When I first moved to New York City over 20 years ago, I never wanted to leave. Not even for the weekend. When I traveled abroad, returning to New York, my beloved adopted city, was a highlight. Friends who had grown up here would ask me to go on weekend getaways to the Hamptons or Fire Island, and I’d look at them like they were crazy and say, “No way! There’s so much to do in the city on weekends!” I remember hearing my London friends express the same sentiment as my New York friends about getting away—writing to me about their great weekend in a little village or on the coast. “London is so gloomy!” they cried. Or, “I needed some peace and quiet!”
I didn’t think I’d ever become one of those people who wanted to get away, but guess what . . . I now am. It happens.
A friend here in New York—one who shares my interest in botany and microbiology—and I recently decided we simply must visit “Micropia,” Amsterdam’s museum of microbiology, but we didn’t want to stay in the Netherlands, so after a brief jaunt to see the museum, we zipped over to London (via Eurostar and Thalys) to spend a couple of weeks. And I confess, as soon as I arrived, I felt an itch to flee . . . not from London but to one of the many wonderfully quiet spots within the city limits of London. Sure, I visited some tourist sites, some of my “old favorites.” (Who can go to London and not see a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, I say!) But nowadays, when I visit London, I seek nature and quietude. If you, too, enjoy flora, fauna, and serenity, perhaps you’ll enjoy some of my favorite London quiet spots:
I didn’t think I’d ever become one of those people who wanted to get away, but guess what . . . I now am. It happens.
A friend here in New York—one who shares my interest in botany and microbiology—and I recently decided we simply must visit “Micropia,” Amsterdam’s museum of microbiology, but we didn’t want to stay in the Netherlands, so after a brief jaunt to see the museum, we zipped over to London (via Eurostar and Thalys) to spend a couple of weeks. And I confess, as soon as I arrived, I felt an itch to flee . . . not from London but to one of the many wonderfully quiet spots within the city limits of London. Sure, I visited some tourist sites, some of my “old favorites.” (Who can go to London and not see a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, I say!) But nowadays, when I visit London, I seek nature and quietude. If you, too, enjoy flora, fauna, and serenity, perhaps you’ll enjoy some of my favorite London quiet spots:
* Kew Gardens (aka, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) – This lush, 300-acre garden features various greenhouses and over 30,000 different kinds of plants. The Garden offers five eateries, ranging from fast-food cafes to eloquent restaurants, and gift shops stocked with wonderful botany-themed items. My favorite spots within Kew Gardens are the Palm House, Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, and the botanical art displays in the Marianne North Gallery. Kew Gardens is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
* Richmond Park – This remarkable, 2500-acre park is a nature preserve, conservation area, and a “Site of Special Scientific Interest.” The park teems with wildlife, and as you hike its trails, you’ll likely see many species of birds as well as deer and small game crossing your path. Especially lovely is stately Pembroke Lodge, situated on the park’s grounds, where you can have tea and lunch while looking out across the vast tract of forest and park lands. It doesn’t get more tranquil than this!
* Chelsea Physic Garden – This garden (a mere 4 acres), also called “London’s secret garden,” is one of my very favorite London sites. Founded in 1673, the botanic garden’s mission was to train apprentices of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries how to identify and use medicinal plants. Its mission today remains education, albeit for the general public rather than for apothecaries. Plants in the garden bear fascinating labels explaining the plant’s medicinal properties—free tours by knowledgably docents are also offered. I never leave the garden without learning interesting factoids. One of the best features of the Chelsea Physic Garden is its topnotch café, “Tangerine Dream,” which serves scrumptious, fresh, homemade, organic foods. I can’t rave enough about this little treasure, located in Chelsea.
* Hampstead Heath – Ahh, Hampstead Heath, where I go to (literally) get lost! This heath—a vast, 790-acre park filled with grasslands and woods—is simply amazing. Its paths zig and zag across the land, and at every turn, you’re choosing which to take. I always get lost in the heath, and I always find my way back. I recommend going on a weekday, when few people are there. Or during a misty rain. It’s magical! (Check the heath’s website and map to find entrance points to the heath. One can enter at numerous locations.)
* Highgate Cemetery – If you’re accustomed to proper cemeteries with tidy, upright headstones, your jaw will drop at Highgate. This fabulously Gothic cemetery will make you feel like you’re in a Tim Burton or “Addams’ Family” movie. The cemetery is deathly quiet, fascinating, and beautiful. Its entrance is a bit of a hike from the train station but well worth the walk. (Be sure to check the cemetery’s website before going to get specific directions and hours of operation.)
