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Home , Croydon Airport, Downe Bank, Farthing Downs, Luxted, Oaks Park (London), Roundshaw

London’s Chalk Downlands Rare Wildlife on Our Doorstep Help ensure their survival ry l “memo ane” Did you ce &quiet know that pea ” south London has “ Chalk has a history, dating back to the age of the dinosaurs, when it formed on the seabed exceptionally more than ninety million years ago. Over colourful and millions of years the seabed solidified into rock and the land changed bringing attractive the chalky rock to the surface. grasslands that The chalk downland of The chalk downland we see today are home , owes its appearance to human influence. Its original woodland cover to some of Britain’s most was cleared in the Stone Age and and Sutton crops planted in some areas. treasured forms one of our wildlife ? most celebrated landscapes and re is well worth “F edom a visit, to move You can see an aro amazing variety und” of wild flowers, The thin soil was quickly exhausted Up butterflies and so cultivation was abandoned and for alking s other colourful thousands of years it’s been used for Ch own insects here in grazing. Sheep, cattle and other on’s D Lond summer animals kept the grass short providing “oasis in ideal conditions for the flowers and the city” other wildlife to flourish. limited fr “un ee r ” oaming Chalk More than Changes in farming have meant that chalk grassland grassland 95% was ploughed up as modern is an ideal place of the UK’s fertilizers made it possible to to grow crops here. The downs We have 320 hectares of chalk grassland enjoy ancient have also become less grazed in south London. Many of these sites are the great and, as a result of this neglect, small and isolated but a partnership of land flower-rich bushes and trees have owners and managers is working to ensure outdoors, reinvaded the grassland their survival. Sheep and cattle are grazing whether you’re downland transforming the previously some areas once again and cutting is used has been open landscape into where this isn’t practical. Grassland is being walking the woodland. Downland was restored by clearing invasive shrubs and trees, Or if you’d destroyed also lost to development - dog, taking a but patches are left providing food and shelter like to help in just the last to feed our insatiable apetite for insects and birds. This mosaic of grassland for new roads, housing, and bushes is richer in wildlife than windswept stroll shape the 50years sports facilities and industry. grassland alone. Flowers and butterflies are with the moving back into areas which they had left. future It’s not enough just to protect children, of the chalk what flower-rich grassland jogging, or just downland survives, as even neglect getting some alone can lead to the you can extinction of characteristic downland wildlife as it fresh air get becomes covered by shrubs. involved Action by in practical grazing or cutting conservation is needed n” action to keep the tow n However you get involved we hope you i will enjoy visiting these special sites, downland e d with all our help they will be with us for open si “g many years to come. “country ood for kids” London’s Chalk Downland – Rare Wildlife on Our Doorstep A21 TRAMLINK

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1 Key Sites (more details overleaf) 10 Other sites to enjoy Sites with Photos by kind 1 Devonshire Avenue Nature Area LB Sutton 020 8770 6246 restricted Please remember ...... permission of: access or Andrew Scott 2 The 10 Cuddington Meadow Avoid disturbing wildlife Butterfly Downs 11 Wellfield Grassland private 3 Take your litter home Conservation , New Hill & Happy Valley 12 Road Pastures 4 Guard agains all risk of fire The Wildlife Trusts 5 Riddlesdown LB Croydon 020 8686 4433 x2438 Please telephone Keep to the paths where possible 6 Hutchinson’s Bank 13 Memorial Recreation Ground Leaflet designed by: the numbers Keep your dogs under close control 14 Common shown for Projects & Graphics 7 more details Take nothing but photographs L.B. Sutton 8 Bank LB Bromley 020 8313 4665 020 8770-6241 of these sites Leave nothing but footprints 9 High Elms Nature Reserve 16 Blackbush Shaw W

CL THE WARREN O The Oaks Park DR TRIAN O MOLLISON To Carshalton S D N The history of Oaks Park LANC A ULYWYA23 N

M Beeches Stn. FORESTERS London’s A and 154 bus stop N dates back to the 14th S T E century, when it began R N Chalk E as a grove of oak trees RO AD planted as part of a small estate. Over the PLOUGH LANE P DRIVE Downland To Stn The years the estate Oaks The

To A2022 B278 welcomed many royal Golf Oaks Key Sites Course and noble visitors, and

Park HILLCREST ROAD

ROAD during the Second HIGH FIELD World War its house 3 P was used by the local LANE A2022 A gentle chalk downland SUTTON STATION Devonshire Avenue Home Guard, Royal Air Roundshaw Down CROYDON slope with views to North London. In spring you can N Nature Area This tiny 2 Force and the Army. enjoy swathes of oxeye daisies, while summer brings

LANGLEY (0.3 ha) site is a wildlife CEDAR ROAD The house was demolished in 1959, and traditional chalk flowers such as the greater knapweed, oasis in suburbia, especially Oaks Park is now a haven for wildlife. greater yellow-rattle, wild carrot and field scabious. P in summer. The site of Multi- Its combination of woodland storey former houses and gardens Several pairs of skylarks breed there, spiralling in the CAVENDISH ROAD and chalk grassland changes AKROAD PARK is now home to a range of air singing to proclaim their territory. Meadow pipits through the seasons. In spring wildflowers, such as also nest in the long grass, and kestrels patrol the area CHRISTCHURCH PARK the trees are circled by yellow restharrow and purging searching for prey. Common blue butterflies are abun- aconite, clumps of snowdrops, flax, which are more dant, feeding and depositing their eggs on birds- DEVONSHIRE AV crocus and violets while summer usually found on downland foot trefoil. A small patch of ancient woodland next to EGMONT ROAD sees harebells, hoary plantain and BRIGHTON ROAD B2230 sites further south. Plough Lane has a range of unusual woodland plants 1 yarrow take over, and the air is filled Pineapple including town-hall clock and goldilocks buttercup. The nationally rare small blue butterfly with the scent of pineapple weed. weed does not easily colonise new In autumn many species of fungi can be Small patches of tarmac among the flowers hint at sites, yet Devonshire Avenue’s found along the woodland walks, and later in the year the site’s important past as Londons first . The kidney vetch, the small blue’s flocks of fieldfare make the area their winter home. increase in size of airliners needing longer runways favourite plant, have attracted led to its decline and closed in 1959. Kidney Over the year many other birds can be seen and it to the area. Many other vetch Most of is a Local Nature Reserve. heard, including the skylark, house martin, kestrel, butterflies feed on the buddleia Local volunteers planted a tree belt hedge along the goldfinch, cuckoo, mistle thrush, nuthatch and bushes. southern boundary in the 1980s and a hedge on the woodpecker. Patient visitors may also catch a northern edge in the 1990s to provide shelter for glimpse of the elusive weasel. insects. To keep it as grassland the site is mowed Contact 020 8770 6246 Open all year regularly and the hay removed. How to get there Contact 020 8770 6246 Open all year Train Sutton station - 800m How to get there Contact: 020 8770 4627 Open all year Buses 80, 280 and 420, stop in Brighton Road close to the Train Carshalton Beeches station - 800m How to get there junction with Devonshire Ave - 300m Buses S4 Hail & Ride in The Warren, 154 stops in Beeches Av. Train station Waddon – 1km Bus S1 stops on Langley Park Rd Hail & Ride - 250m Car parks off Woodmansterne Road and Croydon Road Buses 154, 455, S4 stop in Mollison Drive - 200m. 289 stops on Devonshire Rd and Devonshire Ave have limited public parking. Facilities include a Nature Trail, Cafe, Woodland Craft Centre, Purley Way - 50m. 119 stops at Croydon Airport - 400m The site is accessible by stiles. Limited parking on adjacent roads and Apeldoorn Estate Farthing Downs & COULSDON ROAD New Hill 4 B276 N P New Hill WC Happy Valley B2030 MEAD WAY DITCHES CHALDON WAY WC MARLPIT LANE Happy i P Coulsdon Valley i P FOX LANE South LANE Station DITCHES LANE WOOD DOWNS ROAD Farthing Downs A23 BRIGHTON RD N

Farthing Downs, New Hill and Happy Valley On New Hill chalk grassland survives where bushes From the breezy ridge top of Farthing Downs there are were cleared on the slope in the 1990s. From this views of tree-lined suburbia and distant towers of flowery vantage point is a sweeping view of the length Croydon, City of London and Canary Wharf. Nearer at of Farthing Downs. hand is the rolling countryside, made up of a mix of On Farthing Downs, when the grass is short, you can open fields and woods including the quiet haven of see low banks that mark the boundaries of rectangular Happy Valley. The slopes of the Downs are dotted with fields ploughed by Iron Age people 2000 years ago. patches of young woodland that provide shelter for Two groups of seventh century Saxon burial mounds docile Sussex cattle which graze here all year round. lie on the ridge top - excavations have shown that Sheep graze some areas here too from time to time. children and adults were buried on this Ancient Skylarks sing overhead where it’s more open. Monument. On the steep slopes of Happy Valley there are many notable flowers, including cowslips in spring and up to ten species of orchid. There are fine views from the Farthing Downs and New Hill upper slope across the meadows to the ancient Contact 020 8660 8533 Open all year Devisden Wood. Some Sussex cattle graze part of the How to get there valley in spring and summer. Train station Coulsdon South - 400m Between June and August you will see typical chalk Buses 60 and 404 stop in Marlpit Lane - 50m flowers in bloom on Farthing Downs and Happy Valley. Bus 405 stop on Brighton Rd, 400m These include common dropwort, wild carrot and Car park at the south end of the downs. Turn off Marlpit Lane small scabious. Some less common plants include into Downs Road and take the left fork leading over the Downs the brilliant blue clustered flower heads of round Public toilet at the Farthing Downs car park (also for the disabled, operated by a RADAR key) headed rampion and a big population of what is nationally an extremely rare plant, greater yellow-rattle. In spring and summer, after wet weather, you may find Happy Valley Roman snails venturing out into the grassland. This is the largest land snail in Britain and it’s only found on Contact 020 8760 5756 Open all year the chalky soils needed to make its heavy shell. On a How to get there summer night you might catch the green light of glow- Buses 404, 466 stop at the Fox Public House on Coulsdon Rd worms as the adult female beetle clings to grasses to Car Park off Fox Lane attract a mate. RIDDLESDOWN RD INGLEBORO DRIVE Station Tramlink 6 MITCHLEY AVE N DOWNS Coombes N COURT RD Wood HONISTER HEIGHTS PARKWAY DOWNS A233 P NORTH OVERBURY CRESCENT FAMET CL RD Threecorner Grove Chapel HANBURY Bank DRIVE MAIN ROAD LANE GARSTON LANE GODSTONE ROAD A22 Civil Airport FEATHERBED 5 KENLEY STATION SALTBOX HILL FARLEIGH DEAN Riddlesdown The wooded slope of Riddlesdown CRESCENT rises steeply from the A22 Godstone Road to the top N of a grassy plateau dotted with trees. Sheep graze in 7 Hutchinson’s Bank This large nature reserve clearings on the slope and a few rare bushes of juniper Saltbox Hill Hidden in a rural valley, the grow. The surfaced track from the car park follows the complex covers much of a dry chalk valley on the peaceful and tranquil Saltbox Hill lies just north course of a Roman road and from here are fine views western side of New Addington. The steep grassland of Biggin Hill. A mile away from Charles Darwin’s across the valley to leafy Kenley and Kenley Common. slope hosts diverse butterflies, plantlife and birds. home at , this local habitat gave the The chalk downland nearest the car park is You’ll find pyramidal, common spotted and man orchids great evolutionist inspiration as well much loved maintained by hay making but the track leads into as well as grasses, kidney vetch and the nationally picnicking spots in the nineteenth century. a sloping paddock grazed by a small number of rare greater yellow-rattle. It’s a paradise for moths, You’ll find pyramidal and bee, as well as the fly Sussex cattle. The richest areas of downland are on more than 100 species have been recorded here, and orchid and nationally scarce man orchid. On the slope, where you’ll find characteristic chalk in a good year over 28 species of butterfly can be summer days the wild basil adds its own special flowers as common rockrose, milkwort, horseshoe seen, including small blue and dark green fritillary. aroma to the air while sunny west facing slopes vetch and marjoram as well as small numbers of Over recent year the wild flower rich grasslands provide ideal conditions for over 30 species of common spotted, bee and pyramidal orchids. have suffered from scrub invasion, but are now butterfly, including the increasingly scarce The warm south-west facing slope provides shelter being carefully restored to their former glory. chalkhill blue, grizzled skipper and dark green for the vivid common blue butterfly and, in July and The nearby gladed woodland of the Chapel Bank fritillary. August, the powdery blue male chalkhill blue butterfly. Nature Reserve has a nationally rare grass - Springtime visitors will be greeted by a carpet of Behind the car park is Coombes Wood – an area of mat-grass fescue, as well as impressive displays of bluebells, wood anemones and yellow archangel ancient woodland. Most of Riddlesdown is a Site of common spotted and other orchids. in the nearby woodlands which are also home to Special Scientific Interest. Jackdaw and kestrel breed This site is an exceptionally rich mix of grassland, woodpeckers, nuthatches and treecreepers. in nearby Riddlesdown Quarry which is closed to the hedgerows and woodland, and includes the grassy public - to visit on a guided walk call 020 8660 8533. verges alongside Featherbed Lane and the triangle of ancient woodland known as Three-corner Grove. Contact 020 7261 0447 Open all year Contact 020 8660 8533 Open all year How to get there How to get there Contact 020 7261 0447 Open all year Bus 464 to Tatsfield runs from New Addington (Parkway) runs up Train stations Riddlesdown Stn - 700m How to get there Saltbox Hill. Bus 320 from Bromley North Stn to Biggin Hill Valley Kenley Stn – 250m The Tramlink Terminus at New Addington is close to a footpath Car parking is not possible near either entrance, but very limited Buses 412 and 612 stop in Mitchley Ave close to the leading down to Featherbed Lane from Road, parking is available nearby on Main Road (A233) junction with Riddlesdown Rd -150m New Addington, making this the ideal way to visit the site. Access to the reserve is by public Bus 407 stops on A22 Godstone Road - 25m Car parking is very limited near the reserve footpaths that run through the site, one north to south starting on Saltbox Hill itself, with the other starting from Using this stop it is a short steep climb to the plateau top. Access is gained to all of the site from Featherbed Lane and Hanbury Drive Car park at the south east end of Riddlesdown Road. direct to Hutchinsons Bank at the top of Farleigh Dean Crescent. N 8 NORTH LANE

To OrpingtonRD Stn

SEVENOAKS OLD HILL Getting Involved FARNBOROUGH WAY High Elms A21 Contacts SHIRE LANE Golf Course HIGH CUDHAM ROAD P There are many ways P HIGH ELMS ROAD London Wildlife Trust ELMS P you can get involved, 020 7261 0447

RD from practical www.wildlondon.org.uk Downe HILL FARNBOROUGH conservation work, Bromley Countryside ROAD NORTH END LANE HIGHHIGH STREET ST Village N 9 to taking guided walks, Management Service or helping out at 020 8313 4665 has a special place in natural Nature Reserve visitor centres. Bromley Active Lifestyles history - it was here that Charles Darwin carried High Elms sits on the rim of the Thames basin where 020 8290 4000 out some of the research later used in his famous it meets the North Downs, 15 miles from central Bromley Parks and book The Origin of Species. Today’s visitors London. It is large wooded site straddling a downe, Countryside Rangers can still enjoy much of the rare wildlife or ridge, of chalk and clay with flints. The area, which 01689 862815 that inspired Darwin, including is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is home to 11 London Borough of Croydon several species of orchid, toothwort, types of orchids including the bee, fly, butterfly, man, 020 8686 4433 ext 2438 adder’s-tongue and false oxlip. pyramidal, twayblade, common-spotted and bird nest. www.croydon.gov.uk In the wooded areas there are One of the UK’s most endangered mammals can bluebells, hazel coppice, and be found at High Elms: there is a large community mature beech, as well as yew, holly 020 8770 6246 of dormice - the closest to central London - thriving and woodland hawthorn. www.sutton.gov.uk in the ancient woodland there. Dormice were once Corporation of London The area is home to many birds - common across the UK but are now an endangered 020 8660 8533 31 species, including goldcrest, species found mostly in southern counties. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/openspaces lesser spotted woodpecker, song High Elms was once owned by Sir William Lubbock, Countryside Management Service thrush and turtle dove have been an eminent Victorian conservationist politician, 020 8313 4665 noted at Downe Bank. Butterflies scientist and author. He introduced 30 Acts of such as the white-letter hairstreak, Parliament including the Open Spaces Act, Wild common blue and brown argos can Birds Protection Act, Ancient Monuments Act and also be found. Bank Holidays Act. Toothwort

Contact 01689 862815 Open all year Contact 01622 662012 Open all year How to get there Site managed by the Train BR Station How to get there Bus R2 to Farnborough Village Buses There are frequent timetable changes, so please see Car: M25 Junc 4, A21, At Roundabout take Farnborough Hill Rd local directory for buses to Downe Village exit, left to Shire Lane (Follow London Tourist Board Signs), left to High Elms Rd and car park. Further parking at Cuckoo Wood. Car parking for general visits is at Downe Village - walk to the reserve. The car park at the reserve is locked and only Facilities include a Visitor Nature Centre with Conservation available for supervised visits. Garden and toilets for disabled visitors. Chalk Downland Chalk Downland Interested in Activity Sheet 1 Activity Sheet 2 Wild Activities? 1 The following centres run an interesting 1 1 1 1 range of fun activities, courses & events. 1 Join in - have fun - make some wild friends! 1 1 1 1 The London Wildlife Trust’s 1 4 1 Centre for Wildlife Gardening 28 Marsden Road, London SE15 4EE 4 1 1 1 Open 10.30am-4.30pm 1 1 1 Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays 1 3 2 The Centre is a short walk from East Dulwich and Peckham rail stations. Call for details of courses 1 1 3 1 4 and events in the award winning green building. 1 4 4 1 1 4 2 1 6 5 020 7252 9186 www.wildlondon.org.uk 5 4 4 4 4 Sutton Ecology Centre 7 3 1 The Old Rectory, Festival Walk, 4 2 4 1 Carshalton, Surrey. SM5 3NY 1 2 3 Open 10am - 4pm Monday-Friday 1 1 1 10.30am - 1pm and 2 - 4.30pm Saturday 2 Grounds open from dawn to dusk all year 1 1 1 1 The Centre is a short walk from Carshalton rail station. Enjoy a stroll around the grounds which include woodland, a wildlife pond and alternative energy area; or Colour by numbers join in a childrens holiday Colour in each bit of the picture using the activity. The centre runs colours numbered below to find a rare chalk courses and regular events, Spot the Difference downland plant . . . . call for details. There are 15 differences to spot between the Why do you think it is called a bee orchid ? two pictures of walking on chalk downland above. No number - White 1 Pale blue 2 Pale green 020 8770 5820 www.sutton.gov.uk Draw a circle round each one you find. 3 Dark green 4 Yellow 5 Orange 6 Red 7 Brown

oorn owr f rdtr.What type will yours be? off predators. to warn colouring with their surounding landscape, others have distinctive that blendmarkings in butterflies have Some G

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Design a Butterfly z Activity Sheet Chalk Downland

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u e 3 Activity Sheet Chalk Downland Fill in the missing vowels to name the plants, oorte ntercretclus then colour them in their correct colours, Odd One Out PYR_M_D_L discover which is the odd one out! _RCH_D C_WSL_P Y_LL_W R_TTL_ V_TCH K_DN_Y GR_ _T_R 4 playground and visitors centre. facilities include a viewing mound, childrens attract a variety of birds and butterflies. Wildflower meadows, a wetland area and lake Visitors centre open weekends 12noon -2pm Grounds open from dawn to dusk all year Albert Road, , London SE25 South Norwood Country Park Join in range of fun activities, courses & events. The following centres run an interesting runs walks, talks and regular events, call for details. their chicks in our nest box Spring! The centre and living willow structures. Watch birds feeding wildlife pond, apiary, orchard, wildflower meadow, woodland scene with animal sounds. Explore the The centre has a range of displays including School holidays Winter opening 2 - 4pm Wednesday 11am - 4.30pm weekends Summer opening BR6 7JH Shire Lane, High Elms Country Park, Nature Centre High Elms W Interested in

01689 862815 www.bromley.gov.uk

020 8656 5947 www.croydon.gov.uk i

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