Regent's Park

Regent’s Park is one of the eight Royal Parks of London, which are part of the hereditary possessions of the crown. They were originally reserved for hunting, though no longer. In fact, if your dog chases the deer in Richmond Park you can be landed with a huge fine. Just search ‘Fenton’ on Youtube to get an idea.

The park spans 410 acres, including gardens, a lake and boating area, sports pitches and children’s playgrounds. On the northern side of the park is Primrose Hill which rises to 78 metres, giving it a wonderful view of central London to the south-east, and Belsize Park and Hampstead to the north. Head here on balmy summer evenings to watch the sun set with a picnic.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

During the summer months Regent’s Park is home to the Open Air Theatre, where 1,250 people sit in a steeply raked auditorium to enjoy Shakespeare and more besides. Take a hamper and watch a classic unfold: recent productions include Shakespeare’s Henry V, and adaptations of Running Wild by Michael Morpugo and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Noah’s Ark

Some zoos can feel slightly sad, but the London zoo is not among them. You can find almost any animal you can imagine here, and the conditions are excellent. Galapagos tortoises inch along slowly next to swollen, glistening Pygmy hippos. Butterflies flap around like loose bunting and silverbacks eye you defiantly. The real highlight are the penguins though — don’t miss their demonstrations.