Old Moaner Travel

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list

London Free: Outdoor

There are many free outdoor attractions in London, far too many to list here but these are some of our favourites. Where more than one tube station is listed for an attraction the nearest is listed first and the furthest last.

Albert Memorial

Prince's Gate, Kensington Gore
Tube: Knightsbridge, South Kensington
Bus: 9, 10, 49, 52, 70, 360 & 452

The Albert Memorial is situated in Kensington Gardens, London, England, directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall.

It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband, Prince Albert who died of typhoid in 1861. The memorial was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in a Gothic Revival style.

Opened in July 1872 by Queen Victoria, with the statue of Albert ceremonially "seated" in 1875, the memorial consists of an ornate canopy or pavilion, in the style of a Gothic ciborium over the high altar of a church, containing a statue of the prince facing south.

The memorial is 176 feet (54 m) tall, took over ten years to complete, and cost £120,000 (the equivalent of about £10m today).

The cost was met by public subscription.

Battersea Park

Battersea, SW11 4NJ
Rail: Battersea Park, Queenstown Road
Bus: 19, 44, 49, 137, 156, 239, 319, 344, 345, 452

Open: 08:00 - Dusk

This 200 acre park is one of the most popular family destinations in London.

In 1951 the park was a central site for the Festival Of Britain, it was home to the Battersea Fun Fair which remained open until 1974.

It is home to a small children's zoo, a boating lake, a bandstand, and several all-weather outdoor sporting facilities including tennis courts, a running track and football pitches.

Located on the south bank of the Thames facing Chelsea, is also the site of the London Peace Pagoda, erected in 1985.

Between 2002-4, the park underwent an £11m refurbishment funded in part by the National Lottery

The park contains sculptures by artists including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth – remnants of exhibitions that took place in the park in the fifties and sixties.

At the boating lake, there are herons, cormorants and grebes and children will enjoy feeding the ducks.

The Children’s Zoo features farm animals and birds, as well as more exotic species such as meerkats, Asian short claw otters and ringtail lemurs.

Bushy Park

Rail: Hampton Wick, Teddington, Hampton Court (Zone 6)
Bus: 111, 216, 411, 465, X26 & R68

An 1,000 acre park populated by Red and Fallow deer is also home to some spectacular gardens.

Another centrepiece is the Chestnut Walk, an avenue lined by chestnut trees highlighted by a magnificent fountain.

Part of the Royal Parks it was originally built as an additional "garden" for the nearby Hampton Court Palace.

Cleopatra's Needle

Victoria Embankment
Tube: Embankment

The 3,500 year old obelisk came from the site of the Temple of the Sun God in Heliopolis, Egypt.

Made of red granite it stands 68 feet (21m) tall and it is inscribed with Egyptian hieroglyphs.

One of a pair, the twin is to be found in New York's Central Park.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden
Tube: Covent Garden, Leicester Square
Bus: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 38, 55, 59, 69, 73, 77A, 91, 98, 134, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 242, 243, 341, RV1 & X68

One of the most vibrant areas of London with shopping, theatres and street entertainment there is something for everyone.

The street entertainment goes on all day and there are act for all ages and tastes. From juggling fire eaters, to string quartets. From buskers to opera Diva's.

With a history going back 2,000 years the area is the longest continuously occupied part of London. It used to be the site of the famous fruit, vegetable and flower market until it moved in the 1970's.

They say in Covent Garden you could eat lunch somewhere different every day for 2½ years.

The central part of Covent Garden is a shopping area but there are no formulaic shops here. The shops are nearly all unusual and unique and the area is traffic free.

So if you want to shop, be entertained or just people watch then Coven Garden is the place to be.

Green Park

Piccadilly / Constitution Hill
Tube: Green Park, Hyde Park Corner
Bus: 8, 9, 14, 19, 22 & 38

Often described as the Cinderella of Royal Parks, Green Park has no lakes, flower beds or cafés but it provides a peaceful, quiet, green oasis in the heart of the city.

The park links Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly and Buckingham Palace.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park
Tube: Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Knightsbridge, Lancaster Gate
Bus:
North London: 6, 7, 10, 16, 52, 73, 82, 390, 414
South London: 2, 36, 137, 436
West London: 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 148, 414
East London: 8, 15, 30, 38, 274

Open: Daily 05:00 - midnight

The largest of the central London Royal Parks, Hyde Park covers 340 acres. The park was acquired by Henry VIII as a private hunting ground.

Now it is a big open space with grass, a huge lake (The Serpentine), woodland and formal gardens.

Visitors can hire boats on the Serpentine, which is open from Easter until the end of October.

In summer and most weekends there are free concerts at the bandstand.

The park also houses a memorial to the 52 people killed in the London bombings if 7th July 2005.

In the build up to Christmas it houses a popular Christmas market.

Kensington Gardens

Kensington
Tube: Lancaster Gate, Queensway, Bayswater, High Street Kensington
Bus: 9, 10, 27, 28, 31, 49, 52, 70, 94, 148, 274, 360 & 390

Open: Daily 06:00 - dusk

This area was originally part of Hyde Park until William III bought it as the gardens of Kensington Palace in 1689.

Queen Anne enlarged the Gardens in 1704. They remained private royal gardens until Queen Victoria opened them to the public.

The gardens have beautiful formal gardens and the 275 acres also includes a boating pond, for model boats only and they are particularly popular for sunbathing and picnics in fine weather.

It is also popular as a walking route to work for commuters. The paths are used extensively by joggers and runners.

Cycling is allowed on a designated path linking the Queen's Gate to West Carriage Drive, Mount Gate to the Broadwalk and the broadwalk itself from Black Lion Gate to Palace Gate.

One of the most popular features in the Gardens is a bronze statue of Peter Pan. This statue features Peter Pan standing on a pedestal covered with climbing squirrels, rabbits and mice.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground and a seven-mile Memorial Walk, which also goes through Hyde Park, Green Park and St James's Park, were both opened in 2000. The playground attracts 750,000 children a year and it has a huge wooden pirate ship as its central feature.

The Elfin Oak is a gnarled, partially hollow, stump, originally from Richmond Park. It is carved with the figures of fairies, elves and various small animals following the contours of the wood.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus
Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Bus: 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 22, 23, 38, 88, 94, 139, 159 & 453

There are no performing animals or acrobats at this circus, the term circus coming from the Roman for circle.

In effect Piccadilly Circus is a large traffic junction linking the shopping areas of Regent Street and Piccadilly, as well as the theatre district around Shaftsbury Avenue.

The two major attractions at Piccadilly Circus are the massive neon advertising displays and the statue known as Eros but which is officially the Angel Of Christian Charity, which was the world's first aluminium statue, erected to commemorate Lord Shaftsbury.

Primrose Hill

Tube: Camden Town
Bus: 2, 13, 18, 27, 30, 74, 82, 113, 139, 189, 274, 453 & C2

Hours: 05:00 - 16:30 up to 21:30 (depending on time of year)

Primrose Hill is located on the north side of Regent's Park. The top of Primrose Hill is 63 metres or 206 feet above sea level and the view over London is now protected in planning law. Visitors can look down on the zoo in Regent's Park and further a field to landmarks such as Canary Wharf, the Millennium Dome and the BT Tower.

It is also one of the most exclusive and expensive residential areas in London and is home to many notable residents.

When it snows the site is used for tobogganing.

There has been an outdoor gymnasium on the site since Victorian times and there are still 20 types of equipment available to use.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Stratford,
Tube: Stratford
DLR: Stratford
Rail: Stratford
Bus: 97, 108, 339 & 388

Part of the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games the park was the main site for the games, although very different to how it was in 2012.

Many of the games venues remain including the Stadium, in a reduced form, now the home of West Ham United, the Copper Box, aquatic and cycling centres and the artificial courts, now used for tennis and hockey.

Most of the site has been returned to nature in an area including canals and rivers.

Nearby is the Westfield Shopping Centre, with its shops and numerous eateries.

Speakers Corner

Hyde Park (NE corner)
Tube: Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner
Bus: 2, 6, 7, 10, 16, 23, 30, 36, 73, 74, 82, 94, 98, 137, 148, 159, 274, 390, 414 & 436

An area of Hyde Park where orators stand on their soapboxes and talk about anything and everything.

The most popular day is Sunday although it is used on other days.

Although the area attracts many cranks and extremists, especially with extreme religious views, some celebrated political figures and celebrities have spoken at Speakers Corner. Amongst them Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, George Orwell, William Morris and countless politicians.

Speakers Corner is not just a matter of listening to speakers, debate is encouraged and some very heated discussions can ensue.

St Katherine's Dock

Near Tower Bridge
Tube: Tower Hill
DLR: Tower Gateway
Bus: 15, 42, 78, 100 & RV1

The original Docklands development area in London features restored warehouses, chic accommodation, squares, cafés and restaurants and some very pleasant walks in a marina setting.

Frequently, moreso at weekends, there are pop up eateries offering an eclectic mix of street foods.

It is popular without being crowded and it is one of the more pleasant London walks and on a sunny summers day Tower Bridge and the Tower Of London provide a stunning background.

St James's Park

St James's Park
Whitehall / The Mall / Buckingham Palace
Tube: St James's Park, Westminster, Green Park, Victoria
Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 53, 77a, 148, 211 & 507

Hours: 05:00 - midnight

If the nearby Green Park is plain then St James's Park more than compensates.

Undoubtedly the grandest of the Royal Parks it features a huge lake and it is highly cultivated.

The lake is home to many species of wildfowl but the undoubted avian stars are the pelicans, which are fed daily at 15:00 beside Duck Island.

Squirrels abound in the park and are so accustomed to human company they will happily eat out of your hand.

There are restaurants and cafés throughout the park with plenty of benches to sit on, or if you prefer you can hire a deck chair for an hour or two. Although most visitors are happy to just sit or lay on the grass and, maybe, have a picnic.

In the summer there are free concerts at the bandstand.

The Monument

Monument Street,
Tube: Monument
DLR: Tower Gateway
Rail: London Bridge, Fenchurch Street
Bus: 17, 521, 21, 43, 133, 141, 48, 149

It was erected on a site 202 feet away from where the Great Fire Of London began in Pudding Lane in 1666.

It is possible to climb to the top for a small charge (£3)

The Regents Park

Regents Park
Tube: Regent's Park, Great Portland Street, Baker Street, St John's Wood, Camden Town
Bus: 2, 13, 18, 27, 30, 74, 82, 113, 139, 189, 274, 453 & C2

Open: Daily 05:00 - 16:30 up to 21:30 (depending on time of year)

The 410 acre park is mainly open parkland with a wide range of facilities and amenities including gardens, a lake including a waterfowl area along with a boating area, sports pitches, and children's playgrounds.

The northern side of the park houses London Zoo.

There are several public gardens with flowers and specimen plants, including Queen Mary's Gardens in the Inner Circle, in which an Open Air Theatre is located.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge Street
Tube: Tower Hill
DLR: Tower Gateway
Bus: 15, 42, 78, 100 & RV1

One of London's iconic landmarks, which looks even more spectacular when the bridge opens to allow large vessels into the Pool Of London.

For larger vessels the road section can lift to an angle of 86°, although for smaller vessels they do not open that far.

The bridge is mainly constructed of iron but is clad in stone to give its well known appearance.

It is possible to visit the engine rooms and walk across the upper gantry but there is a charge. (£9.80)

The times the bridge is scheduled to open can be found here

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square
Tube: Charing Cross
Bus: 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 29, 57, 87, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176, 388 & 453

London's main square, looked over by the statue of Lord Nelson atop his 170' column.

There are fountains and statues in the square, which is often home to free entertainment events. It does, sometimes, serve as a focus for political demonstrations.

The square used to be the focus for New Year celebrations but with the move to big firework displays on the Thames the focus has shifted, nonetheless it is still a popular venue for youngsters to see in the new year.

To the north side of the square is the National Gallery, to the south Whitehall and the Mall.

Victoria Embankment Gardens

Victoria Embankment
Tube: Embankment, Charing Cross
Rail: Charing Cross

Tucked away next to Embankment underground station these beautiful gardens offer a break from the hustle and bustle of City life.

As well as beautiful flower gardens there is an array of free entertainment ranging from mime to opera and poetry to dance.

The park is a very popular with local office workers who can be seen eating their lunchtime sandwiches there. There are plenty of sandwich and take-away shops nearby if you feel the urge to join them.

If you want to be educated there are plenty of plaques in the park telling the history of the area.

Despite being next to the busy Victoria Embankment the park is surprisingly quiet and is one of the capital's hidden treasures.

Shopping And Markets

Brick Lane Market

Brick Lane
Tube: Aldgate East, Whitechapel, Liverpool Street
Bus: 135

Open: Sunday 06:00 - 13:00

A popular street market with a range of new and used goods, the sort of market where you can never be sure of what you will find on sale but it tends to be a pile it high, sell it cheap experience, although for the best bargains you will need to be there early.

What you will find is plenty of banter, bustling crowds and street entertainers.

When you have finished your browsing have lunch at one of the many ethnic restaurants which line Brick Lane. There are many restaurants to choose from and I have never had a bad meal there. Top tip - don't be put off by the look of some of the restaurants, often the best, least expensive and most authentic meals can be found at the more basic restaurants.

Brixton Market

Brixton Station Road
Tube: Brixton
Bus: P4, P5, 2, 3, 35, 37, 45, 59, 109, 118, 133, 159, 196, 250, 322, 333, 345, 415, 432.

Open: Mon - Sat 10:00 - 18:00 (Wed until 13:00)

A street market with a distinct Afro-Caribbean feel. A market with the exotic and mundane.

Camden Lock

Camden Lock
Tube: Camden Town, Chalk Farm
Bus: 24, 27, 29, 31, 134, 135, 168, 214, 253, 274, C2

Open: Daily 10:00 - 19:00, up to 23:00 for eateries

Established in 1974 as a craft market it has now expanded to a market with 1,000 plus stalls. It built up a reputation of being a weekend venue but is now open seven days and it is much quieter and more comfortable mid-week.

It is now Londons largest market.

The Camden Stables Market is home to the alternative clothing market.

It has to be said the market isn't cheap but it is great just to browse round. Also be aware it does get jam packed at weekends and public holidays, however it is located next to the Regents Canal and you can dive onto a canal boat for a relaxing trip to get away from the crowds.

Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street (runs parallel to Regent Street)
Tube: Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus
Bus: 3, 6, 12, 13, 15, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453 & C2

Made famous as being the heart of the Swinging Sixties, Carnaby Street still cashes in on that image.

It houses a combination of fashion boutiques, many of them with a sixties theme and tourist shops, again with the sixties touch.

So if you are of a certain age who yearns for the days of love and peace, or you are a youngster bemused by what your parents and grandparents are going on about, then this is the place for you.

Cool man.

Columbia Road Flower Market

Columbia Road, E2 7RG
Tube: Old Street, Bethnal Green
Bus: 8, 26, 35, 47, 67, 78, 135, 149, 242 & 388

Open: Sunday 08:00 - 15:00 (ish)

If you are a gardener this place is heaven on earth as you can stock your garden at wholesale prices.

Even if you are not a gardener and you just want a house plant or a bunch of flowers, this is the place to be.

A heaving market, with banter from the stall holders, there is no better place to spend a Sunday morning. The market has stocked my garden for several years now.

Choosing the best time to go can be tricky. Arriving early will give you a greater choice but later in the day you're more likely to pick up a bargain, although your choices may be more limited. Personally I find arriving around 11:00 is a reasonable compromise. The official closing time of the market is 15:00 but traders will begin to leave once they have sold most of their stock, sometimes as early as 13:00.

It is not uncommon to see shoppers walking away from the market laden with plants and even small trees.

Even on the remaining days of the week Columbia Road is well worth visit as it is home to one of the largest selection of independent shops in London, with over 60 located along the road, ranging from the sublime to the quirky.

Old Bond Street

Old Bond Street, W1
Tube: Green Park, Hyde Park Corner
Bus: 8, 9, 14, 19, 22 & 38

A window shoppers delight or a severe assault on the bank account, you pays your money and takes your choice.

Old Bond Street is the Street with the big name shops - De Beers, Cartier, Gucci, YSL, Chanel, Tiffany, Prada, Alexander McQueen etc. etc.- you get the message by now.

Oxford Street

Tube: Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Hyde Park Corner, Tottenham Court Road
Bus: 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 23, 25, 55, 73, 88, 94, 98, 139, 159, 390, 453 & C2

London's main shopping street consisting mainly of the top high street names, including flagship stores for Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Top Shop and HMV.

The world famous Selfridges department store is also to be found on Oxford Street.

As well as the top stores there are a few independents, along with street vendors.

Always busy throughout the year it becomes almost impossibly busy in the run-up to Christmas. If venturing for Christmas shopping then Monday tends to be a quieter day, but it is all relative.

In November and December the Christmas lights attract many after dark.

Petticoat Lane Market

Middlesex Street, E1
Tube: Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Aldgate East
Bus: 8, 11, 23, 26, 35, 42, 47, 48, 78, 100, 133, 135, 149, 153, 205, 242, 344 & 388

Open: Mon - Fri 10:00 -14:30 Sunday 09:00 - 14:00

Although operating Monday to Friday the big market day is Sunday when over 1,000 stalls trade on the site where there has been a market since the 1750's.

The name Petticoat Lane comes from the French lace makers who used to sell their wares at the market. the prudish Victorians changed the name of the road to Middlesex Street but the old name still persists.

You can buy virtually anything at this famous market.

Portobello Road Market

Portobello Road
Tube: Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove
Bus: 7,12, 23, 27, 28, 31, 52, 70, 94, 328 & 452.

Open: Saturday (shops open six days a week as well as a smaller market)

Famed for its Saturday Antiques Market, which still takes place at the southern end of the mile long road, the market also has a food market, bric-á-brac stalls as well as clothes and accessories stalls.

Even if you do not buy the atmosphere is great and if you love people watching you will be in your element.

Regent Street

Regent Street
Tube: Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus
Bus: 3, 6, 12, 13, 15, 23, 88, 94, 139, 159, 453 & C2

Linking Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street has a slightly more up-market feel, with more designer stores than Oxford Street.

Highlights include Liberty - with its Tudor Beam frontage, Hamleys - the famous toy shop, Apple, Disney and, of course, the famous Café Royal

Always busy throughout the year it becomes almost impossibly busy in the run-up to Christmas. If venturing for Christmas shopping then Monday tends to be a quieter day, but it is all relative.

In November and December the Christmas lights attract many after dark.

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