Days Out: Beckenham Place Park
We have been making our way around all of the parks in SE London recently including Beckenham Place Park.
For families with young kids, neighborhood parks are godsent for playdates and meet-ups without imposing on one family to play host. Because we all have been there and done that — you know when playdates turn disastrous. The kid(s) have a meltdown, make havoc with all the toys, or cry in a hyperventilating tantrum. What was meant to be an enjoyable afternoon for parents and kids was anything… but fun.
To the rescue: parks, parks, and more parks. Recently, we met up with our Bromley-based friends and their two kids in the beautiful Beckenham Place Park. Their son was born a week before Lady Yeya and they welcomed a new daughter earlier this year. With the easing of the lockdown, we decided to meet at a half-way point in Beckenham Place Park.
An Expansive Park with a Restored Swimming Lake
With 237 acres of green space and ancient woodlands, Beckenham Place Park is Lewisham Borough’s largest park. It was previously an 18 hole golf course but it closed its doors in 2016. Lewisham Council then transformed this former golf course to a recreational park with miles and miles of wooded pathways. It is a nature lover’s haven thanks to the diversity of flora and fauna, wooded wetland areas, nature reserves, and wildflower meadows.
In 2019, Beckenham Place Park restored a new 285-metre long wild swimming lake in the northwest quadrant of the park. The new swimming lake attracted so many visitors during the opening weekend that they had to temporarily close and change to a ticketing system for crowd control.
Other refurbished facilities include an amazing wooden children’s playground and sensory garden. Lady Yeya loved the playground, alternating between the fast-spinning roundabout, (aka merry-go-round), swings and wooden play structures. Additionally, the new Homestead Cafe located near the children’s playground serves craft beers, pizzas and ice cream, perfect for when the kiddos get hungry. We had an impromptu picnic, grabbing a few pizzas and drinks from Homestead Cafe.
The newly renovated Grade II-listed Palladian-style Beckenham Place Park Mansion has a new cafe, basement bar and community events space for yoga classes and vintage markets. Being a former golf course with the undulated slopes makes for an ideal place to host outdoor cinemas or outdoor concerts.
Overall a lovely secret gem in the corner of Lewisham for nature lovers, dog walkers, swimmers, and families with young children.
Nearest Stations: Beckenham Hill station for north entrance to the children’s playground, wild swimming lake, Homestead Cafe, and Beckenham Place Park Mansion. South entrance from Ravensbourne station for woodland areas and dog walking fields.
