Hyde Park Walks From Knightsbridge: Five Routes for Every Season
Some of the best Hyde Park walks start within ten minutes of Knightsbridge station. The park's pedestrian gates open from 5am to midnight and from the Knightsbridge side the Serpentine, the Rose Garden and the edge of Kensington Gardens are all an easy stroll away. These five routes run from a short history loop to a long ramble, and each works in any season, though the Rose Garden is at its peak in June and July.
1. Hyde Park Corner, the Rose Garden and Achilles
Start at Hyde Park Corner station, where Wellington Arch is crowned by the Angel of Peace descending on the Chariot of War; climb to its balconies for views across central London. Opposite stands Apsley House, home of the first Duke of Wellington, and beside it Decimus Burton's Apsley Gate from the 1820s. Enter the park and you reach the Achilles statue, cast from captured French cannon and unveiled in 1822. Then wander through the Rose Garden, with its Boy and Dolphin and Diana the Huntress fountains, and finish with a coffee at The Lodge Café. Allow about an hour.
2. Around the Serpentine
The lake is the heart of the park, and a full lap is the classic Hyde Park walk. From the Knightsbridge side, head for the eastern end of the water, where you will find The Dell, a secluded garden beside a cascading waterfall, and, among birch trees nearby, Britain's first memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Follow the southern shore west past the Serpentine Lido, home to the oldest swimming club in Britain, and look for the heron under the bridge. Cross the bridge, return along the northern bank and finish with lunch or a cake at the Serpentine Bar and Kitchen or the Lido Café. Allow 60 to 90 minutes.
3. The Diana Fountain and the Serpentine Galleries
This route pairs open air with contemporary art. Walk west along the southern side of the lake to the Diana Memorial Fountain, opened in 2004 as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales, where children are welcome to paddle. From there, carry on to the Serpentine Galleries: Serpentine South and Serpentine North sit on either side of the Serpentine Bridge in Kensington Gardens, a short walk apart. Both are free to visit, so it is easy to drop into whichever show is on. The round trip from Knightsbridge takes around two hours with gallery time.
4. The Long Water and the Italian Gardens
For a quieter walk, cross the Serpentine Bridge into Kensington Gardens, where the lake becomes the Long Water. Follow its western bank north to the Peter Pan statue, which stands by the water among swans and ducks, and keep going to the Italian Gardens at the northern end of the Long Water, with their symmetrical beds and fountains. If you have time, return by the 400 metre Flower Walk and pass the Albert Memorial on the way south. Allow at least two hours for the round trip from Knightsbridge.
5. The wilder north and Speakers' Corner
The north of the park is where the paths wind through meadows. Look for the Hudson Memorial Bird Sanctuary, where lawns have been reseeded with wildflowers and small birds such as goldcrests and wrens are easy to spot. Nearby, a mosaic in the ground marks the Reformers' Tree, remembering the Victorians who rallied for the vote. End at Speakers' Corner in the north-east corner of the park, where radicals from Karl Marx to George Orwell came to speak. It is a long walk from Knightsbridge, so plan to leave by Marble Arch station.
Good to know: the Royal Parks publish a park map and seasonal walking routes online. Dogs are welcome but must be on a lead in the Rose Garden and around the Serpentine. Wellington Arch and Apsley House are run by English Heritage, and both currently open Wednesday to Sunday, so check before you plan a visit. Picnics are welcome, but barbecues are not allowed anywhere in Hyde Park.
