Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens, London
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Hyde Park - by V2F on Unsplash
Description
Hyde Park is the largest of London's Royal Parks and seamlessly merges with Kensington Gardens (most people refer to them both as Hyde Park) to form a near rectangle with a total area of 253ha and a perimeter of 7km which is very popular with joggers / runners. Originally a hunting ground for Henry VIII (16th century), Hyde Park was opened to the public in the 17th century. Its main feature are the Serpentine, a 16ha lake which hosts year-round swimming in a partitioned area, Hyde Park Corner with the Wellington Arch and Speakers' Corner (in the northeast corner, near Marble Arch), which is well known for its history of protest and demonstration but has now essentially become a tourist attraction. Kensington Gardens are more manicured than Hyde Park and provide a different feel, the main building there is Kensington Palace (covered in a separate review)
Access & Transport
Really easy to get to with major roads along its southern (Knightsbridge rd), eastern (Park Lane) and northern sides (Bayswater rd) and no less than 5 underground stations alongside it: Queensway, Lancaster Gate and Marble Arch on the Central line to the north and Hyde Park and Knightsbridge on the Picadilly line to the south. Traffic is allowed through on W Carriage Dr. on a north-south axis pretty much in the center of the park.
Instructions & Recommendations
Best to visit when the weather is not too rainy, of course. It is very large, so we would not advise to try and cover it all in one go but rather combine parts of it with visits to the South Kensington or Bayswater / Notting Hill neighbourhoods - or a bridge between both. Also a beautiful place to take a break after visiting Kensington Palace or one of South Ken museums. Finally, if you are a runner, it is a breach of ethics not to have at least one run there - same as for Central Park in New York!
Environmental & Social
A very green activity. Enhances the living environment of residents.
Conclusion
Hyde Park really is a green oasis in the city with its lake, undulating slopes, good sport infrastructure and some animal life as well. There is not a high concentration of things to see per se, rather it is good to enjoy for a walk or an extended break between more urban activities.
Key positive
Free access with early morning opening and late-night closing hours (except Kensington Gardens side)
Relatively Central
Large with different natural features
Key negative
Could do with additional toilet facilities and a couple of coffee kiosks
Suitability
Suitable for all ages (kids will enjoy seeing the ducks and swans) and accessible for visitors with mobility issues although there are some slight slopes.
About this Rating
TYPE
Onsite
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 20m
est. visit time:1h
Monday05:00 - 23:45
Tuesday05:00 - 23:45
Wednesday05:00 - 23:45
Thursday05:00 - 23:45
Friday05:00 - 23:45
Saturday05:00 - 23:45
Sunday05:00 - 23:45