Seeking the shade: where's good to cool off in Croydon?

With the heatwave upon us this week, twinned with my fair skin, my natural reaction in this kind of weather is always to seek the shade.

Here is a list of five shady spots around Croydon, just right for cooling down in.

1.  Coombe Wood.  I seem to be mentioning this place again and again at the moment but it has to be one of my top places to go to in any weather.  The shade provided by the woods makes is a wonderful place to chill out in this heat.  For more details about it you can see my earlier post here.

2.  Kelsey Park.  A short tram ride from Croydon, this lovely park has a mixture of open areas, play areas, flower beds, plus some lovely wooded shaded areas.  At its centre is a beautiful lake.

3.  Oaks Park.  Near Carshalton and Banstead, this park is another place with large wooded areas which provide some great shade.  It's also just opposite Mayfield Lavender so would make a great place to cool down in after a visit to the lavender field.

4.  Heathfield.  These tranquil gardens near Coombe Lane tram stop include a pretty wooded area complete with small streams and stepping stones, which is great for small children to explore in the shade.

5.  Beddington Park.  This park has wooded areas so it should be easy to find a shady spot to cool down in.  The large lake with its elegant swans also makes a great place for a relaxing stroll.

Of course, this is far from an exhaustive list so if you have any other ideas do please post below in the comments.