London's Hyde Park

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Hyde Park is a fenced-in bit of green calm in the centre of manic London. While many private gardens and squares are out of bounds to non-residents, Hyde Park with its flower gardens, fountains, tiny fields, lake, river and sections of open meadow is enjoyed by all, including the resident squirrels, swans and ducks.

As well as the ordererly 'natural' surroundings, Hyde Park has plenty of amenities, as you would expect in London; you can go horse riding, swim in the Lido with the ducks, go on a peddle boat or for a row, play in the J.M. Barrie's Neverland inspired park (if you’re small enough - they won't let you in if you're not!) and generally feed, water and refresh yourself in a number of ways (if you didn’t stop by at nearby Harrods first for a picnic lunch).

If you visit on the weekend you're also likely to run into some of the skilled roller skaters and bladers who show off their moves in groups along the Serpentine or get caught up in one of Hype Parks varied music event or a game of football.

Also within the grounds of Hyde Park are the questionably successful Diana memorial fountain and Queen Victoria's much more obvious and opulent Albert Memorial.

Kensington Palace and its grounds are on the parks western edge, and Marble Arch is on its eastern. It’s also famous for Speaker’s Corner, where soapbox speakers come to espouse their views to all willing listeners (it’s powerful stuff tinged with the slightly unhinged.)- not quite relevant but this used to the be the sight of the local gallows.

This is one of the few places in London where it feels like you can spread out and stretch though you may still not want to breathe too deeply.

3 / 5 Review by editor Kat Mackintosh