Croydon Ducks - South Norwood Lake

Croydon Ducks - South Norwood Lake - 2012

Latest update: 5th April 2012

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South Norwood Lake and Grounds is a 28 acre park with a large boating and fishing lake with a small island, formal gardens, woodland
walks, cricket pitch, playground, and refreshments. There are a lot of water fowl on the lake, including swans, although feeding is not
easy due to plant borders separating the lake from the path.

Best parking for the lake is in Woodvale Avenue, off Auckland Road in South Norwood. There is parking for boats, but not cars in the
park. The park is closed at night. Note that South Norwood Country Park is a different park, a couple of miles away.

The lake was built around 1800 as a reservoir for a West Croydon to Deptford canal, however the canal was not successful and the
canal bed is now the West Croydon to London Bridge railway line. Fishing is allowed by buying a license. This is well run park, with
various of manned amenities (unlike most other parks).

Older Photos of South Norwood Lake

18th March 2012, wide view of South Norwood Lake, with the yacht club out in force. Very few water fowl.

The main entrace gate in Woodvale Avenue, and the yacht club house.

The yachts have returned to their quay, around the lake we find ducks and geese on the banks, Canada Geese here.

Three Mallards, the female perhaps sitting on a nest, the Coot got shooed away when it got too close.

Another pair of Mallards at the far end of the lake.

The nesting sites are all already occupied, a Coot here.

A Moorhen on one of the fishing jetties.

Tufted Ducks near the small island.

Two very strange 'splashing' machines, presumably aerating the water to increase the oxygen level, although something one really
expects to see running in the hot summer, not the cold winter.

Another view of a 'splashing' machine, looks like a small paddle boat upturned.

Coots by the lake edge.

And there are a pair of swans on this lake as well.