London Parks: With over 3,000 parks of various sizes across the UK’s capital city, making London one of the greenest cities in the world. In fact the parks cover almost 18% of London which is more than all the railways and roads of London combined. Here are just some of the best parks to explore in and around London.
The oldest of the Royal Parks, Greenwich Park offers amazing views from the top of its hill of the River Thames and Central London. Did you know Greenwich Park is part of a World Heritage Site? The wider heritage site is home to the Prime Meridian Line, the Royal Observatory and the National Maritime Museum. In summer months, relax with a picnic as the bandstand plays host to concerts.
A lovely large common with ponds, a nature trail and a windmill. Wimbledon Common is home to many birds and insects. So, sit back and relax and listen to the bird song. The common is also home to several Football, Rugby and Cricket pitches, but these need to be booked in advance.
Greenwich may be the oldest of the Royal Parks, but Richmond is the largest at 1,000 hectares and is home to a herd of 650 deer. The park is perfect to explore with a breath-taking landscape of hills, and woodlands full of ancient trees, plants, animals and butterflies provide peace and quiet from the humdrum of central London life. You can also go fishing in the pen ponds and try your hand at horse riding or just follow the cycle paths that loop the park.
Fancy a bite to eat? Head to the Pembroke Lodge, it’s a Georgian era mansion with amazing views and garden seating to enjoy an afternoon tea.
Living with Host at One Penrhyn Road in Kingston? Then Bushy Park is not to be missed. Famed for its mixture of waterways, gardens and grassland. And Just like Richmond, the park is home to roaming herds of deer. The park is joined by the famous Hampton Court Palace and Park, which was the home of Henry VIII.
Famed as one of the greatest city parks in the world. You’ll forget you’re in central London with over 4,000 trees, a large lake, meadow and flower gardens. You can jog around the 350 acres, go swimming, cycling, skating or even row a boat around the lake. In the run-up to Christmas, the park is traditionally transformed into a winter wonderland that rivals any in the world.
Nope, not Neverland but head to Kensington Gardens for the Peter Pan statue. The Gardens are also home to Kensington Palace, the peaceful Italian Gardens, the stunning Albert Memorial and the Serpentine Gallery. The park is full of avenues of magnificent trees and ornamental flower beds that cover over 100 hectares.
In the heart of London, you’ll find St James’s Park. The 23-hectare park is also home to the Mall with all the ceremonial parades and events including Changing the Guard which occurs daily in summer and alternate days for rest of year; The Queen’s Lifeguard changes daily at Horse Guards Parade Ground.
The park is home to Pelicans which are fed daily at 2:30pm. St James’s is also home to other water birds, plus Owls, Woodpeckers and Bats.
To become more ‘environmentally friendly’, Host is launching the #HostEnvironmentalPledge campaign to encourage responsible behaviour and drive sustainability across our sites throughout the UK and Ireland.
It’s a simple campaign! For every percent we reduce our overall utilities (electric, water and gas) consumption by we donate to one of our nominated charities.
Show me all newsWe are thrilled to be expanding our range of locations for student accommodation. Say hello to The Village at The Viaduct, our latest student accommodation in Durham. The modern and popular Village at The Viaduct student accommodation is in the city centre viaduct area of Durham.
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