SPRINGTIME IN LONDON: A Walk in Hyde Park

Cherry trees in bloom, Hyde Park, London.

Londoners know that it is spring when the lawns of Hyde Park suddenly turn green, daffodils and lupins emerge from the ground, and cherry trees burst into bloom. On our recent trip to London in late April, the weather was cool and sunny—a perfect time for a walk in the park, a short distance from our hotel in South Kensington.

Viburnum.

Narcissus.

We entered the park at the gate near the Serpentine Gallery and followed the walking path toward the Albert Memorial. The park is huge with separate paths for walkers, bikers, and horses. It was not hard to imagine one of the characters from the Forsyte Saga trotting by on horseback.

Sports lawn.

Large lawns and open spaces provide places for picnics, sports, and for dogs to romp. Benches are frequent and a place to rest and enjoy the view.

Cherry blossoms carpet the ground.

Everywhere we looked there were flowers in bloom. The pink blossoms of the cherry trees were at their peak--on the trees and carpeting the ground. In 2019 Japan sent 125 cherry trees to England as a gift symbolizing friendship and cultural ties.

Bluebells with bee.

I spotted a bee collecting nectar from the bluebells next to the path. The next day, on a trip to visit a friend who lives just outside London, we took a walk in the woods and saw hundreds of bluebells in broad patches on the forest floor.

Bluebells on the forest floor in the town of St. Albans.

Albert Memorial.

The Albert Memorial in Hyde Park is hard to miss with its golden spire reaching 176 feet into the sky. A statue of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, sits inside the pavilion. After Albert died in 1861 at the age of 42, Queen Victoria had the monument erected in his memory. She lived another forty years!

Corner sculpture of the Albert Memorial symbolizing Europe.

Every feature of the structure is significant. At the four corners around the pavilion are large allegorical sculptures representing the arts and sciences and continents.

Albert Hall.

And across the street from the Albert Memorial is Albert Hall, London’s premiere concert hall. It was officially opened by Queen Victoria in 1871.

Mexican Orange Blossom bush.

Our walk gave us just a small taste of what Hyde Park has to offer. We didn’t have the time or energy to do more--it was our first day in London after a very long plane ride from Los Angeles. On a future trip I’d like to see the Peter Pan statue, the Speaker’s Corner, and Serpentine Lake.