Right on the border of Croydon sits the stunning South London Downs, an oasis of calm with views of the city 18, miles away.

The lovely 417-hectare area was made a National Nature Reserve (NNR) – London’s second largest – in 2019.

Part of the reserve, Farthing Downs and Happy Valley, has been busier than ever during the pandemic.

Chairman of the Friends of Farthing Downs, Graham Lomas, says: “It is a very special area for a number of reasons, not least is that it is so closely adjacent to built up areas. About 90,000 people live within walking distance of this area.

“It is not like an ordinary park where everything is neat and tidy, it is nature in the raw.

“In the past year it is striking how many people are getting out of the house and coming on to Farthing Downs and Happy Valley.”

Pauline Payne, secretary of the group, loves how open the area is and says sunsets from the reserve are lovely.

She adds: “You get a lovely feeling having a walk around there in the fresh air.

“I think we’ve had more visitors from all over the place in the past year, at the moment a lot of people are coming from the north of the borough.”

Rare plants

In the coming weeks the wooded area of Happy Valley will bloom into a carpet of bluebells.

And the summer will see bright Yellow Rattle flowers in the area, it is a rare flower that flourishes here.

“Not only is it a rare wild flower it is distinct to this area,” added Graham.

There are a number of other beautiful wild flowers which can be spotted on the land including rare orchids which bloom in the summer months.

Happy Valley dormice

While dormice may not seem the most interesting animal, they are extinct in many counties.

The nocturnal animals hibernate during the winter and spend most of their lives in the treetops they are rarely seen.

They have complex ecological needs and require a wide variety of foods, including flowers, pollen, fruits, insects and ripe nuts to see them through the year.

If you look under hazel trees during the autumn you might see nuts that have a neat hole on one side, a sure sign a doormouse has been at it.

Grazing cows and sheep

In 2013 cows were introduced to keep the grassland trim while allowing plants to flourish.

Recently, three Sussex cows have been grazing 13-acre Bury and New Field on New Hill for the first time in more than 100 years.

You might also spot 11 Jacob ewes over on the Coulsdon Commons which connects to Happy Valley.

The unusual looking British sheep is black with white spots. All 11 of the ewes are pregnant and lambing will take place in early April.

Archaeology

The area is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and there is even evidence of early human occupation from the discovery of Neolithic pottery and archaeology.

There are also two Saxon burial mounds on the downs, the first skeleton was unearthed here in 1939 when anti-aircraft trenches were being dug.

A celebrity nature trail

In September, a nature trail narrated by celebrities was launched alongside a 64-page booklet.

Joanna Lumley, Benjamin Zephaniah, Noddy Holder, Martin Jarvis, Miriam Margolyes, Gyles Brandreth, Tony Robinson and Richard O’Brien are just some of the celebrities who volunteered their time to narrate sections of the trail which can be accessed by smartphones using QR codes on 29 marker posts.

It was produced by the Friends’ group thanks to a grant from the City of London Corporation, which jointly manages the space with Croydon Council.

The audio-trail can be accessed through the link http://goo.gl/GAeAZk.