Chestnut Avenue and Pond
Image credit: Willie Robertson
This attractive channel of trees is found along the south-west edge of Foots Cray Meadows, parallel to Rectory Lane, Sidcup.
The trees are a mixture of veterans, such as the one pictured below, and younger ones, presenting a wonderful walkway to stroll up towards the pond, also pictured below. The corridor of trees is enhanced in springtime by lines of daffodils.
The area of grassland opposite the Rectory Lane side was at one point used for gymkhanas and other horse show events, with such days proving spectators and riders with a festival atmosphere.
Credit: Willie Robertson
Foots Note
Woodland Trust states that a sweet chestnut will be considered ‘ancient’ from 400 years onwards while a ‘veteran’ tree will be 150 to 300 years old with a ‘notable’ one just 100 to 200 years old.