The Unexpected Beauty of Croydon

A tram at Waddon Marsh on Purley Way It's not a bus, it's not a train... it's a tram! Since 2000, trams have been a key part of transport in Croydon and along the routes to Beckenham, Elmers End, New Addington and Wimbledon. You can read about the history of the Croydon tram system on Wikipedia . It opened in 2000 after literally decades of planning. Part of it runs on former railway lines, while other parts run on or parallel to roads.  I use trams often, as they're fast and direct. The "hopper" fare means you can combine trams and buses in the same journey. I'm going to write about what there is to see around some of the tram stops, beginning with Addington Village Interchange. Addington Village Interchange doesn't seem particularly remarkable at first glance. It's a tram stop and a small bus station with fields on one side and a busy dual carriageway on the other. Ideal if you want to switch between buses or between bus and tram.  Two male pheas...

One of Croydon's most beautiful parks year-round, Heathfield is especially vibrant in springtime. The house is surrounded by ornamental gardens, water features and woodland. Heathfield House was owned by Raymond Riesco until 1964 and is now used as a training centre by Croydon Council.  I saw some bumblebees at Heathfield on Christmas Day 2020 Already, there are daffodils, crocuses and irises coming through in the gardens. In just a few weeks, spring will be in full swing. I wrote this post based on memories and photographs of previous springtime visits to this little patch of paradise in Croydon. There is a round pond near the house which appears quite barren in the winter but it supports dragonflies, damselflies, frogspawn and visiting ducks in the spring and summer.  In front of the house there are grass terraces with flowerbeds and a rose garden, with views over fields down Gravel Hill towards New Addington. Horses from the neighbouring farm are often found in the fields, ...