Walks

A wander round Burgess Park kindly provided by Jenny Morgan

Stage 2. The Lake to Chumleigh Gardens

Stage 2 printable version

From Cobourg Rd entrance, circle right, following the edge of the lake.

On the north side, study the sculpture made in 1997 by the children and staff of Cobourg School showing the birds spotted at the time.

A little further on, close to the fountain, is a Mulberry tree. Come back to taste the fruits when they are ripe. The north side of the lake is planted with Hawthorn, Hornbeam, Hazel, Ash, Willow, Aspen and Dogwood. You will also find Sweet Briar, just crush a leaf and smell it.

Take the steps down to walk beside the lake. On the opposite shore you can see where the anglers camp overnight. They know the Crayfish and Carp in the lake so well, that they have given them names.

Leaving the lake, head south, cross Loncroft Rd and scramble up the bank onto the large, flat, grassland area.

From here, in summer, you can watch the Swifts tirelessly circling high into the clouds, and then skimming just above the ground to collect dry grasses for their nests or to catch insects. They don’t ever land as they would not be able to take off again. The only time they perch is to nest. They nest under the eaves of high buildings so that they can just drop off into the air to fly.

This area is also a good spot for people watching. Over summer weekends, families and friends of the footballers congregate, often staying well into the evening to socialise. They share food and music, bringing a festive atmosphere to the park.

To your right, you get a good view of Chumleigh Gardens, but continue on, cross Neate Street and scramble up onto an area of wild grassland. This is home to grasshoppers, butterflies & moths and foxes. You will find Hemlock, Goat’s beard, Vetch and Clover growing among the mixed grasses.


From here, you can see Canary Wharf, Guy’s Hospital, Baltic Exchange (The Gerkin) London Eye and Telecom Tower.

Walk under the bridge, back onto the canal route. Flowers around a tree mark the site where Moses Ssendawala was murdered in the early hours of 9th September 2007.


Off to the left is a quiet place to sit for a while in the lee of St George’s Church (now apartments). It is planted with plants that tolerate dry conditions including Sage, Geranium and Ceanothus.

From here, exit right and head back across the park towards a tall chimney and you will arrive at Chumleigh Gardens.

The Gardens are open from 10am – 5pm.  Have a look around the gardens and visit the Café.

At this point, you can continue on to stage 3 of the walk or leave the park for Albany Road where you can catch the 42 bus to Camberwell, or the 343 to Peckham.