Riverview Walk

Unlike many of London’s rivers, the Pool remains above ground for most of its length. The section of river flows through a very attractive linear park from Southend Lane to Catford Hill.

Riverside habitats include woodland and some of the best neutral grassland in the borough. The adjacent rail sides provide additional habitat, and are included within the site.

It is a good place for birdwatching at any time of year, and one of very few sites in Lewisham where five species of warblers can be seen or heard.

Access

There is free public access to the old linear park at all times, and to Riverview Walk during daylight hours.

Riverview Walk

Riverview Walk, around the diverted river, was intended to mitigate the loss of nature conservation interest on the gas works site. The river despite it’s concrete channel varies considerably in depth with pools riffles, boulders and even a small weir. 

About 300 metres south of the limit of the linear park at Catford Hill, the River Ravensbourne emerges from beneath the railway to the east, and the Pool passes over a small weir and beneath a footbridge to meet it.

The combined rivers continue (as the Ravensbourne) through a strip of woodland of willows and sycamore, with a dense growth of nettles below. The path continues through the woodland and emerges into rather more formal parkland just before Catford Road.

Cycle path

Between the river and the railway an informal path and a wide tarmac cycleway running parallel through an extensive area of rough grassland with scattered scrub of bramble and hawthorn.