Join Hunter Davies on a celebratory stroll around London's greatest glories - its parks. We need our parks more than ever before, for our health and spirits, our bodies and souls, to keep us fit, to save us from pollution, to protect nature and wildlife; and Londoners are lucky enough to enjoy more green spaces than any other major city in the world. In London Parks, Hunter Davies illustrates their wonders by spending a year walking round his favourite parks. From his local haunt on Hampstead Heath to the capital's latest wonder, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, each one is chosen for its unique appeal. Informative and entertaining, he details their history, describes their layout and reveals hidden delights and new attractions that might otherwise be missed, such as the statue of a small brown dog in Battersea Park, a garden full of exotic plants and palm trees in south London's Burgess Park or, for something completely unique, Ian Dury's musical memorial bench in Richmond Park. Fun, thought-provoking and uplifting, London Parks is an essential companion for anyone wishing to explore the ever-green beauty of Britain's capital city, whether it's spotting pelicans and politicians in St James's Park, the birds in the London Wetland Centre or the views from Greenwich Park.

'A fully comprehensive guide . . . includes information and tips that even the park officers do not know about!' - What's on in London 'The Best of London Parks is a guide to more than 70 green spaces, with details of all their sporting facilities: from horse riding to Aussie rules football' - The Times London is one of the green cities in the world with thousands of acres of parks. There is a wealth of inexpensive, top quality facilities in the Parks that are often not known about even by the people who live near to them. These include numerous sports such as tennis, rugby, football, golf and bowls. There are gyms and athletics tracks, free playgrounds and paddling pools for children and clubs for their parents to meet and relax together. Every park in central London is covered. For each of these famous parks, there is a chapter detailing their history and all they have to offer. The chapters have something for all interests from the price of bacon butties, to rare goats (with frost-proof ears), to tennis courts, to boating. The information includes a brief historical background, how to get to the park, the opening times of all facilities and costs. Each park has a list of highlights and nearby places of interest and the larger parks include a map.

London's royal parks are amongst its most beautiful and beloved spaces: just as much as the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Victoria Station, the mere mention of Hyde or Regent's Park is enough to evoke the capital in all its glory for residents and tourists alike. They have a grand history – some having been royally-owned as far back as the Norman conquest, and others having been acquired by Henry VIII during the Reformation – and since being opened to the public during the eighteenth century have hosted some of London's great events, including the Great Exhibition and innumerable jubilees and celebrations. This book tells the story of all nine of the parks from the point when they were acquired by the monarchy until the present day, including the major historic moments and events with which they are associated.

Published in association with the Royal Parks Foundation, this lushly photographed tribute celebrates some of London’s--and the UK’s--most well-known and best-loved public spaces. From regal palaces and military monuments to art exhibitions and Speakers’ Corner, they provide reminders of Britain’s rich and varied past and present-day settings of great beauty. Each park receives it own chapter, complete with an at-a-glance timeline and breathtaking original photographs that reveal its own special character. The highlights include bluebell season in Bushy Park, the blooming rose garden in Hyde Park, an autumnal Thames view from Richmond, summer boating on the Serpentine, and much more.

Beautiful old postcards capture London's Royal Parks in all their former glory.