So you've done most of the art galleries,
including the two Tates, and you've spent the best part of a day
in the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and
the Science Museum. You might just now be ready for a break from
all that culture. If so, then grab a copy of the tube (subway) map,
and head a little way out of the city for some refreshing alternatives.
London's Urban Beaches
One of London's best-kept secrets is its outdoor swimming pools,
or lidos. Although an alarming number of these pools have closed
over the last 50 or 60 years, there are still some outstanding pools
open, some with stunning Art Deco designs. The majority of these
pools are "seasonal," opening only during the summer,
usually from May to September. Although most are unheated, given
the summers that the UK has been enjoying recently, this shouldn't
pose any problems!
Measuring 90 meters x 30 meters, Tooting
Bec Lido, in south west London, is the largest open-air swimming
pool in England-it's also one of the oldest, having opened in 1906.
It's hugely popular and attracts some 2000 visitors a day at the
height of the season. Children love this pool, as its paddling pool
has fixed water pistols they can use. The pool has a neat and functional
design, and is surrounded by the trees on Tooting Bec Common. There
are charming, brightly-colored changing huts alongside the pool
which make quite a spectacle when contrasted against the shimmering
blue of the water. This is the home of the South London Swimming
Club, whose members get to swim there all year round. It makes
a great alternative to the hot concrete of the city, especially
with the wide-open space of the Common so close. The pool is open
for the season from late May daily between 10am and 7.30pm. The
nearest tube stations are Tooting Bec and Balham.
London's Wildlife
Well, perhaps it's not on the scale of hiking in the Canadian Rockies,
but there are some wonderful parks, not too far from the capital,
in which to get close to nature. One of these is Richmond Park,
the largest open space in London, covering 2500 acres-it offers
real sanctuary from the hustle of everyday London living. The park
is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National
Nature Reserve, and a Special Area of Conservation. The park is
home to a large number of ancient oak trees which, together with
surrounding decaying wood, help support a range of scarce invertebrates.
Over 1000 species of beetle have been recorded in the park. So,
although not on the same scale as bears in the Rockies, still pretty
impressive! The park is open from 7am in the summer (7.30am in the
winter) and closes at dusk all year round. The nearest tube station
is Richmond.
London's Most Overlooked Mode of
Transport
You might not even need the tube map for this one… The River
Thames is vastly under-used when it comes to transporting London's
passengers. And although you might not see this as a way of getting
from A to B, consider this particular journey so if you want to
visit Richmond Park (above), take a look round Hampton Court
Palace- once the home of the Tudor king, Henry VIII, rich in
history and set in wonderful surroundings-or sample the botanical
delights of Kew Gardens, one of the world's leading botanic
gardens, with landscaped lawns and greenhouses.
As well as being a useful mode
of traveling, cruising along the Thames is a great way to see the
sights without having to peer through the gaps in between the heads
of those in front of you! This way you get a 360 degrees panoramic
view wherever you sit.
Westminster Passenger Services
operate a scheduled service up river from central London, with daily
sailings to Kew, Richmond, and Hampton Court from April until the
end of October. Pick the boat up at Westminster Pier, which is next
to Westminster Bridge (opposite the Houses of Parliament). The journey
from Westminster Pier to Hampton Court takes approximately three
hours (it's always wise to confirm departure times as these can
change due to tidal conditions).
These alternatives aren't so far away
from the city that you'll feel you're missing out on the action;
yet they can give the visitor that much-needed peace and escape
when it seems that every person on the planet has come to vacation
in London!
