Foraging

ON THE BLACKBERRY TRAIL

There once was a time when apples were a pomaceous fruit, oranges were a citrus fruit and blackberries were a berried fruit. Nowadays they all seem to be linked to things electronic.

However, here at Chislehurst Village News we're of a different age and so we start an occasional series on foraging in the area with the humble berried fruit.

This time of year blackberries are in abundance and, we are told, are better than ever this particular year with ideal growing conditions for them to then ripen into huge, plump fruit. Yet the secret of finding a good blackberry is knowing where to look, and having taken our fill earlier in the week, we're happy to let you into our little secret.

For quality, head up the tarmac drive into Scadbury Park from the end of Old Perry Street opposite Beaverwood Road. On your right runs the side of a garden belonging to the first house in Old Perry Street. Leave the fig tree alone; although it hangs over the fence, John won't be very happy if you start picking his figs; they're not ready yet anyway.

SCADBURY BLACKBERRIES

Once you get to the end of his garden boundary, still on your right, you are presented with a "field" of the most succulent blackberries to be found in the whole of Kent. Don't dawdle by the edge though, go to the end of the bushes, scramble between the barbs of the barbed wire fence and then launch yourself feet first into the oasis of fruit. (We can't condone trespassing but the land is owned by Bromley Council (i.e. us) and so long as you follow the Country Code we think you'll be okay).

Be sure to wear long everything (sleeves, trousers etc) and a good pair of wellies - and bring a large container.

For quantity, keep going up the tarmac drive, keep tight left to the house in front of you and once you have gone through a gate turn left off the path, across the field and you will find enough blackberries to keep you going (so to speak) all winter.

Another good spot is a lone (and lonely) bush towards the top of the slip road down towards the A20 and B & Q.

A20 SLIP ROAD TOWARDS B&Q

The Chislehurst Village News staff had their fill earlier in the week (so now we're quite happy to let you know our secret little foraging spots) and four of the staff picked 7 kilos in an hour.

7 kilos at Scadbury = £0. 150 grams at Sainsbury's = £2 which equates to a whooping £93 for what we picked - and not a single mobile phone in sight.

Let us know your favourite foraging spots. Next month, plums and damsons.
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Tree (house) for sale in Shepherd's Green?

Now we're not sure if the Conservators / National Trust / Bromley Council or whoever owns the land at the end of Shepherds Green is aware, but "global real estate services provider" Savills, appear to be trying to sell a tree.

A "For Sale" sign has just appeared on the triangular patch of land outside Farringtons School, near the bus stop, next to a very green and leafy sycamore.

We wonder how the particulars would read, "For sale: Timber property, automatic organic extensions in all directions during the summer months, wildlife haven, near to public transport. Similar property was once squatted in by a Mr Zacchaeus...etc, etc..."
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

The most secure picnic site in Chislehurst

The most secure picnic site in Chislehurst

“Where’s our playground gone?” She may be 12 years old now, but she fondly remembers playing on the swings and climbing over the big red bus that formed much of her early life in Walden Road recreation ground. Of course, the playground hasn’t moved far, just across the footpath in fact, to a shiny new site, thanks to the efforts of the local “Friends” group. But what of the old site, the fenced off and forlorn area where, instead of play equipment, there lies nothing but pieces of moulded rubber matting and some picnic benches?

The new scout hut’s on its way!

Ever since Chislehurst Invicta Scout Group’s old scout hut, situated in the woods off Kemnal Road, burnt down in 1997 the Group has been looking for new premises. In the meantime the Group has been meeting in different places around the village which has been less than ideal.

However, nearly four years ago Bromley Council granted planning permission for the building of a new scout hut on the old playground site. In order to help raise the necessary funds to fill the gap between the amount paid out on the loss of the old hut and the cost of building a new one, Chislehurst Village News understands that the Group appointed a director of fundraising which is now bearing fruit. Around £100,000 has been raised to date, half of this coming from a grant by Veolia Environmental Trust through its Landfill Communities Fund. Veolia will now be working with the Group to finalise the details of the project and get it started as soon as possible.

Project Coordinator, Thomas Roberts, says, “This grant is great news and means we can push the project forward and create a new building for the Scouts and the community to use.”

Bob Neill, MP for Chislehurst (and Bromley!) and Vice President of Bromley District Scouts, commented “I am thrilled that Veolia Environmental Trust has decided to award this money to this local scout group. Thanks to this grant, the group can now get this project off the ground and enjoy a custom made meeting space, which will also double up as an important asset for wider community use in Chislehurst.”

So it’s goodbye “The Wheels on the Bus” and hallo “Dib, dib, dob” or whatever they say these days. The other Chislehurst Scout Group (5th Chislehurst) still meets in a cow shed...we know which one we would prefer.

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Z Z TOPs in Chislehurst

Z Z Top guitarist, Billy Gibbons, once said that Z Z Tops "...are the closest I've seen" and if you go down to The Beaverwood Club in Beaverwood Road on Thursday 29th August you'll see what he means.

You may think it will help if you close your eyes, but this won't be necessary. They not only sound like the real thing, they look like the real thing (as opposed to "The Real Thing").

See you there.

Details
Ticket Price: Tickets in Advance £10 (£12 on the Door)

Booking Hotline:020 8761 9078

Book Online: www.feenstra.co.uk

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Escape to the Country-without leaving Chislehurst

There are some who are born and brought up in Chislehurst who believe that the rest of us are "just passin' thru." Our moves go something like this: Cheap flat anywhere in outer London, yuppy flat in Docklands, get married and move to Blackheath, have children and move to Chislehurst, children get older so move to Sevenoaks (more school choice) and then finally escape to the country. The country house beckons, loads of room(s), acres of land, swimming pool and stables and a few cockerels to wake you up at 4am. But wait...there's no need to move to get the country house...it's right here in Chislehurst. Coming on the market is a Grade II farmhouse with parts dating from the 17th Century, loads of bedrooms, 4.5 acres, detached courtyard house divided into two flats, swimming pool, stables and three businesses (barn, restaurant and shop), as well as its own petrol station and mini-grocers (well almost). It may be on the main road out of Chislehurst towards the A20 but at a guide price of £2,250,000 we at Chislehurst Village News don't think it will be on the market for very long. As to why such a magnificent property should come on the market at what we think is a very reasonable price, to say the least, is usually down to one of the three Ds: death, debt or divorce.  We understand that the last of these three is the reason.

We wonder who'll get the cockerels?

Frogpool Manor is on the market with Premier (in other words Your Move) of West Street, Bromley, 020 8313 0636, bromley@your-move.co.uk.

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Pity the Poor Bull's Head Moppers!

NO LONGER THE PUBLIC BAR....PINK CHAMPAGNE,

There was a time when the Public Bar in the Bull's Head was just that: carpetless, its own gents' loo and a TV on the wall. Now the carpet's gone throughout both the centre and right-hand bar, the loo's been blocked up and a pink Champagne Bar has been installed. All very nice.

But what's this on the coffee machine? A very "public bar" notice we think.

HOME MADE SNACKS, FRESH GROUND COFFEE...

Now, here at Chislehurst Village News towers, we like to think that such notices are not necessary, especially on equipment that the public can read, but there are no such qualms at the Bull's Head. 

We really don't wish to spell it out so we've just blown up the notice that you can see under the English Breakfast tea bags in the above photo. We hope you can read it; it says something along the lines of, "We should be most grateful if staff would refrain from using the water from the Futurmat for anything other than making coffee and tea. Thank you."

No doubt as it now appears in Chislehurst Village News, it won't be around for much longer.

In any event, who in their right mind's going to spill pink Champagne anyway?

AND A WARNING FOR THE MOPPERS!

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

The Ultimate Holiday for well-heeled Chislehurstians

We at Chislehurst Village News' towers like our holidays. As do many Chislehurst residents it seems. The streets are strangely quiet during August while some of us are still slaving away.

Our budgets don't spread very far. However, a return ticket to Hastings does the trick very often. We visit the castle and the pier (once it's been rebuilt). We have lunch in The Mermaid and take a cool box with ice packs to RX Fisheries to stock up on fish. A large cool-box full of fish will cost in the region of £80. There we have a chat to Paula at RX who used to work in the fish "shed" outside Chislehurst Sainsbury's car park entrance.

However, should you yearn for something slightly more exotic, consider what gastronomes would call the ultimate holiday.

This is to visit all 107 of the world's 3 Michelin Star restaurants in the world. You would take in 12 countries including the USA, Europe, China and Japan. The holiday would take 6 months with 2 nights in each location.

The cost, including meals and wine, would be in the region of £182,000.

That's a lot of cool boxes.

www.fishshophastings.co.uk
www.holidaysplease.co.uk

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Bear Grylls & David Walliams Visit Chislehurst Scouts

Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, and David Walliams visited Chislehurst Scouts during Campdowne 2013, held every four years at, unsurprisingly, the Scout Activity Centre at Downe. Between 1st and 10th August around 1000 scouts and guides from around the world, some coming from as far away as New Zealand, enjoyed dozens of on-site activities including zorbing, rifle shooting, archery, climbing walls and abseiling. They also had a day out and a visit to Bewl Water where they tried dragon boating, canoeing and kayaking.

Bear Grylls had a go at the Leap of Faith. This involves climbing a 10 metre pole which wobbles, up to a tiny platform. When Leap of Faith was built it was thought that the pole should be clamped to stop it wobbling but then it was decided to leave the wobble in. It looks terrifying! Once you get onto the platform and have stood up, you then have to leap off and catch a trapeze bar. Bear not only caught the bar but then dangled by his knees before being lowered to the ground.

David Walliams had a go at the archery, hitting bullseye at his first shot.

After a few minutes on the stage the pair then chatted with and high-fived scouts including some Chislehurst scouts. Both of the Chislehurst troops were represented with twelve from 5th Chislehurst and five from Invicta Chislehurst, along with 3 leaders. 5th Chislehurst Scout Leader, John Hemming-Clark, commented that it was great to see Bear Grylls coming to meet and spend a bit of time with so many scouts, encouraging them and their leaders, to continue with the adventure that is scouting.

5th Chislehurst Scouts demonstrated their 8 foot catapult that will be putting in an appearance at this year's Chislehurst Big Draw on 28th September. See What's On for more details.

Jacob's Ladder (foregound); Bear Grylls on Leap of Faith (background)

Bear Grylls having completed Leap of Faith

Bear Grylls with David Walliams

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk