This site is made up of two relatively distinct areas, Riverview Walk and The Old Park. The Pool River, a tributary of the Ravensbourne, flows through both of these and, unlike many of London’s rivers, remains above ground for most of its length. Riverview Walk is largely the result of habitat creation, and was set up to compensate for loss of the adjacent former Bell Green Gas Works site, replaced in the early 1990s by Savacentre. Riverview Walk also has a sizeable pond at its northern end, although this is now becoming rather overgrown by trees.The Old Park lies downstream from Riverview Walk and here the Pool River flows in a more natural landscape.The railsides between Catford Bridge and Lower Sydenham stations, and south of Catford station, add to this site and are easily seen from both the park and from trains.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Pool River Linear Park
Borough: Lewisham
Grade: Borough Grade I
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 16.7 ha
Description
Wildlife
The River Pool in Riverview Walk has purpose-built planters covered in a tangle of introduced and self-established plant species, including yellow day-lily, reed canary-grass, yellow iris, water-cress, pendulous sedge, reed sweet-grass and great willowherb. Shrubberies of largely exotic species have been established at the riversides. Between these and the riverbank, grassland has been planted with a good range of wildflowers. Some species have colonised naturally, including great horsetail, which is scarce in London. Butterflies and grasshoppers are abundant in these areas. The pond is enclosed by dense bankside vegetation, including lesser reedmace, yellow iris and hard rush. Common fleabane is frequent. Various willows and alder overhang the pond.In the Old Park, wetland plants such as hemlock water-dropwort, fool's-watercress, great willowherb and Indian balsam grow along the water's edge. Moorhens and mallards nest here. Woodland of crack willow, white willow, alder ash and sycamore overhang sections of the riverbank. Less wooded areas are clothed with dense bramble, common nettle and Japanese knotweed. Many birds familiar in parks and gardens can be found here including chiffchaff and blackcap. Rough grassland on the eastern bank supports a variety of wildflowers, such as oxeye daisy, hawkweed oxtongue, wild carrot, ribwort plantain, bittersweet, common ragwort, and yarrow. This area is very attractive to butterflies including meadow brown, speckled wood and common blue as well as small, large and Essex skippers. Grasshoppers and crickets are abundant including the Roesel's bush-cricket. At least three species of bats have been observed here - Daubenton's bat, and both common and soprano pipistrelles.Facilities
Information; cycle paths; waymarked walking route.
No photo yet available for this site
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