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Very interesting, thanks for that. Down in Lower Sydenham, if you are close to the River Pool coal tits and chaffinches are common garden feeders in addition to the hordes of goldfinches and tits. Sadly greenfinches seem to have completely gone. Occasional siskins and greater spotted woodpeckers on the feeders too. Damn parakeets have found my seed feeders now and hoover everything, so will soon get hold of caged feeders (keep out squirrels too hopefully). Kingfisher action on the river OK this winter too - although not up to levels of 10 years back. Little egret and water rail are regulars on the river, especially where it meets the Ravensbourne river (wow, the rapids!)

Shoreham again but in a really quiet area just over the hill to the east. Nunhead/Peckham R/Crofton Pk to Shoreham Station just 35 mins. Take a look, beautiful on a crisp winter's day https://localkentwalks.com/walk-14-shorehams-mysterious-eastern-valleys-4-5-miles/

HI Lavender27 I think your red berries might well be pyracantha. These are very popular with birds, including winter migrants like waxwings (which do occasionally get spotted in these parts after periods with easterly winds)

Did the Eynsford walk from the website (https://localkentwalks.com/) on Boxing Day and took this picture, which (I'm no pro) I like a lot https://localkentwalks.com/#jp-carousel-1707

Just a bit of a local heads up, for birds the best place locally to view a wide variety of species is actually the River Pool (apologies to those who already know this and have posted about it) at Lower Sydenham. From behind the giant Sainsbury's you can walk all the way to Lewisham almost all off road alongside the river (crossing the south circular in the smelly foot tunnel by Catford Bridge Station (by Halfords). Birds commonly seen here include kingfishers, little egrets, herons, water rail, all three woodpeckers, plus yer usuals. Bullfinches have been seen here too. It is thought that the river (and the Ravensbourne river), which runs from somewhere near Keston to Deptford Creek, forms part of a migration route for birds. Nearby gardens boast coal tits, goldfinches, chaffinches (in good numbers), house sparrows etc. Greenfinches have sadly disappeared, having been really common up until about 2007.

Now, that is quite odd. Never seen that

Hi Penguin 68; yes, I've read also that the Germans were misled over their targeting, but in actual fact the V1s were not particularly accurate anyway as it was a very complicated calculation to gauge the effect of wind strength, fuel needed etc. Loads landed in Kent, I believe the very first one fell into a field near Swanscombe (somewhere around Dartford). There were many terrible hits all over SE London. One of the worst was at Churchfields Rd, Penge, which killed 44 people on 2 Aug 1944 and devastated the surrounding area. Read about all the impacts in Beckenham alone at http://www.flyingbombsandrockets.com/V1_summary_beckenham.html

Hi Pamela78 - really enjoyed your photos and description of the walk. Also great that you saw the dogs as entertainment rather than a worry! Thanks for your comments, hope navigation was OK Cheers, Adam

Great time to get out for a stroll with the fam in beautiful countryside within 45 mins drive from Dulwich/Forest Hill area. Here's my walk list (most between 3-4 miles/90 minutes) https://localkentwalks.com/

In a departure from the usual forum topics of muggings, traffic jams, second hand fridges and unwanted IKEA furniture, I present to you my 13 beautiful walks in great countryside, many of which are do-able by train from our local stations. A lot of people on this forum will be familiar with these places but I'm hoping to reach people who've moved here from other parts of the UK or other countries who don't know how beautiful places like the Darent Valley are. Here's the link: https://localkentwalks.com/

TheArtfulDogger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So, do you trust a former PM who told us there > were weapons of mass distraction to keep us > occupied whilst he started a war? > > Personally he could tell me the world is round and > I wouldn't believe him I draw the opposite conclusion. The Iraq war was an example of Britain not following EU countries' policies and following the US, or if you like, having its own policy. I hope I'm not alone in the debate over sovereignty when I suggest that actually British sovereignty isn't always the best thing for Britain. The Iraq war is one example, pollution controls, over fishing and many many other examples where the UK did nothing and the EU acted.

Absolutely Goodliz... and the great news is the mud has now almost all gone, and the bluebells are still just about in their prime though will be fading very soon now. Best walk for bluebells is Ide Hill circular (can't miss 'em). Shoreham Circular walk has great bluebells if you extend the walk by about 15 minutes by walking through Meenfield Wood at the top of ridge (ie, continue up the hill to the top before turning right on path). Here's the site again... https://localkentwalks.wordpress.com/

Swathes of bluebells have appeared just out of town in woods from Petts Wood to Sevenoaks. It's really worth going to see them; they'll be around until, I guess, second week of May. Not all woods have them but I've written up a couple of blog posts on my walks site at https://localkentwalks.wordpress.com/ with maps if anyone fancies getting out there.

Goodliz, really glad to hear you enjoyed the walk. The Shoreham walks are easy to extend: if you continue up the steep hill to the woods at the top there are more paths to explore that can all bring you back to Shoreham eventually if you keep your bearings. Shoreham isn't bad for mud; but One Tree Hill and Ide Hill walks are back to quagmirish in parts thanks to heavy showers this week.

Good to hear instructions were easy to follow. Yes, incredibly muddy at the moment. Will be well into April this year before that improves I think, with the rainfall intensity we're currently experiencing.

Thanks Pamela, really glad you enjoyed the walk (always a relief when people don't get lost, soaked or covered in mud!). The blog looks great by the way, nice photos.

Glad to hear it... it's become a bit muddy again with all the rain this weekend, but the bluebells will be out there in about 2 weeks until mid-May (hopefully) and that's a great time to visit.

Hi there, sorry if I've posted this already... I can't see it in General so I'm posting again. Here's a link to my local Kent walks website, all within reach of East Dulwich/Peckham/Lewisham. The latest post on the home page includes easter egg hunts and guided walks for the coming long weekend at great places within 20 miles. The link is: https://localkentwalks.wordpress.com/

Hi again, just a reminder, as we hit Easter, of the local countryside walks I posted previously, plus, on the home page, a piece listing some guided walks and activity stuff for kids (National Trust etc) around 'our' bit of the North Downs. Cheers https://localkentwalks.wordpress.com/

Re not2late: you can also devise a walk comprising Beckenham Place Park woods and meadows, Cator Park, Kelsey Park and even the riverside walk from Cator Park to Greenwich. The latter, along the Pool and then the Ravensbourne rivers (which also runs through Beckenham Place Pk) is mostly off road and very interesting, particularly if you are in to birding (kingfishers, egrets, snipe and water rail believe it or not) and trees (one of London's 'great trees' is near Ladywell by the river Ravensbourne, a giant dutch elm, and there are some great, and quite rare, hornbeams near Catford's Wickes by the river).

Thanks for your comments everyone. I hope you enjoy the walks and avoid getting lost, and, if you're using the train, they aren't all cancelled? There are also some muddy bits too at the moment, but it's all good really! Here's a couple of pix from the walks that might whet your appetite...

Thanks, truth to tell, I've only ever been walking near Box Hill and Leith Hill Surrey way, simply due to the amount of time it takes to get there as opposed to me old stamping ground of the Darenth Valley and Downe

That's exactly why I did the website. I often think that there are some little pockets of countryside just 40 minutes from Dulwich/Forest Hill that really transport you somewhere else... even to another era.

You definitely should... it's a very different vibe to SE London!

Hi there, I've created a website of eight walks within 40 minutes' drive (or train journey from Nunhead), of East Dulwich. They are mainly in the Shoreham (Kent) area. Hope it's useful for those who don't know the beautiful nearby countryside too well. It's at https://localkentwalks.wordpress.com/ I enclose a picture taken from one of the walks last month