We found ourselves off the beaten, overused, paths that criss cross Dulwich and Sydenham woods. Whilst doing our best to avoid the rest of the Sunday afternoon strollers we slipped off the well known paths and onto the ones better known by foxes and squirrels. As we delved deeper and deeper we started to come across parts of the forest I hadn’t been to before, huge bricked foundations of houses and retaining walls of what would have been stepped and sculpted Victorian back gardens rose from the creeping ivy like the foundations of long lost civilisations.

These houses were demolished in the early 80s and had already given up to the slow but steady march of nature.

Three cranes behind Tate Modern on a clear Sunday afternoon.

I have a fascination with cranes, the height, a symbol of construction and industry. Look to any skyline in London try not to see a crane, I wonder what goes through the minds of the people who spend their days at the top…

“left a little, up a bit, no… too far”

“shit this is beautiful”

“damn I left my sandwiches down below”

“i need a wee”

One of my favourite places in London, Nunhead Cemetary is possibly one one of the lesser known of the seven great Victorian cemeteries which were established around 1840 in a ring around the outskirts of London to relieve the over crowded smaller burial grounds within the city.

Damaged during the blitz, the local council was unable to raise money for repair and the cemetery was allowed to become over grown and wooded. Although The Friends of Nunhead Cemetery are doing a stellar job at restoring parts of the grounds, I am glad that a lot of the area is left to nature.

Today as a starting point I give you the rubber spanner. We all have to start somewhere and I feel this is as good a place as any. Enjoy.