Geograph - photograph every grid square

Brookland Lakes were formed between the Wars by quarrying for sand and gravel. At that time they were known as Ellingham's Ponds after the company which excavated them, and they were later called Brooklands Ponds after a nearby house. During the Second World War the lakes were covered by netting on floating wooden frames to stop German aircraft using them as a navigation aid to find the nearby Vickers Munitions Works. The Darent Valley Path follows this route across the middle of the lakes.