An Autumnal Walk in the Woods
Don’t you just love places that have a hint of what used to be before? Places that show us how life used to be, places where little secrets of a bygone era can be uncovered?
There’s a little woodland walk near to us that forms part of a disused railway. It’s called the Sydenham Hill Cox’s Walk and you can follow the trackbed up to a disused tunnel, now used as a roost by bats. It’s a beautiful wood that the children like to use for making dens and running down hills! I’d love it if you could see the disused railway track but sadly the soil has covered it up over the years. I always find train track photos so intriguing, they tell a little story but sadly there aren’t any here. But there is the old railway bridge and if you stand on it, you can picture the Victorian railway track beneath and Elle and I imagined all the fancy Victorian families from the upper classes that must have used the station, dressed in all their finery.
The woodland is a great spot for families because it’s a manageable sized walk for little ones that is perfect for a bit of exploring and dusting off the Autumn cobwebs.
We visited this Sunday after all the children became grumpy and were fed up of mooching after a hectic Saturday with Elle’s dancing, children’s parties and visitors. You know you’re really a family when you’re weekend are about ferrying the children around to various different activities. Despite a chilly wind, it was still sunny and we had a lovely adventure in amongst the Pine trees, fir trees and golden ferns. Is it me, or does everything seem particularly spectacular this Autumn? I think the Autumn colours have been all the more magical this year. Fin spent his time climbing trees and attempting to get into the slightly spooky railway tunnel which has now been graffited over (just to remind you that you are still in London rather than the countryside). Rather than this looking out of place, the graffited tunnel has a strangely endearing look about it, although I didn’t like hanging around there too much and wouldn’t want to be near in the dark!
Sadly, the rain set in just as we were heading back to the car otherwise I think we would have stayed as the Autumnal sun began to set and reflected all the beautiful Autumnal colours over the wood. I’m looking forward to the children getting a little older and being able to walk a little further and then all the wonderful woodland adventures we will have!
If you love spending time in the woods – check out our favourite games to play in the woods!
