Regents Park & Primrose Hill
Home Of The London Zoo and Much Else Besides
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| Open Air Theatre Regents Park |
Regents Park Official Web Site
Henry VIII appropriated The Regent's Park for use as a hunting ground, which he considered to be an invigorating ride from Whitehall Palace, situated where Whitehall is today.
In terms of tourists this is probably the least visited of the three royal parks in the centre of London, but it has much to offer.
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| Royal Park Overview |
| Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens |
| St James Park & Green Park |
| Regents Park |
The park is open from 5am all year round. Closing times vary depending on the season.
At the southern end of Regents Park the park has plenty of formal gardens, the lake and ornamental gardens.
As you head further north the park opens up into playing fields. On a Sunday here it will be full of soccer matches and have the feel of a local park for locals, rather than visitors.
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The Hub is a modern circular building here that provides changing rooms, showers and such like for the host of activities organised. There is also a cafe here with views.
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| Boating Lake Regents Park |
Many years ago the Royal Botanic Society laid out the Inner Circle at the heart of the park with lawns and a lake.
Like St James's Park and Hyde Park there are many birds, Regent's Park is the centre for waterfowl breeding for The Royal Parks. Like Hyde Park, you can hire boats on the boating lake.
In the 1930's the Royal Botanic Society decided not to renew its lease and in its place the park laid out the formal rose beds of Queen Mary's Gardens at the southern end of the park. At about the same time, the Open Air Theatre began performances, which continue today and perform through the summer months.
Throughout Regent's Park at regular intervals are cafe's with names like the Honest Sausage and Cow & Coffee Bean. All refreshments are controlled by the Royal Parks.
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| London Zoo |
On the northern border of Regent's Park is the London Zoo. Opened in 1828, ZSL London Zoo is a large zoo with the full range of animals and birds you would expect as the main zoo for a large city.
On the northern boundary also is the Regents Canal. Pleasure trips go along here and there are nice walks along the tow paths.
A nice short walk goes eastwards to Camden Lock, one of London's main markets.
North of the Zoo and Regents Park the ground rises up to Primrose Hill.
Its not a steep hill and by climbing to the top you are rewarded with one of the best, and free views of London spread out before you. It would be a great place to bring a picnic on a summer evening.
On the few occasions it snows in London the hill is one of the favourite places for tobogganing in London.
Getting to Regents Park
Baker Street, Portland Street and Regents Park Underground Stations are all on the southern border of Regents Park.
From Swiss Cottage you can walk through affluent areas of Hampstead a short distance to the pinnacle of Primrose Hill without having to climb up the hill from Regents Park.
Camden town is the nearest Underground station to the London Zoo at the north eastern corner of Regents Park, just 15 minutes walk away from the London Zoo. Directions are signed.
The very popular hop on, hop off tour buses stop at Baker Street at the south western corner of Hyde Park.
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