Best of London’s Parks

With a scorching summer in full swing, hands up who wants to be picnicking somewhere green, with some trees and a lack of traffic?

Of course you do!  Maybe with a bottle of wine or a few beers? Well…luckily for all of us, we live in one of the greenest cities in the world.  Honestly, we do. When you’re trudging along The Strand, around Bank or somewhere equally urban, it’s easy to forget that London has thousands of acres of parkland for your pleasure and relaxation. So for the sake of expediency, here are the best of the North, South, East, West and Centre, listed for the next time you find yourself crying, ‘I need GREEN!  Must have GREEN!’

North – Hampstead Heath
Oh yeah. You thought it would be Regent’s Park?  Well, Regent’s Park is cool, what with the zoo and all, but Hampstead Heath is great because it’s so much more wild and forested. It’s also old – pre-Domesday Book stuff – and is one of the highest points in London, which means you can overlook the city and get a good view: 790 acres of beauty and an escape from the urban jungle.

South – Richmond Park
Alright, so it’s more south-west. But Richmond has to be mentioned, because rarely does one enter a park and feel as though one has been transported to another county. Richmond is a whopping 2500 acres of hills, forests and seclusion, and despite the droves of people who come here everyday, you can always find a part of it to have all to yourself. But the best thing about Richmond Park is surely the herds of deer, who aren’t the least bit intimidated by all the people. It’s also great to cycle around, and you can hire bikes there if you haven’t got your own.

East – Victoria Park
Or Vicky Park, as it is chummily known, which was apparently originally intended to be a Regent’s Park for East London, and is now better know for hosting some great music events. It’s fully throwing itself into festival season in July and August, but the rest of the time Victoria Park is peaceful and pretty with pools, ponds and trees.

West – Osterley Park
Grrr, it’s all about the National Trust buying up land and beautiful old houses, and then charging extortionate fees to see them. Osterley is one of them, but it’s mentioned here because access to the park is free! It comprises 350-odd acres, which is pretty sizeable, and it’s full of beautiful and colourful forests. And if you feel like making a day of it then you can cough up to the Nat Trust and see the lovely mansion and pleasure gardens too.

Central – Hyde Park
Of course it has to be Hyde Park. Added to Kensington Gardens, the whole thing is 625 acres – in the middle of London, mind you – and has been open to the public since the 1600s. It’s been at the centre of rallies, protests and concerts, and probably always will be due to its location, but apart from that Hyde Park is perfect for after work chill-out time. It’s huge, it’s central, it’s green, it’s relaxed and it’s open until midnight. What more could you ask?

Image by Gwire courtesy of Flickr