As the home to over 8 million people, London is perhaps not somewhere you would expect to find a great deal of natural attractions, so you may be surprised to find out that there are loads of them!
Camley Street Natural Park is run by the Wildlife Trusts and is a wide open space in North London. It was converted into a wildlife conservation area from a disused coal yard in 1984 and is now home to birds, bees, butterflies, frogs and an array of plantlife, as well as the odd bat.
In West London, if you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a Kingfisher at
Denham Lock Wood or
Crane Park near Twickenham.
You will find acres of parkland at
Alexandra Palace Park in North London, with a deer garden, children's playgrounds, a boating lake and even a skate park, there is something for people of all ages here. The rose garden is tended to by park wardens who make sure that the park looks as pristine as possible. The playgrounds will keep children entertained for hours and the skatepark will occupy anyone with a taste for something more fast-paced. The boating lake has boats for hire, either pedal operated or oared, but you can of course relax by the boating lake for free.
Ten Acre Wood in West London near Northolt is popular with bird watchers who visit in the hope of spotting some of their favourite feathered friends. The woodland is rich in berry producing plants, meaning that birds can be found in their many hundreds, feasting on the berries produced in the wood, as well as butterflies, which you will be sure to see during your visit if it is in the summer months. Such a large amount of space left as woodland means that these creatures can live happily and naturally in Greater London, undisturbed by the busy city surrounding them.
Epping Forest is the largest open space in the capital, covering 6000 acres stretching from Chingford to Epping. Large areas are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Special Areas of Conversation and there are 4 visitor centres within the forest. It really is a wonderful location for a walk.