Addington Hills is one of the largest open spaces in Croydon, and is made up of a significant area of natural heath and acid grassland occurring in broad glades amongst regenerating woodland. The woodland consists mainly of oak, birch and pine. Two small boggy ponds add to the diversity of the habitats. The site rises to a plateau 460 feet above sea level.Croydon Active Lifestyles project uses this site – a Walking the Way to Health (WHI) scheme; see link for details.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Addington Hills
Borough: Croydon
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 51.44 ha
Description
Wildlife
The heathland is dominated by heather, with some of the rarer bell heather. The London rarity dodder lives as a parasite on the heather here. Acid grassland is composed of fescues, wavy hair-grass and purple moor-grass. Wood sage and heath bedstraw are further characteristic plants. Bracken and holly are both common in the woodland. Hard-fern, another London rarity, occurs near the ponds. Breeding birds include spotted flycatcher, all three British woodpeckers, coal tit and goldcrest.Facilities
Viewpoint; toilets; refreshments; horse riding.
Heather in flower at Addington Hills © Mike Waite
Restored heathland at Addington Hills © Andrew Williams
Feedback
Have a question or a comment for this site, or notice anything missing or out of date? Please contact us.