Tag Archives: Farthing Downs

Downland summer 10kms, Coulsdon, May 25, Jun 29, Jul 27

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Area of outstanding natural beauty could include… Croydon

Proposals are out for consultation to extend the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by almost 25,000 acres – and include Happy Valley and Farthing Downs in Croydon. AONBs represent some of England’s most treasured landscapes, whose unique qualities … Continue reading

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Riddlesdown goat dies after vicious attack by off-lead dog

Just a few weeks after the City Commons rangers released a flock of six goats to graze the rocky quarry at Riddlesdown, one of the animals has had to be put to sleep by vets, after it had been savaged … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Croydon parks, Environment, Kenley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown, Walks, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Arrival of wheatears and whinchats mark the end of the summer

The weather has turned. And the City Commons Rangers have begun to notice the difference in the wild birds arriving on Farthing Downs, and noted in their latest newsletter. September signifies a change in birdlife with many species on the … Continue reading

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Magnificent seven: City Commons celebrate Green Flag awards

Coulsdon Common, Kenley Common, Farthing Downs and Riddlesdown are among seven open space areas in and around Croydon that are managed by the City of London Corporation and which have won Green Flag status again this year. The City Commons … Continue reading

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Happy Valley Wild Flower Walk, Farthing Downs, Jun 26

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Spring Bird Walk, Farthing Downs and Happy Valley, Jun 12

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Downs friends’ appeal for memorial to volunteer Gill Peachey

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MP backs call to extend Surrey Hills beauty area into Croydon

A Croydon MP says that residents have a “fantastic opportunity” to take part in a public consultation which could see parts of his constituency, such as Farthing Downs and Happy Valley, Coulsdon Common and Rddlesdown, added to an Area of … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Philp MP, City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Croydon South, Environment, Planning, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How Coulsdon’s downland oasis is helping to save the planet

NATURE NOTES: The City of London rangers who look after Farthing Downs, Coulsdon Common and other precious green spaces are as hard at work over the bleak midwinter months as the rest of the year, including important projects to unlock … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Croydon parks, Education, Environment, Friends of Farthing Downs, Gardening, History, Nature Notes, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

There’s mushrooming interest in wildlife on local commons

NATURE NOTES: Winter visitors are eagerly awaited, while City Commons’ guided walks made some fascinating discoveries Winter birds, including redwing and fieldfare, are expected to start arriving on the green spaces in and around Farthing Downs, Coulsdon. These visitors fly … Continue reading

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Help the Commons rangers plan for 10 more years of care

City Commons, the organisation operated by the City of London which manages a selection of green spaces in and around Croydon, is preparing its 10-year management plans, and is seeking input from the public which might influence how it approaches … Continue reading

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City Commons’ work recognised with 7 Green Flag awards

Seven green spaces in and around Croydon which are protected by the City of London Corporation have been granted prestigious Green Flag status. Coulsdon Common, Kenley Common, Farthing Downs and Riddlesdown, plus Spring Park and West Wickham Common in Bromley … Continue reading

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Charges to be introduced for car parking at Farthing Downs

Parking charges are to be introduced on Farthing Downs by the City of London Corporation. Through City Commons, the Corporation manages seven commons and open spaces across Croydon and south London, including large tracts of the new South London Downs … Continue reading

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E-Moo-gency services rescue pregnant cow on Farthing Downs

The steaks were high when the London Fire Brigade got an e-moo-gency call-out on Sunday morning to avoid udder chaos on Farthing Downs. One of the herd of Sussex cattle that are part of an ecology project on the Downs, … Continue reading

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Take a walk over the downs in Coulsdon with an all-star cast

The Friends of Farthing Downs and Happy Valley have relaunched their nature trail in Coulsdon, with the help of an all-star cast of celebrities. Joanna Lumley, Benjamin Zephaniah, Noddy Holder, Martin Jarvis, Miriam Margolyes, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Robinson and Richard … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Community associations, Coulsdon, Environment, Friends of Farthing Downs, South London Downs NNR, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Commons rangers get ‘kick in the teeth’ from costly vandalism

Rangers and volunteers who work hard year-round to maintain and enhance the ecology of the downland around Coulsdon have been rocked this week by vandalism at Farthing Downs, which is likely to cost thousands of pounds from an already stretched … Continue reading

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Here is the moos: Farthing Downs calves are growing up fast

Looking for some peace and quiet? You may want to give Farthing Downs a wide berth for a few days. City Commons, the custodians of much of the downland around the south of the borough, felt the need to explain … Continue reading

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City Commons find there’s plenty of life in their old trees yet

The rangers and staff at City Commons, who work on many of the open spaces and pieces of common land in and around Croydon, are celebrating a significant development in their work, with the sighting of a rare moth following … Continue reading

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Crime and livestock attacks on Farthing Downs cause concern

Croydon councillors will turn up in Coulsdon this afternoon on the hottest day of the year, maybe the hottest day ever recorded in these islands, to bask in the sun and in the reflected glory of the decades of hard … Continue reading

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National Reserve status granted for Coulsdon’s Farthing Downs

Croydon will get its own National Nature Reserve later this month, as more than 1,000 acres of chalk downland across Riddlesdown, Farthing Downs, Happy Valley, through to Kenley Common, Sanderstead and Whyteleafe will be formally declared by Natural England as … Continue reading

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South London Downs Discovery Day, Farthing Downs, Jul 25

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Bird-watchers are on the look-out in annual species count

JOHN BIRKETT, of the RSPB Croydon group, spotted his first swallow of the summer at the weekend. He’s now preparing himself for a very long day on Thursday. Here, he explains why. Photos by JOHN FLYNN This month sees the … Continue reading

Posted in Community associations, Croydon parks, Environment, Lloyd Park, Nature Notes, Wandle Park, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Valley to be granted National Nature Reserve status

Some of Croydon’s best-known and most popular open spaces are to be afforded similar status to a National Park, giving protection from the threat of development. In a proposal to be considered by the City of London Corporation on Monday, … Continue reading

Posted in City Commons, Coulsdon, Croydon parks, Education, Environment, Old Coulsdon, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

City Commons guided ramble over Farthing Downs, Feb 2

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