I’m the kind of person who occasionally needs to have a break from the hustle and bustle of the large metropolis that I study in. And if you happen to be that kind of person as well, I will definitely recommend you to visit Hyde Park whenever you find yourself studying or just simply visiting London. In other words, just go if you ever get the chance!
But before doing that, I’ll have to warn you – if you are not careful, a quick and casual walk in the park could very accidentally become a three-hour afternoon stroll! In fact, this might even be an understatement. Though honestly, even if that ever happened, it is probably one of the best things you could do for yourself here in London.
So basically, Hyde Park is the largest of the four Royal Parks here in central London, and it’s one of the things that I love about London because visiting this park is always a sweet temporary escape from all the stress of university work, or simply from the noise and hurried pace of the British city. And the best part of the whole thing – it is just right next to Imperial College’s South Kensington campus, where you’ll find the golden Albert Memorial casually glancing over the world-famous Royal Albert Hall.
Besides Hyde Park being an absolutely beautiful place to go for a long jog, it is also a terrific location for you to consider if you want to have your very own photoshoot session. In fact, let’s name a few of those fantastic spots that you could consider exploring.
Flower beds are hands down a breath-taking and photogenic scenery, and there are a couple of those at Hype Park that is definitely worth visiting. For instance, you might want to have a picnic on the open lawns beside the colourful roses at the Rose Garden. Or perhaps if you feel a little… “majestic” (pun half-intended), you could take a stroll around the Sunken Garden right outside the Kensington Palace, where you will see a wide range of flora ranging from tulips to daffodils to wallflowers to pansies surrounding an absolutely stunning fountain at the centre of it all.
In contrast, if you happen to be more of a fauna kind of person instead, Hyde Park won’t disappoint you either. For example, you definitely won’t be able to miss the Round Pond that is located right beside the Sunken Garden, and that’s one of the places where you will be able to find lots of ducks and swans swimming elegantly (well, at least for the swans) in the waters. Meanwhile, you could also head over to the enormous Serpentine Lake, where you’ll not only find a variety of feathery companions dipping themselves in the lake, but also plenty of people riding pedalo boats or even swimming in designated areas to cool themselves from the blazing hot sun once summer term arrives. What’s more, you might sometimes see people riding on horses or munching their snacks from the many ice cream trucks and food shacks that are strategically placed around the entire park. And if you love watching people doing sports, there is always that one person or group who is roller-skating, playing a game of football or ultimate frisbee, or just doing bicycle tricks at certain corners. All in all, an afternoon at Hyde Park is almost always a lively scene, which could in turn help to give you a bit of an energy boost after a long day of hard work.
Speaking of feathers, you could also find little parrots that you could feed in certain places at Hyde Park. I won’t tell you where exactly, so it’s up for you to explore and find out yourself. Not to mention, I would also challenge you to go searching for some “hidden figures” here at Hyde Park. For instance, keep an eye out for the Peter Pan Statue, the Statue of Achilles, the Queen Victoria Statue, or perhaps the Physical Energy Statue (I personally call this the Lloyds Bank or Ferrari Status sometimes; maybe you’ll see why) when you find yourself walking around this enormous park.
To shift gears slightly, you might be wondering if Hyde Park is only a nice place to visit over Summer as the frosty winter outdoors may not be super inviting. Fret not, for it is still one of the cool places to check out if you are feeling the Christmas spirit and would love to have a fun evening out. Why so, you may ask – well, simply because they have Winter Wonderland during the Christmas season.
Though it is rather pricey, you would probably still want to (and you should, at least once) try out the creamy hot chocolate mixed with Bailey’s or sip on warm mulled wine after indulging yourself with chocolate-covered churros, chestnuts, burgers, or hot dogs.
Not feeling too hungry? Scream to your heart’s content by going on one of the many thrill rides that the Winter Wonderland theme park is filled with.
Too expensive of a ride? Not to worry – the Christmas songs and performances are free for you to sing and dance along with your friends whenever you like!
In short, I guess I’ve made myself pretty clear at this point that Hyde Park totally deserves your time and ought to be one of your top priorities when you study or visit London. In essence, once the entire pandemic is over, I really hope for your eyes and soul to be blessed by a casual visit to the park.
Till then, add “visiting Hyde Park” to your personal bucket list and stay safe!
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