A Natural Section of the River Ravensbourne as it passes through Ladywell Fields, Lewisham
The park, which consists of three adjoining fields, extends to 22 hectares and follows the course of the River Ravensbourne. It includes a wide range of recreation facilities, including play areas, skate park and ball courts, bowling green and football pitch. There is a café on site, and the park is part of the Waterlink Way cycling and walking route that extends from the River Thames at Creekside, Deptford to Sydenham. There are a variety of mature trees on the site, including field maple, hybrid black poplar and also a rare surviving Flanders elm on the river bank, ( there is a contradictory Wiki page that says that the tree is misidentified and is actually a European White Elm Ulmus laevis ) which bears a Great Trees of London plaque, denoting trees considered of importance to the capital. The northern part of the park features a small nature reserve. The original park design featured riverside plantings and rustic bridges over the Ravensbourne. Since the land was originally water meadows, and therefore liable to flooding, extensive work was done prior to the park’s opening and, over time, the river channel was straightened, widened and weirs added. The River Ravensbourne is the major natural feature of the park's three fields, but previous work to reduce flooding had affected its aesthetic, recreational and environmental value. There were substantial works in 2007/8 in the northern field to divert the river into its centre and create an area for river dipping and paddling. A major £2m project two years later was funded by the London Development Agency and won ‘best new public space’ in the London Planning Awards , which was undertaken by BDP and East Architecture, included redesigned footpaths, river viewing platforms, an orchard and meadows. The river channel was modified to create a more naturalistic setting incorporating backwaters, wetlands and riverside tree planting all designed to create more sustainable drainage and reduce flooding.
Size: 4064px × 2704px
Location: Ladywell Fields, Lewisham, London
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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