Hyde Park

The foremost of the London parks and probably the most well-known, Hyde Park is one of the city’s Royal Parks. Covering 350 acres of land in the very centre of London, the park is popular with locals and tourists alike and gives the chance for anyone to take a break from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.

Aerial view of Hyde Park, London, UK by Ben Leto

The park has won awards for urban conservation, and choices made about planting the flower beds, borders and trees have encouraged a great number of songbirds to feed and nest here. Visitors are discouraged from feeding the pigeons and squirrels that also come to the park as the songbirds can’t compete with these sometimes aggressive feral creatures.

The Serpentine is a small lake created in the 1700s as part of the development of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. As well as attracting wildfowl, the Serpentine has the oldest swimming club in the UK and is famous for its Christmas Day swim. Most recently, it’s featured in the London 2012 Olympic Games as the scene of the swimming leg of the triathlon.

Green Park

Green Park is another of the Royal Parks with a history even older than that of Hyde Park. First recorded in the geography of London in 1554, Green Park has a modest area compared to Hyde Park with some 45 acres of land adjacent to Buckingham Palace.

At the Buckingham House entrance to the park you’ll find Canada Gate, installed as part of the memorial to Queen Victoria at the turn of the 20th century to commemorate Canada’s contribution to the then British Empire. An ornate iron gate chased with gold guards the entrance to the park near the Canada Memorial, which pays homage to the Canadian forces who lost their lives in the two World Wars.

Canada Gate at Green Park, London, UK by Ian Dick

Keen Olympics followers will have also seen Green Park as part of the triathlon. The Royal Parks hosted the event, with the cycle leg running along the paths through the park.

Clapham Common

South London has parkland of a different kind to the open spaces north of the Thames. While North London has enclosed parks with ornately planted beds and borders, South London has expanses of common land on which Londoners can stretch their legs and enjoy what sunshine the capital manages to trap.

Clapham Common, London, UK by Justinc

Clapham Common is the best known of the London commons and covers 220 acres between the boroughs of Wandsworth and Lambeth. The most popular features of the common are the ponds – Eagle Pond and Mount Pond – which are used for coarse fishing and sailing of model boats.

In recent years, the common has hosted a number of music festivals. In 2012, the electronic music festival South West Four is due to take place on the common on the 25th and 26th August, bringing the big names from dance music from around the world together in what organisers hope will be the summer sunshine.

Conclusion

Although densely populated and filled with iconic buildings, London has a surprisingly large amount of open space, see them all from the air at https://www.thelondonhelicopter.com/. On your visit to London, try to check out some of the parks and get a feel for how Londoners spend their outdoor time right within the city limits.

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Hyde Park / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by gailf548

London has a large number of parks, and some of these are among the Royal Parks in the country. These are Hyde Park, The Regent’s Park, Greenwich Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Brompton Cemetery in London, and Bushy Park in Berkshire, which is north of Hampton Court. Among these parks, Greenwich stands out as a real jewel in London’s crown. Although Greenwich Park is currently under development for the equestrian and shooting events for the 2012 London Olympics, it’s worth noting in your diary as a place to visit when the Olympics are over.

Discover the universe at the Royal Observatory

Greenwich Park is a real must see for a family day out. This picturesque park boasts rolling green grass, which leads up to the historical Royal Observatory. This is the home of Greenwich Meantime, and a laser beam is cast directly from the Flamsteed House, the original observatory, showing the Greenwich Meridian Line. This is a fascinating place to take the family for a rewarding and educational trip.

The Royal Observatory is also home to the Peter Harrison Planetarium. Marvel at this incredible exploration of the universe, which often puts on specially designed films with impressive narration. Previous shows have included narration from David Tennant and Patrick Stewart. Now serving as London’s only planetarium, the Peter Harrison Planetarium employs breathtaking HD projection technology, offering a show that’s perfect for kids and adults with enquiring minds.

Greenwich Park / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Peter Pearson

Greenwich Park’s Maritime History

From the height of the Royal Observatory, you can see right over the Thames to Canary Wharf, and the rest of the impressive city scape north of the river. You will also see the new Shard building, rising prominently into the sky. On the south side, the beautiful Queen’s House and National Maritime Museum.

These incredible buildings reflect the elegance and opulence of years long past. The Queen’s House is not to be missed; especially the Painted Hall, where Admiral Nelson lay in state following the Battle of Trafalgar. If you’re looking for more of the UK seafaring history, Greenwich also has the Cutty Sark, one of the last tea clipper sailing ships to be built before the advent of steam powered vessels.

Without a doubt, Greenwich has a lot to offer all the family, from the incredible attractions to the welcoming market town feel of the area.

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