Nature & Wildlife Areas in London

THE 10 BEST London Nature & Wildlife Areas

Nature & Wildlife Areas in London

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Nature & Parks
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34 places sorted by traveler favorites
  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
Showing results 1-30 of 34

What travelers are saying

  • Experience118764
    London, UK28 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Heaven sent
    Absolutely beautiful
    Definitely recommend you take a visit
    Unforgettable place
    Nature at its best
    Written August 22, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Love and laughter 😍
    London, UK301 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Really enjoyed my visit there today having read about it in “London Parks” by Hunter Davies. The otter feeding was magical to watch and the staff were fantastic! Great selection of reasonably priced gifts and had a delicious dinner in the cafe. Would highly recommend especially during the week when it’s nice and peaceful ❤️
    Written November 28, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • ChasingSun101
    Atlanta, GA256 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    City farm, very close to the train station. Free to enter, lots of animals to see. Different types of ducks, goats, sheep, chickens, donkeys and ponies. Animals look well-cared for and happy. They sell food for a pound a bag but sadly no one was available to sell us any on our visit. Others had it, though, so maybe just poor timing. It’s run by volunteers so I can’t be too hard on them. Restrooms available and they are clean!
    Written October 10, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • keith h
    Chesham, UK1,032 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So much to be gained from a visit , be it nature in the form of trees , plants , birds & insect life or interesting tombstones to be found - some commemorating people of local repute & interest.
    Tower Hamlets Cemetery is now a Park & a Nature Reserve with excellent work being done by The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Charity staff & volunteers.
    I first visited last year whilst exploring places of interest in the area & ended up staying & exploring for quite a while.
    Whilst it seems that the Park is an oasis in this built up area , you can , in fact, if you have the time & inclination , walk from Victoria Park , onto the Regent's Canal , into Mile End Ecological Park & cut across the green connecting strip of Ackroyd Drive to reach it , so keeping clear of roads & shops.
    This time I visited on purpose & enjoyed roaming around the pathways , admiring the Spring flowers & blossoms & it was a very relaxing experience.
    If you decide to visit , both Mile End & Bow tube stations are handily near.
    Not many people about at the time of my visit ; a few dog walkers & the odd couple enjoying the Spring sunshine.
    The Cemetery first opened in 1841 & is one of " The Magnificent Seven " created by the Victorians in answer to the shortage of burial space. These cemeteries ring London & are all of interest , the most famous being Highgate.
    Tower Hamlets Cemetery closed to burials in 1966.
    Written April 21, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Harry R
    Overland Park, KS740 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice quiet little park with plenty benches. Well, quiet not counting the shouting match with a giant challenged man and a much smaller man over a game of ping pong... I did find the bench for Kirsty MacColl. If you haven't heard of her, do a search and listen. Literally gave her life for her children.
    Written December 30, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • St_Matty
    Houston, TX5,084 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    It is nice to have an area like this just around the corner from you, where you can go for a walk and enjoy the fresh air. There are plenty of different trails and wide open spaces, you can even walk along the canal path and see the barges.
    The area is very clean and well kept, there is a cafe between Edmonton and Tottenham Hale if you want to stop for a break. Plenty of people go to walk their dogs there. It is a good place to get away from city life.
    I only have one negative observation, people come here to enjoy the peace and quiet, but there were people cycling around with music on extremely loud, spoiling it for others.
    Written May 15, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Sarah
    Cardiff, UK16 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely place with some gorgeous birds, including a bold as brass kingfisher and lots of waterfowl.
    Cafe has tasty food, shop is a bit small for how impressive the building is but nice stuff. Staff friendly but not in your face, they wait for you to approach them.
    Written February 5, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • dacabs
    Winston Park, South Africa456 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely natural woods. Well pathed. Bit muddy in parts. Dog and child friendly. Severndroog Castle at the top. Admittance and tour on certain days. Fantastic view s in clear days. Castle has coffee shop. Open Thursday - Sunday. Lovely views of London from certain spots
    Written April 9, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mark P
    Hampshire, UK1,722 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A hidden gem. Open every day and free to enter. A lap takes about 15 minutes to walk around. Plenty of birds to see.

    Nice looking cafe although I did not use it.

    Recommended green space to relax in.
    Written January 21, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Mathieu D
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great views of London overlooking canary wharf, the city and Tower Bridge and even London Eye. Worth a small detour if are in the vicinity
    Written October 19, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Brian T
    London, UK6,782 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    London is full of interesting and bizarre curiosities, and if things like that are of great interest to you, here is one you really should go out of your way to see, and be amused by.

    Tucked away in leafy Honor Oak Park, in suburban South London, One Tree Hill is one of London’s hidden gems. But let’s be upfront from the start. The name of the nature reserve seems a bit misleading, as there’s not a lone, graceful tree standing stark and solitary on a bare steep hill. In fact the hill is covered with hundreds of trees, and it’s only about 300 feet tall. The wooded area is a surviving fragment of the much larger Great North Wood that once stretched from near Deptford to Croydon. However, these hundreds of trees are all apparently inferior to one special tree in particular, found right at the summit. That tree is the Oak of Honor.

    The Oak of Honor marks the boundary of the ancient Honor of Gloucester in the Norman times. This Oak, important because of its positioning at the top of the summit, was deemed so consequential that it gave the area, Honor Oak Park, its name. 

    The current tree, planted in 1905, is actually the third to bear the name. The fate of the original oak is unknown, and the second was struck by lightning in the 1880s, leaving just a stump. You can’t miss the tree; it’s surrounded by a hexagonal railing with a small plaque retelling the Elizabeth story (read on).

    But it’s the legends surrounding the Oak of Honor and the hill on which it sits which make it great. Legend has it that the tree really earned its name from the occasion when, on May 1, 1602, Queen Elizabeth I took a picnic under the oak while on her way to nearby Lewisham. Some continue the legend with the notion that the queen got drunk during her picnic and knighted the tree, bestowing upon it the title of ‘Honor’. Another legend tells how the hill was the site of the last, fateful battle between Queen Boudicca and the Romans in 61 CE. Rumour even suggests that highwayman Dick Turpin used to watch for potential targets or pursuers from the summit. Believe what you want!

    The tree is not the only curiosity at the top of the hill. You will see an octagonal platform, in a somewhat poor state of repair. Handy as it is for making the most of the view, it was built in WWI to mount a gun for countering Zeppelin attacks. That gun was apparently replaced by a ‘Seat of Peace’ after the war (whatever that was, as it too is long gone). Today, it’s just the somewhat ugly and decrepit concrete base that’s left, but well situated for you to clamber up onto and take in the views.
    There’s also a tall beacon next to this platform. It was built to celebrate George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935, and was last lit during the Queen’s coronation in 1953. 

    But the crowning glory of the walk up to the hill’s summit has to be the view of the London skyline. Indeed, on a clear day, many landmarks of Central London are all easily visible; there’s also a helpful information board nearby to help you identify the skyline’s landmarks, and there’s some seats right in front of of the view so you can relax awhile. The panorama of London’s contemporary skyline framed by leafy trees really does make it one of the best views of the city, to the point that it feels like a real-life trompe l’oeil – as if someone’s painted the scenery, thinking as much about the presentation and the composition, then hung it up for all of us to see.

    Come here for some of the best views of the city and some rather curious tales about that tree.  The site is relatively easy to get to, a 10 minute walk from the Overground and National Rail station of Honor Oak Park. The paths up the hill are quite steep so may not be suitable for those requiring mobility assistance.
    Written March 18, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • GC
    Wakefield, UK2,718 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Visited here while staying with family who live in Muswell Hill. Lovely wood among the hustle and bustle of London. Didn’t realise that there is a memorial bench for Sean Hughes here. Very poignant.
    Written June 27, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Layla D
    London, UK14 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely spot to spot frogs and other wildlife right in the centre of Chiswick. We had a lovely time exploring even in the rain. Recommend if you live in the area
    Written March 14, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Velanni
    London, UK18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely park with plenty of shady trees and bench seating. Perfect for picnicking or spending a sunny afternoon in the middle of the nature.
    Written November 15, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Llewellyn
    115 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nestled by Arsenal London Underground station, Gillespie Park is a picturesque woodland and park, sculptures, wildlife and security make for a great visit. I like that there is a dog free area and this is made clear. There are unusual varieties of squirrells and the woodlands offer shelter in case of inclement weather. More benches would be an improvement.
    Written June 19, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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