Walk Report

London Parks, Thursday 1st September 2011
15 walkers, 7 miles - leader Rob Myers
I first led this walk last year as a hastily arranged extra walk due to public demand. This year I had time to fully recce it and to iron out a few of last year's kinks. 15 people gathered at Holland Park station. The walk started with a circuit of Holland Park including the beautiful Japanese Kyoto Gardens. Proceeding to Kensington Gardens we passed by the floral tributes on the gate of Kensington Palace to mark the anniversary of the death of Princess Diana. A circuit of Kensington Gardens followed including the Flower Gardens, Albert Memorial, Round Pound and Elfin Oak. We arrived at the Long Water to find that the Italian Gardens were boarded up for restoration. We walked down the side of the Serpentine noting in particular the new reed beds planted to attract Heron. We later passed a Heron busily eating bread on the concrete. After rounding the bottom of the Serpentine and going past the famous "Upside Down" tree and the flower garden, we left Hyde Park and entered Green Park by way of Wellington Arch. In Green Park we found that the Canadian War Memorial was also boarded up for restoration. Lastly through St James's Park in fading light to reach journey's end at Trafalgar Square. Some disagreement over which pub to use so we ended up using two.

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