Top Rated Parks to Visit in Shepherd's Bush

"Covering 350 acres, Hyde Park is London's largest open space and has been a destination for sightseers since 1635. One of the park's highlights is the Serpentine, an 18th-century man-made lake popular for boating and swimming. Hyde Park is also where you'll find Speakers' Corner, a traditional forum for free speech — and heckling."

"Once a royal hunting ground, Hyde Park is popular for its vast open space and numerous attractions and one of our favourite London sights to Instagram. Best shot: Hyde Park is so vast that it’s best to pick a focal point such as the Victoria and Albert Memorial, or the Italian Gardens."

"Firstly, to get there (Richmond is in zone four, at the end of the District line), and secondly, to ensure you don’t get lost in the sprawling 800 acres of green. The famous wildlife – especially the herds of deer – will make your pilgrimage, and the possibility of being declared missing, worth it. Pembroke Lodge sits at the top of Richmond Park (and even has free parking), where you will can enjoy a traditional English tea in elegant Georgian dining rooms."

"Want to feel like you're in the countryside without leaving London?. Head to Richmond Park, a 2500 acre national nature reserve that's teeming with rare species of fungi, birds, beetles, bats, grasses, wildflowers and more. Just remember to watch out for the deer — especially if it's rutting season."

"Views of London from Richmond Park © Jon Reid visitlondon.com. Image courtesy of Jon Reid visitlondon.com. London looks great from a distance."

"Hampstead Heath Park London is one of the most loved parks in London. There’s plenty of things to do like visiting the Parliament Hill, Golders Hill Park-with a zoo and a gorgeous butterfly house, an open-air Lido, swimming ponds, splash pools, countless sports pitches and facilities, athletics track, playgrounds, stunning listed Pergola and Hill Garden. The list of things to do at Hampstead Heath doesn’t end!"

"One of the city’s wildest green spaces, Hampstead Heath spans a huge proportion of north London. Stroll across the grass and clamber through the gnarled trees or take in the view of London from atop Parliament Hill. If you fancy a dip, the lido is on one side of the hill and the bathing ponds on the other."

"So everyone knows about Hampstead Heath but it’s still the place to go for a picnic. Not only is it massive, so plenty of room for everyone, but you get mega views from the top of Parliament Hill, you’ve got the ponds and a lido for when you wanna take a dip and it’s a lovely walk up to Kenwood House."

"The botanic gardens at Kew, in Richmond, were first opened to the public in 1840 after the royal family established the gardens initially and started to bring plants from overseas from 1759. Because of the royal family’s continued interest in Richmond, the areas of Kew and Richmond became one of the most fashionable places to live, especially in the 18th century. Today, Kew Gardens focuses on plant and fungi research whilst housing the largest collection of plants in the world."

"If you’re into floral photography, Kew Gardens houses one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of living plants. This expansive botanical garden is absolutely magical. It contains numerous greenhouses, a tree-top walkway, an exotic rainforest, and so much more."

"St James’s Park might not be the biggest or the flashiest but it is the oldest of London’s eight Royal Parks and the perfect place for picnic, unless you’re afraid of the birds that is. Not only do the famous pelicans take roost on Duck Island but there’s also 17 other species of birds flapping about. But of course all that bird watching is thirsty work, so once you’ve ruffled enough feathers and erm, not taken a pic outside Buckingham Palace, get stuck into that spread."

"Thanks to this park’s central location, you can enjoy fab views of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye and Horse Guards Parade from The Blue Bridge. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, including the park’s famous pelicans. COVID-19 UPDATE: St James’s Park is currently open, but people must respect social distancing rules."

"There is a story that, many years ago, a royal once enquired of a courtier how much it would cost to close St. James's Park to the public."

"This Stoke Newington spot has held a Green Flag award since 2006, and is deservedly popular. It's very child friendly, with a decent play area and even a small zoo (and, like Richmond park, boasts deer also). In a pre-lockdown world, the park often hosted events, from twilight walks in search of bats to football festivals to sessions discovering the edible fruit and flowers which grow in the grounds."

"It’s got tennis courts and bowling green for when you’re feeling particularly energetic, but the park itself is big enough to get a good stroll in. You can see the whole thing by walking the perimeter, looping in the Grade-II listed Clissold House and the lakes on the way. If that doesn’t earn you a picnic after, nothing does."

"Clissold Park is a great park to come and enjoy some nature in London. Easy to get to from Stoke Newington you can enjoy peaceful waters and cute, inquisitive deer within minutes of leaving central London."

"A lovely park featuring some great design that is particularly very well maintained, the Barham Park is one of the best things to do in Wembley especially in the evenings. There is a lot of space for visitors to enjoy relaxing strolls and even play sport like football and cricket. Local fitness enthusiasts especially visit the park owing to the ...Read more"

"Stretching beyond Greater London’s boundaries to regions like Hertfordshire and Essex, Lee Valley Park contains a multitude of different attractions including heritage sites, nature reserves, lakes, countryside and urban areas. Visitors can enjoy numerous activities such as golf, camping, boating, cycling, horse riding, ice skating and bird watching. From 2005 to 2012, Lee Valley Park was modified to become the Olympic Park for the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics."

"This is an enormous stretch of parkland that follows the River Lee from Ware to the Thames East India Dock Basin. The park lends itself to plenty of sporting activities in the river (white water rafting, fishing, kayaking) and on land (camping, bird watching, cycling, golf, horse riding, ice skating). There are many examples of fine architecture within the park including Myddelton House and the remains of the Augustinian Waltham Abbey."

"The 26 miles (42 km) long linear park extends beyond Greater London’s borders into the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Essex. The area has many lakes,  watercourses and open spaces. They are linked by footpaths and cycle tracks."

"Mark Hix’s plush and moody Brewer Street restaurant wouldn’t be the first place that would come to mind to take a child. But given the chef himself has campaigned for better food in restaurants for children, it’s actually rather apt. It’s not the cheapest restaurant in town, most items on the children's menu cost around £7, but there is a 'kids under 10 eat free' special that pops up on a regular basis."

"Head inside Tramshed in East London and you’ll be whisked away into a world of Damien Hurst art, delicious food and an intimate gallery downstairs all created by the London-based chef, Mark Hix. Their menu is meat-heavy but they do have a vegetarian menu, too. Make sure to try their ‘bang bang’ chicken and their ‘cock and bull’ croquettes."

"This is a unique example of a celebrated gourmet restaurant…with a kids’ menu!. HIX Mayfair is the perfect balance between a nice sit-down meal and an experience kids will actually enjoy. The beautiful interior is accented by different pieces of artwork, which gives the place a unique feel."

"Go hungry - and thirsty - for breakfast at the Hawksmoor, Guildhall (serving breakfast Monday-Friday 7-10am). The menu features 'Anti-fogmatics' which were coined by the Head Bartender at The Savoy in the 1920s as an 'anti-fogmatic, eye opener, bracer, corpse reviver or morning glory' to be drunk 'before 11am, or whenever steam and energy are needed'. Choose a Marmalade Cocktail or a Green Maria (not your average green juice, this has Mezcal and Green Tabasco in) to give your morning a kick."

"What: You know those chocolates that everyone enjoys at Christmas, which come in gold wrapping and have the fancy name?. Yeah, well this Hawksmoor dessert is definitely not inspired by those (especially if any lawyers are reading this). The ‘Ambassador’s Reception’ does feature similar ingredients though, pairing chocolate and hazelnut in a giant choc-tastic serving.Where: 10 Basinghall Street, EC2V 5BQ"

"You know what you’re getting with a Hawksmoor – top quality steak, expertly cooked over the grill. The result is rich, perfectly seasoned meat accompanied by tempting sides like creamed spinach or crisp, beef fat chips."

"The ice cream at Gelateria Danieli is quite literally fit for a Queen: this gem of a gelato joint has sites in Kingston and Richmond – one of which sits in a particularly pretty spot on the green – and its vanilla creation is so good it was served at the Queen’s 80th birthday party in Kew Gardens. Sure, that was a little while ago now, but the standard remains as good as ever. Health conscious ice cream cravers will also be pleased to know that the gelato here is all low fat, with frozen yoghurt, dairy free, nut free, egg free, high protein and gluten free options available too."

"A family business based out in the heart of Richmond, Gelateria Danieli is an excellent spot for some authentic Italian gelato. Owners Bridget Hunt and Carlo Valiasindi have made it their mission to educate Londoners on what real gelato is meant to taste like and I’ll be damned if they haven’t done an excellent job at doing just that. All it takes is a tentative lap of pistachio, purchased from their Brewer’s Lane flagship on a balmy day, to realise how many pretenders are actually out there."

"Address: 16 Brewers Ln, Richmond TW9 1HH and 5 Wood St, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1TX. If you want a treat but are on a diet go here - the gelato is low fat but high flavour. The parlour is adorable and very Insta worthy, plus they also sell chocolates."

"Churning its way to the top is Snowflake after founder Asad and gelato Chef Paolo opened up their first shop in 2012. With eight years now under their belt, they have several stores across the city delighting the busy commuters, tourists and passers-by with their specialities, handmade with love using some of the world’s finest ingredients. Despite expanding, each gelato is made by hand using the traditional Italian method, allowing each one to be naturally unique, just like a real snowflake."

"Their core product is made using raw organic Jersey milk from a Somerset family farm and pure spring water from the Wenlock mountains. Their chocolate ice cream uses only the very best 70% Valrhona which is a super high standard used by the world’s top pastry chefs. This is basically the Michelin star of ice cream making."

"This stylish and modern Japanese restaurant is a great find. The sushi is technically spot-on, a mixture of classic and modern fusion options. The sashimi and noodle, rice and grilled dishes are also of high quality."

"Read the full review: Bancone39 William IV Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4DDFresh pasta joints are no longer the novelty they once were in London, but this casual Covent Garden restaurant will win you over with its buzzy atmosphere and pocket-friendly prices."