What was once a private hunting ground for royalty is now one of eight Royal Park’s in London. From lush gardens, never-ending greenery, and trails that transport you away from the hustle and bustle of London, Hyde Park is simply spectacular. Aside from its memorials, stunning views, and lake snaking between the trails, Hyde Park also allows for open water swimming, boating, bicycling (on designated paths) and horse riding.

Hyde Park Fountains with the Serpentine behind.

A big green rectangle that consists of Hyde Park measures 2 km wide and 1 km high, surrounded by many popular London neighborhoods such as Kensington, Mayfair, Paddington, Knightsbridge and the infamous Bayswater Road, along with countless tourist hotels. Hyde Park is divvied into two parts: Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. The main difference between the two is Kensington Gardens closes at dusk everyday while Hyde Park remains open until midnight. Kensington Gardens was also a bit quieter from what I observed.

There are several different entrances to Hyde Park. There are multiple entrances along Bayswater as well as the main gate into the park known as the Black Lion Gate, conveniently located across the street from an old pub. There is also an entrance at Queensway, appropriately named Queens Gate. The Grand Entrance to the park, known as Apsley Gate, is located at Hyde Park Corner next to Apsley House.

One walking route that stood out to me amongst others was a walk around the gorgeous Serpentine Lake. From the restful lapping of the lake, the sound of the Italianate fountains subtly splashing in the background, and the warbling of wildfowl make this a peaceful jaunt. Start on the south bank of the Serpentine at the Lido Café and follow the lake east for 600m. At the east end of the lake, stay left and head 150m up to the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen. Follow the path round, with the lake on your left side.

Walk along the northern bank of the lake, passing under the Serpentine bridge and heading north along Peacock Walk. Continue towards the fountains of the formal Italian gardens at the top of the lake near Bayswater Road. When you reach the fountains, bear left again keeping the lake close on your left. You will pass the famous Peter Pan statue, donated by author JM Barrie in 1912, and continue back in the direction of the Lido Café.

Once you reach the Serpentine Bridge you’ll encounter the Princess Diana memorial fountain about 130m ahead on the right. Continue past the memorial fountain and the Lido café to end your loop at the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen. Grab a quick bite to eat there between the hours of 8am and 8pm.

Whether you’re looking to escape the city noise or find a way to unwind, Hyde Park is your destination. With happy people enjoying their time in the park, joggers whizzing by, and watching the soft ripples in the lake, Hyde Park is the epitome of relaxation.

Hyde Park Tips

Tip 1 – If you will be biking through Hyde Park be certain to use designated bike lanes. A hefty fine of 60 pounds will be doled out to rule breakers.

Tip 2 – If you find yourself exploring Hyde Park into the late hours, say past closing time, do not fret. There are exit-turnstiles at major gates.

Tip 3 – Park maps are scattered all throughout Hyde Park. Use these as a reference for trails you wish to explore and those you’d rather skip.

Tip 4 – Don’t forget to visit the nearby Buckingham Palace. Maybe you’ll even get a chance to spot the new royal baby!

Tip 5 – Paths are well marked and immaculate making it easy to make your way to various parts of London by walking through the park.

For a bevvy of running paths in London click here.

Difficulty: Easy

Total Distance: Varies

Trailhead address: London W2 2UH, United Kingdom

Hyde Park aerial view (Photo: Wikipedia)

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Upon arriving in London, I booked a half-day Stonehenge tour through Evan Evans Tours which conveniently picked up at a hotel nearby. Evan Evans picks up at multiple locations scattered throughout London for convenience, with the Millennium Gloucester Hotel last on the stop route. There are quite a few other companies that offer half and full day tours, however Evan Evans was the most economical. Another thing to note is that other companies drop you off at the Victoria Station where you must transfer to another train. Evan Evans took us directly to Stonehenge.

Field of daisies near the Visitor Centre in the spring.

After an hour and half of driving to Amesbury, my tour group was dropped off near the newly remodeled Stonehenge Visitor Centre next to a gorgeous field of daisies. Our ticket included a guided audio tour that provided a vast array of facts and interesting tidbits of information on Stonehenge, as well as access to a world-class exhibition with 250 ancient objects and remains of people who lived near Stonehenge. After you take in all the Visitor Centre has to offer, you will have two options. 1. Get on a courtesy shuttle bus to be transported to Stonehenge (about a five minute ride). 2. Walk up the road to get to Stonehenge (about 1 mile).

When you finally catch a glimpse of the stones, you will certainly be astounded. Follow the marked trail in a circle around Stonehenge. Numbers will be found all the way around the monument. Each number indicates a stop on your guided audio tour where you can listen to interesting facts relevant to the different stops along the trail. When you complete the loop, depending on the length of your tour you can follow nearby trails that lead you to other historical landmarks or hop back on a shuttle to the Visitor Centre.

Beginning of the Stonehenge trail

Stonehenge is quite possibly the most important prehistoric monument in all of Britain and has attracted visitors for thousands of years. It stands as a timeless monument to the people who built it long ago. The Stonehenge pictured throughout this post is the final stage of what was completed about 3,500 years ago, with the initial start of Stonehenge taking place about 5,000 years ago.

Stonehenge Tips

Tip 1: There are no restrooms or refreshments available at Stonehenge. Visit the bathrooms at the Visitor Centre and grab a quick bite to eat at the café before heading over to the stones if needed.

Tip 2: Tickets for Stonehenge must be purchased in advance. You cannot reserve tickets on-line on the day of your visit and they must be reserved before midnight at the latest the day before.

Tip 3: If you book a ticket for Stonehenge outside of a tour company, you will select a 30 minute time slit. This is the time you report to the ticket desk at the entrance to Stonehenge.

Tip 4: Visit the Exhibition Centre first before hopping on a shuttle to Stonehenge to learn more in its entirety what Stonehenge is, where it came from, and who built it.

Tip 5: A typical visit lasts approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours. There is plenty of opportunity to stay longer and extend your trip with Neolithic monuments with walking trails between them all in close proximity to the Stonehenge area.

Tip 6: Expect not to get too close to the stones. The nearest you will get to the stones is about 10 yards, with the monument being roped off by a low barrier. If you really want to get close to the stones, plan a Special Access visit – sessions of one hour duration, with only 26 people permitted at a time to go beyond the barriers and walk amongst the stones. Special Access visits will need to be planned months in advance. Learn more about special access visits by clicking here.

Believed to be the first stone placed in Stonehenge.

Difficulty: Easy

Total Distance: Varies depending on trails.

Trailhead address: Amesbury, Wiltshire SP4 7DE, United Kingdom

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