Sweet Odyssey: I'm Walking London: Primrose Hill and Regent's Park

There is nothing more exciting than waking up in the morning to find the sun is up and shining through my bedroom windows. I know straight away that spring has come. For some reason, the days are always fresh, the sky is always blue and the birds are chirping more happily than before. The weather has been very good to London these past few weeks and it makes people get on with outdoor activities. I myself feel obliged to go outdoor every weekend. I know I don’t have to but I must! London is famous for its cloudy sky and when the cloud disappears and is replaced by the sun with blue sky in the background, everyone in London is flocking every outdoor places you can imagine available, be it the parks, the beaches or their own backyards. It always feels good to be outside and to enjoy the good weather.

Last weekend I went out to walk for a bit. I kind of need the exercise, you know, after months of hiding in my apartment away from the coldness of winter. I need to breathe in the spring air and to re-introduce my skin with the warmth of the sun. And so I did a walk that I followed from a book called ‘Walking London’ by Andrew Duncan. It started from Chalk Farm tube station toward Primrose Hill Park and Regent’s Park and ended in Regent’s Park tube station. It is spring time and we need the walk in the parks!

The walk from Chalk Farm tube station to Primrose Hill Park was about ten minutes and I passed by a local high street on Regent’s Park Road. It’s got a few cafes, restaurants and pubs. It wasn’t very crowded but quite a cozy street to stroll when you need to get a quick bite after your rest in the park. Once I entered the gate of park, I immediately saw a hill in front of me. It was where a lot of people hung around. I hesitantly walked up to the hill but when I reached the summit, I understood why many people hung around here. The view from the summit was fantastic. I could see the London Zoo, Regent’s Park, London Eye and some building blocks of the city. I could also see the whole park itself from up there. It’s a small park, grassy, and manicured very nicely with walking paths and line of lights. You can bring your picnic baskets or read your book or just sit or lie on the grass and enjoy the weather. The park has got a very inviting ambience which is very pleasant.

I continued my walk toward the south-east corner of the Primrose Hill Park and found the London Zoo. I walked a bit more and I saw one of the entry points of Regent’s Park. There were many sport pitches on this side of the park. I saw people playing football, tennis, cricket, and many other type of sports. Then I walked to the boating lake where I saw people were busy moving and rowing the boats about the lake. There was a children’s playground near the lake and many children were playing there happily like there is no tomorrow. The park was huge and tended with very proper care. Colourful flowers were blooming everywhere in the park. I enjoyed the walk from the lake to the open air theatre the most. It was, after all, a walk by the lake and I felt very much at peace. There was an area called bandstand nearby and it is really good for picnic and reading books on deckchairs (if they are available).

It was already dark before I could finish my walk in Regent’s Park. The walk was supposed to go on to the open air theatre, Queen Mary's Garden and end at Chester gate. There were so many spots in the park where we just stopped and played around. I don’t think it matters if we finish the walk or not. The important thing is we enjoyed the day and we all did. I’m looking forward to another great day outdoor.

Contact Details:

Address: Regent's Park, London, NW1 4NR

Website: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/regents_park/

Nearest Stations: Chalk Farm or Camden Town (to Primrose Hill Park), Baker Street or Regent's Park (to Regent's Park)

Opening Hours: from 5am until dusk all year round