I felt reasonably OK, and I couldn't ignore another warm sunny day. I just had to go out for a walk. After some thought I opted to explore The South Norwood Country Park. Much of it covers what used to be a huge Victorian sewage works. It was also used to dump rubble from wartime bombing in Croydon. That rubble now forms quite a big hill in what was once essentially flat ground !

  To get to the Country Park meant taking a train to Elmers End station - 4 stops down the line from Catford Bridge, and about 9 minutes travel time. Having arrived there it was a case of exploring virgin territory - almost. I started out along a footpath I had last walked in the days when the rail line from Elmers End to Addiscombe was in operation prior to it's closure in 1993 when some of it was used for the Croydon Tramlink.

  I decided on this occasion, for simplicity, I would walk around the periphery of the place - or close to it following practical tracks and paths. The entire walk was about 2.5 miles, but I could add the slightly more than quarter mile from home to Catford Bridge station, and a rather longer distance home via the shops. The latter possibly a tiny but more than half a mile. Without too much nit picking, I think I walked a good three miles yesterday, and that is good enough for a bit of exercise. At some time in the future, possibly even today, I intend to explore some of the interior of the park, but I think I might have an alternative idea for today.



  I was quite surprised to see this sign at the start of the footpath I initially followed. I was amazed it was still there considering all the screws are missing - presumably because someone wanted it as a souvenir. Note it says "Borough Of Beckenham". That has now been sucked into Croydon Council, and that may explain something..
  The footpath I was following was quite narrow, and thick bushes and trees shielded any wide views of the park. Once I got near to Arena station on the Tramlink system I was able to get a big wide view of the park. This bit is like a huge lawn (albeit with rather brown grass as it waits for some rain). Other areas are left to grow wild as a nature reserve.
  At one Tram Crossing - completely open with no barriers - I noticed these signs. London Bike Network 21 runs through the park. It also shows the Waterlink Way logo. According to the Sustrans website the Waterlink Way officially starts in Beckenham, just outside Cator Park - from where I walked it back to Catford at the weekend. As far as I can guess, this is an honorary part of the Waterlink Way because of bike network route 21...or something like that. The important thing is that I have walked the official route, and don't need to try and work out where this extra bit comes from and goes to.
  At first this sign confused me. I already knew I was in the country park, and had been for quite some time. Then I realised that it was probably just to label the area of the nature reserve, but then I found another sign that suggested that the man who designated where signs should be had a screw loose !
  This situation brings up some strange possibilities. I think there is another entrance at the other end of Norwood Cemetery, but using this one means crossing the tram tracks. I presume if a typically very slow moving funeral procession is crossing the tracks when a tram arrives, then the tram driver just has to sit there twiddling his thumbs under the procession has passed. It is a good thing that trams run more or less under bus rules - particularly when they share the road with other road users in the centre of Croydon.
  One approach to the cemetery gates crossing is around this curve. It is probably a good thing that trams have special brakes that can stop them far faster than a typical train.
  Maybe I lack imagination and/or I am too logical, but I would have thought the best place for this sign would be by any, or preferably all the entrances. It is not quite in the middle of the park, but sort of near it. It would be OK if there were maps by the entrances to tell you where the map is that shows what is in the country park. This can only be the result of someone in Croydon Council being a little weird !
  This seemed slightly sinister, but there could be a very simple, albeit unpleasant explanation. One thought is that something has happened that has exposed some remnant of the old sewage farm. Another thought, based on the fact that this path almost certainly leads to a viewing platform beside the lake. The chances are that the viewing platform is just sinking under the weight of accumulated duck and geese poo !