pissarro's london

When the weather's a bit iffy and you don't fancy getting wet but have to walk, it makes sense to head to the nearest woods don't you think? The trouble with living in London is that, while there are plenty of fantastic parks to stroll around, its not exactly known for woodland.

Aah, but look where we found over the weekend ...

This wooded area could easily be missed because it's just a narrow and unassuming entrance off a very busy main road called Lordship Lane in Dulwich, SE London. However, once inside it would be so easy to forget that you were in the Country's largest city.

Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Woods is one of the closest ancient woods to central London and is the largest remnant of the historic Great North Wood. It is home to a wide variety of birds, butterflies and other insects, and also several types of wild flower, moss and fungi. Bats are also encouraged to breed here, although this particular box was inhabited by blue tits!

Oak and Hornbeam are the dominant trees which is a sign of the wood's ancient origins. Apparently Hornbeam was used by the charcoal-making industry in the area, which provided fuel for London until the 1780s. Its hard wood was also used for machinery and tools and is still used today for chopping boards.

In the middle of the woods is the remains of a folly that was built in a Victorian garden as a talking point for visitors.

But not only is the Sydenham Hill part of it a nature reserve, (the Dulwich part is owned by the prosperous Dulwich Estates), the woods are also steeped in a very different sort of history.

There was once a railway station at Lordship Lane and a certain French impressionist, Camille Pissarro, used to stand at this very footbridge ...

and did an extremely fine and famous painting ...

{Lordship Lane Station, 1871}

Sadly the station is no longer but take a look at how its disused railway track looks today ...

It's hard to believe isn't it? But one thing's for sure. I bet Pissarro didn't do this in between brush strokes ...

Pissarro lived for a time in nearby Crystal Palace and painted some beautiful paintings of not only CP but the surrounding areas too. You can see some of those paintings here, here and here.

I hope you're enjoying the Bank Holiday.

Kate x