Picture the scene – a crowded bus, a stinking tube or a loveless job, and you’re there, slogging through it. What if there was some way out of it all, even in London’s hyper paced metropolis? Good news, there is! Since we all need a little peace and quiet sometimes, here I am, getting hip to the places London has to offer for that vital, solitary me time.
The Hackney Cut Canal
Get down to the Hackney Cut before the Olympics invades the borough and drags the silence off with it. The Cut is an artificial waterway that cuts through the east of Hackney, where the water’s flanked by a nature reserve on one side and the soothing stillness of the towpath on the other. Stroll all the way up to Springfield Park (an underrated attraction that could have made it onto the list in its own right) or stop off for a pint at the pub on route.
The Phoenix Garden
Who would have thought that amongst the maelstrom of shoppers, suits and booksellers on Charing Cross Road there was a perfectly still retreat from it all? The Phoenix Garden is a community project that enables the possibility for urban wildlife to flourish. Open every day of the year, the gardens are a step outside the enclosed cocoon of city life, whilst simultaneously sitting in the heart of one of the capital’s busiest areas. Take a book and discover a sweet détente between yourself and the bustle.
Margravine Cemetery
The Margravine Cemetery has everything that a wandering Londoner could want. Think gravestones for that sense of perspective, birdsong for the lifting of spirits and most of all a peaceful habitat that can be enjoyed alone. A ‘place of rest’ since 1951, the Margravine Cemetery now encourages people to join in with the regular bird counts, hedge planting, squirrel spotting and nature talks. This idyllic, leafy oasis couldn’t seem further from Hammersmith.
Chelsea Physic Garden
Originally founded in 1673 as a place for the study of the medicinal qualities of plants, The Chelsea Physic Garden is now open to the public for large chunks of the year. Admission fees are charged to non-members of what is London’s oldest botanical garden but it’s worth the entrance fee for the beautifully designed landscape. A walk around the mews of Chelsea isn’t complete without a visit to West London’s quietest place.
The Royal Observatory
There’s nothing like a little stargazing for a hyper inflated sense of solitude and at the Royal Observatory there’s both the real and the imagined sky to enjoy. Home to London’s only planetarium, on a quiet day the indoor space show is a relaxing journey from the self. The views of Greenwich and Flamsteed House are heart stirring and what’s more if you’re there late enough then it’s the only place to see the official end to the day…
