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The World | |
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London | |
Further Distractions |
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London,
Further Distractions The parkland conurbation of St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens stretches from Whitehall to Kensington in the west. St James’s Park and Green Park are at the heart of royal and governmental London, cantilevered around Buckingham Palace, while Hyde Park’s Speaker’s Corner is the place for soapbox philosophers to harangue passers‐by on Sunday mornings. Kensington Gardens contains the delightful Serpentine Gallery (tel: (020) 7402 6075; website: www.serpentinegallery.org), as well as the glittering Albert Memorial. The more recent memorials to Diana, Princess of Walkes currently take the form of a playground and a 11km (seven‐mile) Memorial Walk through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James's Park, although the official Memorial Fountain is due for completion in 2004. Regent’s Park, just north of Oxford Circus, is home to London Zoo (tel: (020) 7722 3333; website: www.londonzoo.com), while immediately next door is Primrose Hill, with a fabulous view and chic village atmosphere. Of the many other parks in London, two are huge but further out – Hampstead Heath in north London and Richmond Park in south London. Hampstead Heath boasts acres of natural parkland, the 18th‐century Kenwood House (website: www.english‐heritage.org.uk), numerous bathing ponds and another fantastic view over the capital. Richmond Park is the largest open space in London, first enclosed as a hunting park by King Charles I in 1637, it still boasts deer. St James’ Park The Mall, Horse Guard’s Road and Birdcage Walk, SW1 Tel: (020) 7930 1793. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground St James’ Park. Opening hours: Daily dawn to dusk. Admission: Free. Green Park Piccadilly, W1, The Mall and Constitution Hill, SW1 Tel: (020) 7930 1793. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground Green Park. Opening hours: Daily dawn to dusk. Admission: Free. Hyde Park Bayswater Road, W2, Park Lane, W1, and Knightsbridge, SW1 Tel: (020) 7298 2100. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Lancaster Gate or Knightsbridge. Opening hours: Daily 0500‐2400. Admission: Free. Kensington Gardens Bayswater Road, W2, and Kensington Road, SW7 Tel: (020) 7298 2100. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground Lancaster Gate, Queensway or High Street Kensington. Opening hours: Daily dawn to dusk. Admission: Free. Serpentine Gallery Kensington Gardens Tel: (020) 7298 1515. Website: www.serpentinegallery.org Transport: London Underground Knightsbridge, Lancaster Gate or South Kensington. Admission: Free. Regent’s Park Prince Albert Road, NW1/NW8, Albany Street, NW1, Marylebone Road, NW1, Park Road, NW8 Tel: (020) 7486 7905. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground Regent’s Park, Great Portland Street, Baker Street, Camden Town or St John’s Wood. Opening hours: Daily dawn to dusk Admission: Free. Primrose Hill Primrose Hill Road, NW3, Regent’s Park Road, NW1, and Prince Albert Road, NW1/NW8 Tel: (020) 7486 7905. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground Chalk Farm. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Hampstead Heath East Heath Road, NW3, and Highgate Road, NW5, and others Tel: (020) 7482 7073. Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk Transport: London Underground Hampstead, Belsize Park or Highgate; Silverlink Metro Hampstead Heath or Gospel Oak. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Kenwood House Hampstead Lane, NW3 Website: www.english‐heritage.org.uk Transport: London Underground Hampstead, Belsize Park or Highgate; Silverlink Metro Hampstead Heath or Gospel Oak. Opening hours: Daily 1000‐1730 (Apr‐Sep); daily 1000‐1700 (Oct); daily 1000‐1600 (Nov‐Mar); opens at 1030 Wed and Fri. Richmond Park Roehampton Vale, SW15, Queens Road, Richmond Tel: (020) 8948 3209. Website: www.royalparks.gov.uk Transport: London Underground/Silverlink Metro to Richmond, then bus 371. Opening hours: Daily dawn to dusk. Admission: Free. Highgate Cemetery Resonating with the ghosts of such luminaries as Karl Marx and George Eliot, Highgate Cemetery is one of London’s most extraordinary places. With some of the finest Victorian funerary architecture in the country, many of the memorials are architecturally listed sites. The East Cemetery contains Karl Marx’s grave and monumental bust. The West Cemetery contains the remarkable Lebanon Circle, formed of 20 family catacombs surrounding an ancient cedar tree, as well as other notable monuments. Visitors can freely explore the East Cemetery but can only visit the West Cemetery by booking the one‐hour guided tours in advance (by telephone). Swains Lane, N6 Tel: (020) 8340 1834. Website: http://highgate‐cemetery.org Transport: London Underground Archway or Highgate. Opening hours: East Cemetery: Mon‐Fri 1000‐1700, Sat and Sun 1100‐1700 (Apr‐Oct); Mon‐Fri 1000‐1600, Sat and Sun 1100‐1600 (Nov‐Mar); last admission half an hour before closing. West Cemetery tours: Mon‐Fri 1400 (Mar‐Nov only); Sat and Sun 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400 and 1500; Mon‐Fri 1400 (Mar‐Nov only); Sat and Sun 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500 and 1600 (Apr‐Oct). Admission: £2 (East Cemetery); £3 (West Cemetery standard tour). |