http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/open...fault.aspx

The council are doing some work to it and it feels far nicer than it did a year ago. The stretch behind Bell Green Sainsburys is (the odd trolley aside) looking good but the real improvement is nearer the Catford end. The river has had the verges cut back, smartened up and they're re routing the river to create some pools and more wetland area. The branches and perches in the river have also led to sightings of resident Kingfishers a neighbour tells me.

Worth a stroll. There are some pretty industrial bits either side of this stretch but the parts by Ladywell, Beckenham and eventually the far side of a Lewisham, near Greenwich, get really nice (when the weather improves and you fancy a bike ride)...

This post was last modified: 18-02-2014 12:38 AM by SeanThomas.

It is a lovely walk (when the weather is nice).

And there is a chance to make it even nicer - every Wednesday 10am-3pm. http://www.projectdirt.com/apps/event/23493

Great place for blackberry picking in the autumn too.

We were planning to go to the country one weekend last summer, but the car broke down, so we decided to walk the Pool from Ladywell to Greenwich in time for a late lunch and returned via Blackheath (and wimped out and got the bus the last bit from Lewisham!) It was a lovely day and a good time - and some exercise, especially by the glued-to-gaming-consoles early teen male - was had by all.

We've also previously done the Bell Green to Catford stretch, so when the weather is next nice and we're at a loose end, I plan to try to get everyone out to explore the southerly end of the route.

It is indeed great for brambling and there are also some Warwick Plum trees growing down by the railway track on the stretch between Bell Green and Lower Sydenham (not the prettiest stretch of the route it has to be said...).

I've seen kingfishers and herons on our walks on the Bell Green to ladywell stretch - so the river is clearly in good health! we've yet to do the ladywell to Greenwich bit so that may be walk/bike ride for a sunny Spring weekend.

it is a lovely cycle ride.
I'm not sure that eating the blackberries growing on the old contaminated gasworks site is such a good idea though.

The circular ramp over the railway at the catford athletics stadium is functionally exactly the kind of structure we need to replace the german bridge.

Agreed re the bridge Perryman - a circular ramp at the German bridge would be ideal. As for the blackberries - I've been brambling along the Ravenbourne/Pool for the last 10 years or so - not dead yet...

Mind you, I think we need to keep quiet about the jewel that is the Waterlink Way - it's generally underused I think and I rather like it that way...

I know my husband regularly sees kingfishers down there. Then he always tuts because someone's dog invariably goes for a swim and scares everything off

Its also great for spotting butterflies. The stretch on the east side of the river from the bridge behind sainsburys to the next river crossing is particularly good - lots of plants to attract them. An excellent example of good management of green space.