With the summer approaching most people head for the beach or countryside, but we at the Monkey Tree are sending our Metro Monkeys to London to find the best summer days out on a budget.

In praise of London’s park.

A day at the park doesn’t seem that unusual but London’s green spaces are full of undiscovered gems that can keep everybody happy for the day. Our favourite London park is Kensington Gardens but be warned, this day out is definitely one for walkers!

Kensington Gardens was originally part of Hyde Park until William III, an asthma sufferer, commissioned Christopher Wren to build Kensington Palace ‘as the location was quiet and the air salubrious’.

It is said that the most expensive house in London was recently purchased for £80 million pounds in Upper Phillimore Gardens, just round the corner from the park!

To get to the park you need to get on the Central Line to Queensway – the park entrance is 1 minute from the tube. Once in the park head straight for the Princess Diana Memorial Playground. The centrepiece of this fantastic play area is a huge wooden pirate ship, surrounded by a beach and there are sensory trails, play sculptures and teepees, all inspired by stories of Peter Pan.

The play area is permanently attended and staff monitor activities and can provide first aid. There are also toilets and baby changing facilities for the exclusive use of the play area. (Unaccompanied adults are not allowed in after 10am).

Picnics are welcome and there is plenty of seating and grass to sit on, but no glass is allowed. If you haven’t brought a picnic with you there is a café just outside the gate, which also offers a children’s menu.

If you can drag your children away from the pirate ship, the park also provides FREE children’s entertainment in the summer holidays. This summer they have 3 weeks of entertainment listed:

28th July – 1 August
Booster Cushion – traditional tales with a twist
12 noon and 2.30pm

4th Aug
Inspired Lunacy – circus antics, balloons, puppets, comedy and magic
11am, 1pm and 3pm

18th Aug – 22nd Aug
Journey into Greenspace – environmental storyteller
11am, 1pm and 3pm

Check the park website for more details before your journey.
www.royalparks.org.uk and click on the link to Kensington Gardens

If you have time after all that fun and want to stretch your legs, then head straight down The Broad Walk (also known as the Princess Diana Memorial Walk). This takes you around the back of Kensington Palace and then cut across the park on Mount Walk - you should see the Albert Memorial on your right.




Built by Queen Victoria as a monument to her beloved Albert, the monument of marble and gilt bronze is huge and is one of the grandest high-Victorian gothic extravaganzas anywhere.

As you head towards the road, pop into the Serpentine Gallery for 5 minutes – entrance is free and you might even spot the next Damien Hirst!

Once you have crossed the road you enter Hyde Park. If you’re feeling a bit tired or it’s hot why not have a pit stop at the controversial Princess Diana Fountain?  I actually like this and despite it being generally busy, I think it feels quite tranquil.



You can dip your feet in, although you can’t walk in the fountain and splash, but the water is freezing and just dipping your toe in is enough to revive you for the next part of the walk! (Remember to bring a small towel or flannel to dry off with.)

From here you have a couple of options – a long walk to Marble Arch and a spot of shopping in Oxford Street or a shorter walk to the Alexandra Gate exit. Once you have reached the Alexandra Gate exit you are only a stones throw from Exhibition Road and all the museums – Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert. As all of these are free its great to be able to pop into them for an hour to get the highlights and then head for South Kensington Tube and take your very tired children home – enjoying the fact that it hasn’t cost the earth, just the cost of the Tube.  Children travel free with adults purchasing a travel card or Oyster card.
 
I have highlighted just one of London’s many parks. The Royal Parks website features all of London’s parks and has events listings for all of them. Many offer proms, evening entertainment, dancing, cycle rides and guided tours.