Read some reviews before going, and found that most were correct…read more Not to sure were the people posting 28/11/2008 went, but there are NO steps anywhere in the Chislehurst Caves. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and found it exciting and full of information. We also had a lovely meal at the Cafe' pretty reasonably priced as well. Best part I think was it is nice and cold down there. would definitely recommend a visit. Q

We called their number to confirm they were open. According to their answering machine, they're…read moreopen 7 days a week. After paying 48 pounds round trip for 6 of us, we got there to find out THEY ARE CLOSED on Mon and Tues. How about updating your phone message? And someone owes me 48 pounds

Where to begin... do I start with the fact that all the while you are here you are still in south…read moreLondon or do I start with if you just want a bit of tranquillity and don't want to drive for miles this is the place to go. Either one is a good starting point as both are true. The park covers 125 acres 50.59 hectares, yes I did look that fact up but it goes to show how big an area it covers. There are many dog walkers in the park and you can see why as loads of space for the dogs to run around and do what dogs do. Not sure how much picking up of dog mess happens but there are bins a plentiful for them to use. Within the park you will find wet land and a lake area which has seating around it so you can sit and while away some time, although no fishing is allowed... From the top of the hill/viewing mound you get a great view of the extent of the park and also some of the high rises in the distance which remind you that you are in London still. There is a children's play ground (that was undergoing some renovations) wild flower meadows, I understand there is a visitors centre but I think it is for school groups (I could be wrong). I'll finish with the surprising part which is that they have a pitch and putt area for those of you who like a bit of golf but you would need to check the opening hours by contacting the council. Enjoy

you can almost forget that you are in South East London... home to Lake Conan, lovely walks - calm…read more& quiet with a great kids playground... so lucky to have this space in London... It is like being in the countryside - and you can get there by tram which is always exciting!

Norman Park hosted the big Bromley fireworks this year along with an enormous fun fair and bonfire…read more The event seemed well-run and safety personnel were present and visible. I'd like to return during the day as it seemed like a great flat space with a paved area that would be perfect for roller skating. Easily accessible from a few sides, not too muddy, lit well enough at night that it wasn't dangerous. It's not one of those beautifully tended, landscaped parks, but a good one for athletics.

It's a bit of a dull park really - just a big open circle of green - but it's quite a useful space…read morefor active people in the area. There are always people kicking around a football or football games going on at the weekends; or young athletes doing track practice; or joggers doing laps of the track. It's also a great place for dog walkers and there's a good community feel to this, as fellow dog walkers will always say hello to each other, which is quite nice! It's big enough to let dogs off the lead and let them run around and play with the other dogs - far enough away from any main roads. There are also the woods attaching onto Norman Park which you can venture off into. They usually have a really good fireworks display here each year too.

There are many parks in Bromley but this is by far my favourite. Whereas they are all well-kept,…read morethis is the most natural and, wandering through the woods and into sun drenched openings, it feels like you're in the midst of the Kentish countryside. Guided walks are organised here so you can find out all about the wildlife around and spend some time enjoying a walk with other people. In the summer, it's the ideal location for a romantic picnic and I've never seen it over-crowded which is the most positive aspect.

What a park! It's huge, it's well maintained, it has…read moredinosaurs, it has sphinxes, it has a hedge maze, it has a farm and petting zoo, it has a sports centre and a café and a museum, it has everything you could want from a park! A day out at this gorgeous park is bound to be fun and exciting. I'd suggest starting with the Dinosaur lake which features huge stone dinos, complete with information panels to tell you more about them. From there you can work your way through the park, visit the hedge maze that's not too big but lots of fun to find your way through, maybe race your friends to see who's faster. Visit the ruins of the old crystal palace and the sphinxes, get a scoop of fresh ice cream at the café, or sprint along all the lovely paths leading through the park. Definitely not to be missed!

Crystal Palace Park is awesome. I don't know anywhere else in London that you'll find giant stone…read moredinosaurs, Sphinx, an outdoor concert space, a farm and a maze all in one place! It's a fine place to go for a run to get in shape, and an even better place to spend summer afternoons eating ice cream.

Mostly a giant open grassy field, but there's also a small garden, a jungle gym, and trees that you…read morecan climb on.

Queen's Gardens is a very pleasant green oasis adjacent to the Town Hall in Croydon, and just a few…read moreminutes' walk from the busy shopping centre. It is popular with office workers, and for wedding photographs for those undertaking Civil Ceremonies in the Town Hall, but not that well known to many of the visiting shoppers, who never stray this far. It is a mix of lawns, formal borders and a more informal sunken garden, complete with palms. It has an interesting history: the 'sunken' gardens to the north of the site were formed from the railway cutting which led to the former Croydon Central railway station. During the early days of the railways, the two current stations, West Croydon and East Croydon were built by the London and Croydon Railway (1839) and the London and Brighton Railway (1841) respectively, but the townspeople felt neither station was conveniently sited for the town centre. This pressure led to the authorisation in 1864 of a short branch line from East Croydon station to a new station on the site of the present Town Hall, which duly opened as Croydon Central station in 1868. It was a spacious two-platform terminus, handsomely provided with an Italianate station building in brick. Alas, with a meagre service of just 12 trains a day, passengers found it easier to use the other two stations, and the service ceased in 1871. After pressure from the Council, a service was reinstated in 1886, (this time as 'Central Croydon') but this too lasted only until 1890, when the station closed for good. But one advantage of the legacy was that it provided a large, consolidated site for redevelopment. The Council used this opportunity to build the original Town Hall, Courts, a Police Station and Public Library. The sunken garden was constructed in the cutting and opened in 1896. In 1968, the lawns facing Taberner House were laid out, which at that time remained separated from the sunken gardens by Mint Walk and the Victorian Police Station. The Police Station was demolished in 1980, and the two sections of garden joined together as we see them now. They were opened by the Queen on 21st June 1983.

I was so pleased to discover this small area with urban gardens right in the heart of Croydon…read more Opened by the Queen in 1983 it has blossomed ever since. At one of the weddings I attended, we came down here for photo shoots. With the vast array of beautiful flowers amidst a beautiul fountain, this garden truly represents what tranquility and serenity one can find in the open. As I sat on the bench, I imagined myself coming down there again, to bask in the lovely sunshine and soak in the pleasant scents of the colourful flowers overlooking me. It even gets more attractive because there are a bit more private areas the next level below, like (its like a one storey plan) and you can enjoy a lovely novel in the more shaded areas or for those serenaders, its a nice place too. You cannot miss it. It's just right across the Registry.

Your review helps others learn about great local businesses…read more This park consists of 37 acres of open space which make up the Chislehurst and Walden Recreation Grounds. There are two fields linked by a walk through Whyte's Wood with its many birds, flora and fauna and even a trunk carved by Will Lee of some bears. Further woodlands and undeveloped open space stretch on from Walden Rec. During the winter when the trees have no leaves you can see Canary Wharf from the top of the hill. A Green Chain Walk runs through this park, linking the recreation grounds to an extensive network of footpaths. Chislehurst Recreation as it is known, is home to Elmstead Football Club (new grass and layout 2013) and the Chislehurst Lawn Tennis Club. Both clubs cater for all ages and run coaching sessions for children. You can also find the Chislehurst Invicta Scout Group in the grounds on the site of where the old playground used to be. The new playground area, was opened in May 2011. There is play things for all ages abilities. You can find a zip wire here, swings, slides, climbing train, etc. There is plenty of space to have picnics in the area and those wanting to sit in the shade, a circular bench surrounds a large oak tree. The play area is a dog-free zone as is fenced off. Events take place throughout the year such as Fireworks Night (fee) and Chislehurst Rocks (which is free) Chislehurst Rocks was held on September 6th 2014. Keep an eye on our events page for the date of next years free music festival. This park can be accessed from Walden Road, Empress Drive and the High Street. Limited on-street parking is available in Walden Road and Empress Drive. However this park is a short walk from the main High Street car park. The Library car park is even easier as it has a footpath leading directly into the park. Parking in both car parks is free after 6.30pm and on Sundays. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees.

When I think of Coombe Wood I think of the times I visited as a young boy with my parents…read more We would go there in the old days when there used to be an old Chinese couple there. The old man furiously calculated everything with an abacus. The enclosed courtyard outside was all a bit gloomy at that time and I remeber the walls having been grown over with ivy and other plants , that partialy covered a massive square tank suspended at the top of the wall. Of which may or may not have at one time have contained water or even oil for heating. Years ago the Park wardens stabled their horses on the site in Stables that were purpose build. They are now store rooms I would guess , along the arcade leading up to the on site Cafe. The cafe there changed hands on and off , and laterly was known as the Pond Cafe and then at this present moment in time called the Coach House Cafe. Croydon council appear to have had their hand in the Coombe Wood cafe. Prices of food are reasonable to just into the short of slightly steep. The Cafe seems to have become the victim of it's own popularity in more recent years. There is still only one till and customers tend to backlog into a short que , waiting to order coffee , cakes or food. Also it seems that the boss himself spends most of his time behind the till itself , which frankly in my mind is unheard of. Tables are often reserved but empty and tables that are used are often not cleared away any where near fast enough , to make room for next prospective customers to sit down to eat. Despite that , food and drink is of V good level. . . Little has changed in recent years as far as the gardens are concerned. Coombe Gardens seems to be the same old familiar , which is good for people to remanisce , but the future has yet to impact on the site. The quality of planting in the rockery by the pond in recent years seems to have seen some improvement , which is good. The small cottage by the rockery now has something to do with the BTCV ( conservation group ) . I recently took a walk around pretty much the whole of the site with my cousin . Walking up and down the anchient pebbles that once used to be an anchient seabed in millenia gone by. Pine trees , Larch , Birch, Beech and a group of Sweet chestnuts nestling in one of the small valleys on the Coombe Wood site , might be worth a look each year around Late October and Early November. I also noticed leaves from ornimental japanese maples in the lower woodlands at the end of the formal borders. I had not realised these were there. If I had been there on previous visits in my youth , I had missed them or not been there at the time of year when they had been if change of colour. I noticed that in parts of the Coombe Wood site that area's of Rhodedendron had been cut down to encourage new rejuvination of future more compact flowering bushes. At the far end of the Coombe Wood site I noticed that at the other side of the fence. That Rhodedendrons were running rampant and were huge and unmanaged. And very little lives under the canopy of dense Rhodie growth. Personaly I can recomend visiting the site in winter months after several nights of frost that has'nt entirely melted. If frost is lingering on your neighbours roof in Croydon and is added to the next night/morning for a few days. Rush off down to Coombe Wood to see the many millions of Ice Crystals that cover the rockery , shrubs , formal borders, outhouse roofs and Rose gardens. Due to The topography of the site and the low posistion of the sun in winter months. The site is a bit of a frost pocket. So take your kids and a Macro Lens camera and show the lttle ones the beatiful seasonal show of shiny clear bar like growth crystals , or sometimes white Dog tooth shaped formations. The crystals depend on the moisture in the air , atmospheric conditions and the severity of the cold. For me 2001 was a good year. I also visited again in 2007 and now 2012. Also if you can catch the frost covering everything and the light right in the rose garden , the sun shines colour through the old fashioned Pampas grasses. Also if your lucky you might see one of the nearby houses many Black cats. I saw one the other day and he was glancingly friendly. . . Regds Jonathan Moore - Ex Postie rider Jon . expostieriderjon@yahoo.co.uk

I absolutely love Coombe Wood, but the cafe is disappointing. I ordered a piece of cake there…read morerecently, and it was barely edible.