Colliers Wood is one of those 'back home' places I've been intending to check out for a while, just down the road from DH Lawrence's home town of Eastwood.
When I was young, this area was Moorgreen Colliery, a pit-yard with mounds of coal and waste, with winding gear, and all the necessary surface offices and repair shops. Earlier than that, my granddad drove trains moving coal from pit-head to the main line junction, but I only remember heavy lorries thundering along narrow streets and making windows shake.
At some point after I moved away, the pit closed, a new industrial estate was built on part of the site, and this new community woodland created. All that now remains of all that industry are the renovated coal-truck and winding wheel by the car park.
I chose a bad day to visit, as this pond had recently been drained to remove goldfish! Presumably they once lived in a tank or a garden pond, but they'd been let loose here a while ago, and were upsetting the eco-balance of the pondlife.
There are two way-marked trails around the park, named Barber and Walker after the original pre-NCB owners of the mine - the longer has a short road section, so we took the shorter (it was also easier on Dylan)
Walk round the park at a smart pace and it wouldn't take long. I'm an ambler though, and like to stop and investigate flowers and trees along the way - and at this time of year there's plenty to be seen, from flowers to blossom.
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