As well as embracing the virtual world, we have also been making sure that we engage with the real world with lots of walks and cycling, as well as spending time in our garden in the lovely sunshine. We value the outdoor space we have at home including a grassy area, a trampoline and a paddling pool.

Beyond our house we have been revisiting favourite places, including Norwood Park with it’s country walk, and Crystal Palace Park with it’s dinosaurs and sphinxes. We have noticed the new in the familiar - a hidden pathway along the side of a local park, and a sign telling us that a family was killed by a bomb during World War II not far from the nearby parade of shops. We have been looking out for rainbows in windows (as well as making our own) and stopping to chat with friends on their doorsteps (at a distance of course).

We have also discovered a new little wood within walking distance that is always quiet and has become a bit of a haven for us all. You can look out for the nine wooden markers that create a trail, or visit the giant bug hotel, or try to identify the wide variety of trees. Interestingly there is an area within the wood where you can see the remains of the basement of a row of terraced houses. This beautiful place is called Dulwich Upper Wood, not far from Crystal Palace. We will continue to go here beyond lockdown and I am even tempted to find out about their volunteering opportunities.

Remains of a terraced house basement within Dulwich Upper Wood