OK, so we all know that London is a busy metropolitan city, we’ve all been in the station in the morning waiting behind a sea of people, trying to squash our way onto an already over-crowded train and then travelling to school with our face squashed into someone’s armpit…it’s disgusting, it’s busy but it’s London. And we don’t mind that it is a huge, busy city because this means we are always within easy reach of musicals, international cuisine, Michelin star restaurants, an amazing night life and countless free museums and wonderful galleries.
However, did you know that over half of London is GREEN SPACE? Yes, that’s right, 62% of London is actually green parks or gardens. According to this interesting article, London has more public green space than Berlin, New York, Paris and Istanbul.
So let’s get out there and enjoy it. As it is getting warmer now in London (check out the forecast), here are a few of my favourite parks in London. Go, bring a picnic and let us know how you get on.
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Hampstead Heath is located in North London and is absolutely amazing. There are public lakes that you can swim in on really hot days or you can lie out under the sun with a picnic and just relax. It’s a lovely place to go for a walk and you can always visit Kenwood House , which is a wonderful old house with lots to see inside…and it’s all free.
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One of my favourite things about London is that one minute you can be on a busy, noisy road full of traffic and pedestrians and if you just walk one street back, you can often find yourself in a lovely little park away from everybody, sitting on a bench, enjoying the peacefulness of the green space. Russell Square is my favourite for this. It’s within walking distance of our school and has a lovely little fountain in the centre. So if you feel like a quick escape from your English class or just want a quiet place to read or do your homework, Russel Square could be the place for you.
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If you’re living in south London, you could try Brockwell park. it’s within walking distance of Herne Hill or Brixton. It’s a wonderful little park with lots of benches and areas to sit down and have a picnic. I think there might even be some ducks.
If you’d like to experience these hidden gems, why not think about booking an English class for adults in London.
If you would like to keep practising after your English classes, try our Learn English website.