When London is fortunate enough to be blessed with a heatwave – a phenomenon that occurs with just a little less frequency than a leap year – residents scramble to find any outdoor patch available, no matter how small, for the purpose of soaking up some much needed Vitamin D. There are a surprising number of places to sunbathe in the capital, and an even more surprising amount of outdoor swimming pools, where if you close your eyes you can pretend you’re floating along the Med, just about. Who needs the French Riviera when you’ve got the Regent’s Canal anyway?
Central
It’s one of the capital’s biggest parks, but Green Park is less busy than the other Royal Parks. Alternatively eschew Hyde Park and head to the quieter Grosvenor Square instead. It’s surrounded by embassies and is a quiet haven a mere stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street.
Pretend you’re by the seaside at Whitehall Gardens. Simply lye on the grass of the Embankment and face the river Thames, where there will hopefully be some boats/cruise ships sailing by. Don’t bother considering jumping into the river however, as if you do it’s likely you’ll be spending several days getting very well acquainted with a toilet bowl.
There’s plenty of outdoor space at London’s newest piazza, Granary Square. Steps that double as seats lead down to the canal, there are benches by the delightful jet fountains and bistro-style tables and chairs line Kings Boulevard, where the KERB street food market takes place. During Wimbledon the matches were being shown on a big screen for free, and there are plans to host performances and other events in the future.
Old favourite Soho Square has been given a bit of a spruce up, so now the lawn is back to its best and the square becomes crowded with post-work, pre-club revellers on Friday nights. It’s also a nice spot at times when a break is needed from shopping or the daily grind.
If you fancy a swim Hyde Park has the Serpentine Lido, otherwise you can hire a pedal or rowing boat. The water is un-chlorinated (and unheated of course), and you might be lucky enough to splash about with the ducks.
Keep your eyes peeled for makeshift beaches and gardens that pop up in the summer months, like the Southbank Beach.
\n\nNorth
Primrose Hill is such a popular picnic spot on hot days that Regent’s Park is far better in terms of space.
The Regent’s Canal near Camden Lock attracts lots of revellers, particularly in the evenings when groups of friends head down here with beers, food and music.
The open-air Hampstead Ponds are long time favourites for Londoners when the temperature rises, and for some brave individuals, at other times of the year too.
South
The views are the main draw of Telegraph Hill in Lewisham, a green flag park that’s also one of the borough’s main conservation areas.
Vauxhall’s Bonnington Square Garden, once a bomb site, is in fact London’s smallest park, and is named in honour of the Pleasure Gardens, a popular weekend haunt from the 17th to the 19th centuries (not to be confused with the disastrous London Pleasure Gardens which opened for about a week in 2012). Its standout feature is its dense foliage, as the community’s objective – the Paradise Project – is to plant in every bit of available space.
Leaders Gardens in Wandsworth may be small, but it’s one of the best places for bird spotting with 14 different varieties of bird.
If you’d rather swim in a conventional pool, Brockwell Lido is Olympic-sized, and also benefits from Grade II art deco gym and the fantastic Lido Café which has an outdoor terrace. Bear in mind it can get quite packed.
\n\nWest
West Londoners are spoilt for choice when it comes to leafy spaces, as Chiswick has greenery aplenty like Chiswick Common, Turnham Green, Chiswick Gardens and Gunnersbury Park to name but four.
Richmond Park is large enough for it to be possible to find quiet-ish spots, even on the busiest days. Also good if you’re a fan of wild grassy areas rather than pristine ornamental gardens.
Ravenscourt Park is the shy but compelling sister of Holland Park, a good one for those seeking solace.
East
Teensy Canada Square is much needed by the local workers as it sits between the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. Lunchtime workers gather here, and it’s also one of the settings for BP’s opera screenings. It’s quiet at weekends when the offices are empty, which is also when it looks the most surreal.
King Square Gardens is one of the very few green spaces in Clerkenwell, and therefore gets very busy. It’s a good one to take kids as it has a play area and a sand pit.
More
If it’s peace and tranquillity you’re after, check out our round-up of London’s quietest spots. You might also want to visit one of these rooftop bars.
