London has eight Royal Parks and I think all London visitors should try to visit at least two or three of them. They each have a distinct character and charm.

This week for Natalie’s weekend coffee share I am going to invite you to join me in Kensington gardens and Hyde Park which form part of London’s west lung.

Following on from Saturday’s Regents Park walk we met up again on Sunday outside Paddington Station. Although I think some of us were rather the worse for wear after a Greek meal the night before.

This time we were going on a five mile linear walk through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park to Westminster ending at Big Ben. Luckily for us the weather was still warm and sunny. The tulips and cherry blossom were looking beautiful and some of the older broadleaf trees were in bud.

Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens is another one of the Royal Parks.

The Gardens with their magnificent trees are the setting for Kensington Palace, the choice of William III and Mary II for their London home. Queen Victoria was born in Kensington Palace and lived there until she became queen in 1837.

It was Queen Caroline, wife of George II, who in 1728 had the gardens landscaped to their present form by creating the Serpentine and the Long Water from the Westbourne stream. For most of the 18th century the gardens were closed to the public. They were opened gradually but only to the respectably dressed.

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

Kensington Gardens is still very much a Royal Park. Queen Victoria erected an enormous statue to her beloved husband Prince Albert. The frieze around his feet is made up of carvings of the great artists, writers, musicians and painters. The Royal Albert Hall faces the park. I can’t help thinking of the children’s story of it being used as a giant jelly mold.

Walking on we came to the rather less impressive memorial to Princess Diana. Before her marriage she lived in an apartment at Kensington Palace. The memorial is much loved by children consisting of a paddling maze and children’s playground with pirate ship. This is another tribute to J. M. Barrie and Peter Pan.

we enjoyed watching the ducks on the Serpentine and had lunch at the cafe. (top photo) In summer you can swim in the lake or hire a rowing boat. The Serpentine forms the boundary between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Its name comes from its twisting snake like shape. The water comes from chalk bore holes and is of very high quality. It was even used for some of the races in the 2012 London Olympics.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park is the largest of the Royal Parks. It is close to Buckingham Palace and was originally a hunting ground for the kings. It is still popular with horse riders and there is a special bridle path. In winter part of the park becomes a winter wonderland with large ice rinks and a Christmas market.

They are changing the guard at Buckingham Palace. The Queen is working from home and is spending most of her time at Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace is undergoing renovation ready for when Prince Charles becomes King.

As Hyde Park is so close to Westminster it is often the focus of protests and demonstrations. You can usually find someone giving a political speech at Speakers corner.

There are lots of war memorials at the Westminster end of the park.

The end of our walk. Big Ben has recently had a facelift and the scaffolding has almost all gone. There are a lot of other places to visit in South Kensington from the shops in Oxford Street to museums such as the V. and A. and the Natural History Museum.

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