Green Open Spaces
This part of Zone 2 definitely doesn’t feel like a concrete jungle. Deptford has an abundance of green open spaces right on your doorstep. The Timberyard is surrounded by 28 acres of park space for you to enjoy - and at the heart of your riverside home is the new Waterline Linear Park that follows the historic route to the Grand Surrey Canal.
Step out of your city pad and you’ll find community parks and historic green spaces in minutes. You’re never far from a piece of parkland where you can go for a walk, a run, or simply sit back and relax with a takeout coffee and a good book.
Deptford Park is loved by locals and visitors, but the jewel in the crown has to be nearby Greenwich park, which is easy to get to from Deptford along designated cycle routes. Or hop on a train and be there in two minutes.
At just nine acres, this park may be small but it’s an urban oasis with lots to offer and is enjoyed by the whole community. Formerly known as Ravensbourne Park, the Ravensbourne river runs through it and there’s a nature reserve, small lake, and plenty of picnic spots to enjoy with friends on sunny days. While you’re there, look out for the faded Banksy mural.
BROOKMILL ROAD SE8 4JJ
www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/Pages/brookmill-park.aspx
As one of the biggest and oldest parks in the area, it’s the perfect spot for a weekend walk or gentle run and it’s just a stone’s throw from The Timberyard. If you’re feeling more energetic, there’s a football pitch you can use, or just have a moment to yourself in the great outdoors.
EVELYN STREET SE8 5AE
www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/Pages/deptford-park.aspx
If you want to get your hands dirty and learn about the wildlife that lives in and around Deptford, head down to the Creekside Discovery Centre. With direct access to sludgy Deptford Creek, you can wade through at low tide when almost a kilometre of riverbed is exposed, and get up close and personal with the wildlife that call it home, including shrimps, crabs, fish, birds and many species of wildflower.
14 CREEKSIDE SE8 4SA
One of the largest green spaces in south-east London and a haven for wildlife, Greenwich Park is just a short journey from The Timberyard. Home to formal gardens, sporting activities and historic monuments, it’s a great place for a proper walk. Head up to the top of the park and be rewarded with breathtaking views across the city – you won’t be disappointed.
PARK ROW, GREENWICH SE10 8XJ
www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park
Once the site of the Elizabethan mansion of 17th century diarist, John Sayes, today the grounds house a community park with a children’s play area. The property is long gone, but it’s a slice of Deptford’s history that’s well worth a visit. The park is just a stone’s throw from the Thames, so if you’re feeling like a riverside stroll, you can take detour to the water on your way.
SAYES COURT STREET SE8
www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/Pages/sayes-court.aspx
Awarded “Best New Urban Space” at the London Planning Awards in 2012, the park is named after New Yorker Margaret McMillan. She moved to Deptford with her sister and became a pioneer of nursery education. Perhaps her most noted role in London life was as a lobbyist for the 1906 Provision of School Meals Act. With a children’s play area, picnic benches and space to relax away from the buzzing high street, it’s a little pocket of green to be enjoyed by locals and visitors.
ACCESS FROM DOUGLAS WAY, WATSON’S STREET AND GLENVILLE GROVE, DEPTFORD
www.lewisham.gov.uk/inmyarea/openspaces/parks/Pages/margaret-mcmillan-park.aspx
