
- 5.2 km
- 2 hours 30 minutes
Photo: Celsoazevedo · CC BY 4.0 · cropped for mobile
A family afternoon
Crystal Palace: Dinosaur Hunters (Family Edition)
Dinosaurs that look gloriously wrong, a hedge maze, and a junior wanderer who gets their own mission at every stop.
A self-guided PDF walk for small dinosaur detectives and the grown-ups carrying the snacks.
€3,99digital download, VAT included
Checkout on Etsy · 5.0 shop rating · 10 Etsy reviews
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Your kind of afternoon
Little explorers. Their own missions.
Over 170 years ago, Victorian scientists and sculptors built life-sized models of prehistoric animals in this park, using the scientific knowledge available at the time. Some look gloriously wrong to modern eyes, and spotting the differences is the game. Then you beat the hedge maze. Best for ages 5 to 11.
This is the Family Edition, so it works differently from the standard walk. Grown-ups read the normal mission and trivia; kids get their own mission, a one-line fact and something to spot for Walk Bingo at every stop. The junior wanderer is the fox's assistant, and collecting a tick at each stop is the whole point.
Out on the walk
What you'll do on the walk
Hunt for the red-and-cream brickwork that gives away a secret subway. Become dinosaur detectives and find the one the Victorians got most gloriously wrong. Your junior wanderer gets a mission at every stop; the grown-ups get to carry the snacks.
Fox spotting chance
Wild ground, big trees, long grass. Look up from the map now and then.
Inside the guide
A walk with something to discover at every stop.
Example pages from the Greenwich guide; this walk follows the same format.
Take a look inside
See the actual guide.
A look through this walk’s real PDF, route and cards. Press play to explore.
Make this your afternoon → (buy the Crystal Palace family walk PDF on Etsy)Made for your own pace
Inside your guide
Every stop comes with a few little cards:
- Mission Something to notice, find or do: a reason to look a little closer.
- Foxtrack A song picked for this stretch of the walk. Tap, play, wander on.
- Walk Bingo A printable card to tick off as you go. A bonus, not homework.
- One-tap directions Distance and time already worked out. Tap to open Google Maps (the A4 edition has QR codes).
Save your PDF before you go. Maps, Spotify and other external links need a connection. Attraction tickets are separate.
Curious corners along the way
A taste of your family afternoon.
A glimpse of the place
Crystal Palace Subway
From the entrance, hunt for the red-and-cream brickwork that hints at the vaulted subway hidden beneath the road.
A surprise stop
Stand between the sphinxes and line up the terraces: can you picture the enormous glass Palace filling the empty skyline?
Dinosaur Statues
Be a dinosaur detective and find the one that looks the most wrong. What do you think the Victorians got mixed up?
A surprise stop
Reach the centre without retracing your steps. Take turns choosing the next turn, and keep the grown-ups honest about not peeking over the hedges.
A surprise stop
Explore the Triangle at your own pace and find a shop window you would like to live in for a day. Pick one treat rather than turning every tempting window into a financial incident.
A surprise stop
Choose a book cover that catches your eye, then ask the bookseller for a recommendation. You never need to buy anything.
The rest stays a surprise. The guide gives you every stop, address, story, photo idea and direction, one tap at a time.
Before you set off
Plan your wander.
Route details, timing & access
- Best for ages 5 to 11. The dinosaurs and the maze also work for toddlers in a buggy or carrier. The route is mostly park paths, but there are slopes and steps around the terraces, so check the step-free route on the day.
- A weekday morning is the best time, before school groups arrive, or early on a weekend. The park's dinosaur trail and maze are quietest then, and the maze is worth attempting before the hedges hide everyone else's attempt.
- The main walk is free parkland and street wandering, so save your spend for a coffee or something from an independent shop. Pack snacks and water: the park is big, and cafe and toilet opening times are worth checking on the day.
Official websites & opening times
Places change their hours and prices, so check before you go:
Questions
How long does the Crystal Palace family walk take?
About 2 hours 30 minutes at a relaxed pace, covering roughly 5.2 km and six stops. It is self-guided, so you can leave out the two bonus stops on Westow Street if the legs have had enough, and the maze alone can absorb as long as you let it.
What ages is the Family Edition written for?
Best for ages 5 to 11. Grown-ups read the normal mission and trivia; kids get their own mission, a one-line fact and something to spot for Walk Bingo at every stop. The dinosaurs and the maze also work for toddlers in a buggy or carrier.
Are the Westow Street stops part of the walk?
They are optional bonus stops. The four park stops are the core route: the Subway, the Italian Terraces, the Dinosaur Statues and the Maze. Westow Street and Bookseller Crow are there if everyone still has legs, and the guide says which one to skip first if you do not.
Where does the Crystal Palace family walk start and finish?
Both at Crystal Palace station, so you can take the train there, wander, and take the same train home without thinking about a route back.
What will I receive?
You receive the Large Phone PDF guide and a printable Walk Bingo card as an instant download from Etsy. Nothing is shipped.
“A very nice tour with some great local suggestions. Very nice to be able to wander at your own pace instead of following a guide or group.”
Good shoes. Curious mind. Off you go.
Every stop, mission and bingo square for your Crystal Palace adventure, in one download. Snacks not included.
Get the Crystal Palace family walk · €3,99 →Checkout on Etsy
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