Park of the week

21. Windsor Open Space
 

This informal open space used to be Groats Farm, where sheep grazed. In 1907, part of the land was bequeathed as a play area for poor children. The Council acquired more land in 1922 for public enjoyment and recreation. In 1938 more land was donated. 

It’s a hilly site and quite varied, rather than just an open field. Some parts are wooded, and these are home to woodpeckers, jays, and tawny owls. There are also large, grassed areas, some mown and others left uncut for the benefit of wildlife, especially butterflies.

There are lots of benches to sit on and dog walking is allowed. While we were there, the local branch of the Small White Dog Club (I can just about tell a chihuahua from a poodle) appeared to be having a get-together.

Dollis Brook runs through the space, where we saw ducks and moorhens. On sunny days you can sometimes see dragonflies, although we didn’t. The brook provides a habitat for sticklebacks, which kingfishers feed on.

Himalayan Balsam grows on the banks of the brook. Apparently, it’s also called Nuns and Jumping Jack, as well as Policeman's Helmet, Bobby Tops and Gnome's Hatstand. It was introduced to this country in the mid-nineteenth century and it’s attractive, but it’s now an invasive weed of riverbanks and ditches and it’s an offence to plant or grow it in the wild. The plant shoots its seeds over an area of up to twelve feet and if these fall into a stream, it spreads further. Bees like it and the flowers are meant to be good in a salad (I don’t think I’ll try it). The stems are hollow, so I might sneak back to Windsor Open Space and get a few for my attempts to create wind instruments from natural products.

Jack sometimes complains if we visit an open space that isn’t a park, and he trudges along behind me grumbling that we’ve come to the wrong place because “there’s no slide or swing”. Windsor Open Space has both, so he didn’t complain, even though he never goes on slides and the swings were all for young children.

We used the entrance at the end of Windsor Road, N3, having parked further up the road. 

Windsor Open Space, Windsor Road, London N3 3SS