Thanks Chris - I’m soooo more tech’y adventurous!
Eeek - the upset about you on Nextdoor rumbles on, and on… you’re famous (or is that infamous?!)
Right on our doorsteps, Dacres Wood Nature reserve is open this Saturday, with native bluebells
as well as some other less likely plants - I dug out a bay tree yesterday from the slope at the south end of the pond, and there’s a camellia nearby, which must be a relic of when this was a large Victorian back garden.
I have some native bluebells in my garden this year for the first time. I wonder if they are making a comeback.
We have had loads for years. It is stopping them that is the trick! 
Native or Spanish bluebells? We’ve always have plenty of the latter, but never the former, until this year.
I enjoy them for a week or so then grumble for months about the damned leaves everywhere.
Don’t know, sorry.
A-ha, well, that’s the point. Native bluebells are under threat of extinction. Spanish ones are not. So a good reason to visit Dacres Woods (trying to get the thread back on topic after I hijacked it).
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I planted some in my garden a few years ago, along with cowlips and fritillaries
The native and Spanish hybridise readily, so probably no so many pure bred round here. The tell for the native genes are the curling up ends of the petals
I checked this yesterday and the source I read suggested the only surefire way, due to hybrids, is the colour of the pollen: white in the case of the native species IIRC.
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Sydenham woods, a great for hot summer day to hide in the shade and explore
Recently I’ve been taking my girls on their bikes. We found a route over the German Bridge( younger one needs help with her bike) then by Mayow Park and with back routes get to behind Bell Green Reatil centre. Pick up Waterlink way by the river Pool. You can then go all the way to Ladywell station through parks, stops on the way from play parks to water sides.
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Sydenham Hill woods are amazing.
And agreed re Waterlink way especially. We quite often cycle as a family down to Greenwich that way.
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You are right about Waterlink.
After Ladywell we went to Lewisham and picked up Deptford Creek and watched the Maraton on Sunday at mile 7. It was only a 6miles from home one way, something that the girls did without any complaints. My mother is completely astonished how we found such a lovely route going towards the centre of the city.
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Can you follow the river all the way up to Deptford Creek? - I lost it last time and there seem to be bits of it that you cant walk/ride along.
I tried following it the other way out of Sydenham on Sunday and it goes awol as it crosses Worsely Bridge Road although you can pick it up again. It would be nice to be able to go the whole route along the river bank
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No. It’s on road between Ladywell and Lewisham, though backstreets (similar to Como/Colfe in terms of traffic)
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As @stephen says there is a bit of roads. The tricky bit is around Ladywell station. If you get out of the park you may want to push the bikes until the crossing. Aim for Marsala Road and then by Elmira Street until you get onto bike route at Lewisham. This is a bit easier as the pavement is shared bike route (you are allowed to ride on the pavement)
I would like to thank to Lewisham Cyclists who did show me the route some time ago. Being able to go on certain pavements has definitely made me ride more.
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Those are English that have hybridised with Spanish bluebells. The rule is that if ANY of the characteristics of the Spanish variety are evident, then it’s a hybrid. Native bluebells only come in dark purply blue.
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Finally managed to take this route as far as Beckenham Place Park today which is well worth a look. The only criticism I have really is that when the green part breaks down then so does the signposting. Am thinking in particular past Halfords in Catford, then again in Lower Sydenham.
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Decided to update the original list and add all the suggestions into the first post, if I have missed any and there are updates on any of the park, please comment and add new parks or green spaces, or updates to existing parks.
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