10 places to escape the London madness


I have a love-hate relationship with England’s capital city (that’s London, for those of you who don’t know). It excites me for all the right reasons and bores me all the same.

I love how unique it is – the mix of who-knows-how-many cultures; the clash of modern architecture and historical buildings; the styles and characters that differ from borough to borough; and of course, the Tube. All hail the Tube!

What often ruins it for me though is what ruins it for most: the busyness. There are simply too many people crammed into the city and it can take away from the enjoyment of it all. Watching people run around as part of the Rat Race is never fun, and getting caught up in it (literally – while you’re trying to squeeze on to the Tube in rush hour), gets very boring, very quickly.

It’s only in recent years that I’ve come to have a soft spot for London. I got my English Literature degree at a university just south of the city, and so enjoyed the best of both worlds. I could choose to spend my days and nights in the thick of it all, or step outside into the London ‘countryside’ in search of peace and quiet.

I’ve put together a list of 10 places you can escape the London madness. Some of them are obvious, some not so obvious. Whether it’s for that reason or not, these are still beautiful places to explore and a great way to see a different side to chaotic London.

1. Primrose Hill
2. Kew Botanic Gardens (Queen Charlotte’s Cottage)
3. Richmond Park
4. Bushy Park
5. Eel Pie Island, Twickenham
6. Barbican Centre
7. Hampstead Heath
8. Thames Path, Pimlico
9. Hyde Park
10. Kyoto Garden, Holland Park

Do you have any other peaceful corners of London that you’d recommend? Share them in the comments below!

-R