Afolabi Defeats Tinsley

2008-08-18 16:35:13

Hyde Park It used to be an enclosed hunting ground for English Kings until Charles 1 - in 1637 - opened the park to the public. At over 350 acres Hyde Park is one of London's largest and probably best known parks. A small lake - the Serpentine divides Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens. The best ingress is through the Grand Entrance Archways at Hyde Park Corner. Once inside, places to see include; Speakers Corner - an area designated for Public Speaking and is highly entertaining. Speakers can say what they like as long as it's within the law; South of the Serpentine lake is the Diana, Princess of Wales memorial; to the east is London's Holocaust memorial; for botanical fanatics the Weeping Beech or Fagus Sylvatica pendula is a must see. Hyde Park is also famous for concerts - The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and The Who to name a few. Hyde Park Stables offers the chance to go horse riding around almost 5 miles of bridleways on either horses or ponies. The park is open from 5am until 12 midnight throughout the year. Regents Park Heading to North London we find Regents Park. The 410 acres (to satisfy the curious) of prime parkland also host a canal (running through the northern end to what used to be London Docks); a lake with boating area; sports pitches and children's play grounds. London Zoo is housed in the North-East end of the park whilst the famous Queen's Mary Gardens can be found in the Inner Circle. An open air theatre performs in the summer. A private section of the park houses the official residence of the US Ambassador to the UK. Nearby is the highly visible London Central Mosque. The best spot for a picnic is Primrose Hill - to the North. St. James Park St. James Park (58 acres in case you want to impress the curious) is London's oldest Royal Park and is surrounded by 3 palaces. An English King (James 1) used to maintain a menagerie of exotic beasts including crocodiles, elephants and camels there. St. James Park is famous for the view from the bridge of Whitehall (a stunning vista) and for the black swans that glide around the lake. St. James is very popular with office workers during the summer. Green Park Between Hyde Park and St. James Park lies Green Park (53 acres I think we're all curious now). Don't be put off by is past as being a swampy burial ground for lepers. Today there exists but wooded meadows. There are no statues or fountains except for the Canada Memorial. This is an ideal place to loaf in a deck chair (watch out for the ticket inspector) or picnic with friends in one of the wooded glades. Battersea Park For hidden secrets and simple pleasures head South to Battersea Park (200 acres to keep you happy) considered by many to be London's most interesting park. Battersea Park is home to a small zoo, boating lake with fountain and numerous wildlife, a bandstand and several all weather outdoors sports facilities including football pitches. A variety of gardens exist throughout the park whilst the many varieties of trees induce a feeling of tranquillity. The iconic Battersea Power Station is a nearby landmark that can be seen from parts of the park.