Hey! This week I’ve newly discovered Brookmill Park in Deptford (despite it being about ten minutes from my house!) It’s one of those hidden gems that you could easily walk past without noticing. Located somewhere in the nether between Lewisham and Deptford, you reach it if you follow the DLR line on foot towards Lewisham from Deptford Bridge station. The line runs directly along the edge of the whole park, which is very long and quite thin- the reason for this is that it used to be the reservoir that supplied Deptford and Greenwich with drinking water; in the 1920s it was filled in and turned into a park.
Alongside the DLR runs Deptford Creek (along which you can do Low Tide Walks, run by the Creekside Discovery Centre; these encourage knowledge of the history and wildlife of Deptford Creek and the River Ravensbourne).
As well as a footpath that snakes alongside the creek all the way down the park, there’s also a lake in the middle of the park which serves as a nesting ground for moorhens (there were a lot of them about, although sadly I didn’t see any chicks). Kingfishers and grey herons are also commonly sighted apparently!
Although Brookmill Park isn’t such a great starting point for a long walk as the previous instalments have been, it’s a gorgeous place to sit amongst the trees for a bit (as well as having a rare wildlife-endowed body of water!) However the path that runs through the park is part of the Waterlink Way, a cycle path that runs throughout Lewisham and Bromley.
As well as having places to lose yourself in what could easily be countryside, it’s always great to have nearby and accessible escape routes from the city too- although the closeness of the DLR is a fairly regular reminder of where you are, it’s good to remember you don’t have to go too far to see some greenery.
Rhi x
