*Walks* Coombe Wood was once the private gardens of Coombe Wood House, which was built in 1898. The land was purchased by Croydon Council in 1948 and now it’s free for the public to visit.
We went on a wet January afternoon, and it was just as dramatic as any other time of year. Scroll down to read more and view extra pics.
At the entrance is a pond, and the rockery made of Pulhamite – a popular material used at the turn of the 20th Century to imitate rock. The scenic views above were created by landscape gardeners James Pulham and Son.
There’s a cafe inside the charming old coach house. This was built into the site of a disused chalk pit, to hide it from the main house.
The hilly area is spread out over 14 acres. There’s stunning tall trees and plenty of benches.
You can park in Conduit Lane, CR0 5RQ, right next to the entrance. The Tram service for the park stops at Coombe Lane and Lloyd Park – Route 3.
There is a map board at the park, though it’s easy enough to just follow your nose around the numerous paths.
Have you done this walk? Let us know how you got on, in the comments below.
This used to be a regular outing when my boys were little. They used to love exploring all the pathways, nooks & crannies. Then a visit to see the police horses that used to be stabled there followed by lunch in the cafe, which then, in the 1980s was run by an elderly Chines couple, it was the highlight of the visit for the boys to see the man adding up the bill on an abacus!
Lovely memories, it’s not often you see an abacus in use. Thanks for sharing.