Garthorne Road Nature Reserve Open Days for 2026
Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve Bake-off 2025 Results
We held our annual event on Saturday, 20th September, inviting members of the public to bake a cake and bring it along to be judged by Arturo. It was a successful day, raising funds for our plans to purchase bench gabions. These are metal cages filled with bricks, tiles, and old pottery, which are excellent for supporting invertebrates.
Livia, 11 receiving award for her unicorn cake which took several hours to bake and decorate 
Judge Arturo presents trophies to the winners of the child cake entries 
Judge Arturo presents trophies to the winners of the adult cake entries 
Some of the cake entries 
More cake entries 
Judge Arturo tasting the cake entries 
Judge Arturo
Last Open day of the year
Last Open day of the year
The ‘Friends’ will be opening the reserve for the last time this year on Saturday 18th before closing for the winter. There will be a self guided tree walk will be available. Bring a picnic and explore the reserve’s many species of wildlife.
Find Us
Sorry No BBQ’S, riding of electric scooters, bikes or dogs allowed in the reserve.
Please use public transport if possible
Nearest Railway station: Honor Oak Park (10 mins walk)
Buses: Honor Oak Park Station: P4 & P12 (10 mins walk)
Brockley Rise: ( Brockley Park) 122 & 171 (7 mins walk)
Forest Hill Fire Station (Stanstead Road) 122 & 185 (7 mins walk)
Garthorne Road was once part of the Great North Wood which used to cover from New Cross to Selhurst which Chris Schuler wrote this book about the history and the people that live in here.
Available from Sandstone Press or any good book shop
Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve Bake-off 2025
Friends of Garthorne Road Nature
Reserve Bake-off 2025
The ‘Friends’ will be holding this annual event. The rest of reserve will also be open to explore and also a children mini beast hunt and a self guided tree walk will be available. Bring a picnic and explore the reserve’s many species of wildlife.
Find us here
Sorry No BBQ’S, riding of electric scooters, bikes or dogs allowed in the reserve.
Please use public transport if possible
Nearest Railway station: Honor Oak Park (10 mins walk)
Buses: Honor Oak Park Station: P4 & P12 (10 mins walk)
Brockley Rise: ( Brockley Park) 122 & 171 (7 mins walk)
Forest Hill Fire Station (Stanstead Road) 122 & 185 (7 mins walk)
Easter Egg Hunt and Reserve Open Day
Come along and support the reserve and bring a picnic and enjoy getting close to nature.
October Open Day
Saturday 19th October
2 -5pm
The Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve are opening the reserve for the last time this year. We will be having a Childrens Mini-beast hunt as well as a self guided tree walk is available. Come and bring a picnic and enjoy the surrounding and the wildlife. Also see your newly planted native hedge.
Sorry No Dogs, Scoters or BBQ’S
Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve Annual Bake-off 2024
The folks at Garthorne Road Nature Reserve are throwing open the gates one last time this year. Swing by and soak in the peaceful vibes, catch a glimpse of the wildlife, and witness the onset of autumn. Oh, and don’t miss the legendary cake Bake-off, generously sponsored this year by Bryan & Keegan Estate Agents in Crofton Park. You can even snag a slice of cake and help support the Friends group’s important work.
Reserve entrance is on Beadnell Road next to alleyway to Garthorne Road
Moving On No Man’s Land
Please note this event has not been organised or run by the Friends of Garthorne Road Nature Reserve, but by Exit Map
Please book using the link below
- Event lasts 3 hours 30 minutes
An immersive ambience of sounds and words, found in one of London’s hidden gem’s, Garthorne Nature Reserve. A magical and transformative experience awaits you to connect to nature for a renewed sense of navigating life through our senses.
All ages are welcome – children go free!
Moving On events fine tune attention to sensory input in nature. Feel and connect your own body through audio imagery to ease movement and dances inspired by what you see and sense.
Let nature move you and connect to the land and all that grows from it.
The installation is part radio installation and part transmitted through headphones. Please bring your phone and headphones and note that the booking includes a link for an audio to download.
It is an intergenerational project that invites all cultures, genders and abilities to join in. Should you have concerns about navigating natural terrain, please get in touch, we are happy to assist.
We want people to encounter nature and each other on common natural ground to foster a togetherness based on equality and openness that reconnects to nature as something that grows away and back into us, to remember our own nature and how to resource from it and look after it.
Before and after
Doors will open at 11am and we invite you to come then for an intial stroll before we begin at 11.30am.
for As you enter, roam, find your own pace, pauses and breath. Our sound caters for new connections.
We invite you to bring some nibbles to share therefore to create a picnic all together towards the end.
The donations you give will go to Exit Map (non profit) to further offer events, organisations, artists and Garthorne Nature Reserve.
Map of entrance to reserve next to alleyway from Beadnell Road to Garthorne Road
Transport
Rail: Honor Oak Park Station (Overground and Southern) 10 mins walk
Buses: Honor Oak Park P4 & P12 10 mins walk
Brockley Rise 122, 171 & 172 10 mins walk
Parking available in nearby streets
Please use public transport if possible
Bike rack space available
Garthorne Road Nature Reserve August Open Day
1–2 minutes
Garthorne Road Nature Reserve will be open again soon! Come and explore the serene surroundings, and don’t forget to bring your picnic basket. There are seating areas scattered around the reserve for you to relax and enjoy. Also come and see our newly installed commissioned Street art by Aeroarts
Can you spare an hour a month? We need volunteers to help manage the gate and provide information to visitors. No previous experience is required. If you’re interested, please contact us by email. garthorne.reserve@talktalk.net
There will be family bug hunting activities suitable for both children and adults, as well as a self-guided tree walk.
Reserve gates are at Beadnell Road (see map below)
Please use public transport if possible
Train: Honor Oak Park: Southern & London Overground
Bus: Honor Oak Park Station P4 & P12 (10 minutes walk)
Brockley Park: 122, 171 (6 minutes walk)
Forest Hill Fire Station: 122 & 185 (10 minutes walk)
Parking available in nearby streets please consider our neighbours
Sorry No dogs, BBQ’s or scooters
| The Wood that London Built ‘The Wood That Built London’ About the Great North Wood that covered from New Cross to Selhurst and Streatham to Sydenham. Now available in Paperback from all good book retailers or from Sandstone Press By C.J Schuler |
Garthorne Road Nature Reserve 