The Stave Hill Ecology Park (6 acres) and the adjoining Russia Docks Woodlands (36 acres) were created in the former Surrey Commercial Docks after the docks closed in the 1970s.
The history of the area
This marshy area alongside the Thames has been the site of docks in one form or another from 1696 to 1969. The first dock dug out in the area was the Howland Great Wet Dock, at the end of the 17C. This dock sheltered ships waiting to enter the docks upstream. Later it was renamed the Greenland Docks and remains a dock today, next to the Park and Woodlands.
Entrances to the Park
There are several entrances into the Park, one of which is up Dock Hill Avenue to Stave Hill which looks rather like an ancient burial mound and from which there are wonderful views over the woods, Canary Wharf, and towards the City. The Hill was built with rubble when the Albion Channel was dug. The Channel connected the Surrey Water with Canada Water, both the remains of docks. Both these expanses of water are today, calm, peaceful and teeming with wildlife.
Walking in the Park
The Stave Hill Ecology Park is a calm and restful nature reserve in which to wander. The trees grow thickly, but there are also grassy dells and a long meadow. There is no traffic noise and the birds surround you with a variety of songs; if you look up you will see bird boxes pinned to the tree trunks everywhere. Dead hedges and piles of logs cater for the beetles, bugs, and hedgehogs, and I am sure there will be resident foxes. It is a good place to refresh the spirit.
Conservation work and ideas for environmentally friendly fencing and wildlife protection are everywhere.
The flowers are just gorgeous at this time of the year! And the bees are absolutely frenetic!
Do visit on 17 and 18 June during Open Garden Squares Weekend, but also at any other time of the year. There is no charge and the woods and open spaces take you far out of London, into a peaceful countryside. It refreshes the spirit and you are able to return to the nervous energy of London.
Further information
The Docklands Nature Reserves
A Short HIstory of the Surrey Commercial Docks
My team helped start a meadow in the park by moving tonnes of earth for a team volunteering day in the community. Does anyone have any photos of what it looks like now please?
Thank you for visiting, and how interesting that you should be involved from the beginning. I posted this three years ago, and could visit again and take photographs. Could you tell me exactly what you would like to see?