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 Make the most of the season's long, hazy sunny days and the city's lush, green, meandering parks and gardens by indulging in spot of summer picnicking. We've pinpointed some of the best spots for do-it-yourself al fresco dining - from spontaneous after-work mini-picnics to long, languishing all-day family blow-outs.
 In Town: Lincoln's Inn Fields & Phoenix Garden If you're looking for a relaxing, shady picnic spot in the heart of the metropolis, head for Lincoln's Inn Fields, the largest square in London and one of the most attractive. Rich in history (Lord William Russell was beheaded here in 1683 for his part in the assassination of Charles II) and surrounded by a host of architecturally stunning buildings (Sir John Soane's Museum, Lindsey House, the Inns of Court) it's a great place to soak up the sun and the sights. Tennis and netball courts and a bandstand complete the picture of a perfect city-centre summertime picnic spot. If you're after something a little quieter but just as convenient head for Phoenix Garden - a dinky retreat run by volunteers and local residents. In the shadow of both Centrepoint and St Giles-in-the-Fields church, this beautiful West End idyll is hidden from most tourists and residents alike. Originally a car park, it's now a tranquil haven for wildlife. Frogs and tadpoles saturate the pond, while birds of all shapes and sizes frequent the trees, nest boxes and feeders. Privately managed by a team of loyal volunteers who have consistently battled against threats of closure, this garden feels unlike another in London. It has a warm, friendly, intimate feel to it - part of the local community, you will often come across volunteers working away at developing and nurturing the space. This is very much a "living garden" - a pretty park with real heart and soul and a worthy contender for city centre picnic spot. Venue: Lincoln's Inn Fields / Phoenix Garden Address: Holborn, WC2A 3EQ / 21 Stacey Street, WC2H 8DG Nearest Station: Holborn Tube / Tottenham Court Road Tube Lincoln's Inn Fields - Information / Phoenix Garden - Information Pick up perfect picnic fodder from... Neal's Yard Dairy (Covent Garden), Fernandez and Wells Food and Wine (Soho), Berwick Street Market (Soho), Bea's of Bloomsbury (Bloomsbury), Konditor & Cook (Holborn) or Leon (Ludgate Circus).   Up North: Parliament Hill & Hampstead HeathWith summer, come long, drawn-out summer evenings. A late afternoon, evening or after-work picnic is a delightful way to end the day. If this is what you’re after, head for Parliament Hill, on the edge of idyllic Hampstead Heath. Find a spot on the brow of the hill, set out your blanket, open a bottle of wine and drink in the spectacular view of London as the sun sets gently on the horizon. If you’re in need of cooling down you can even indulge in a refreshing dip in one of the heath’s many swimming ponds. Alternatively, make a day of it and intersperse your picnic with a good old ramble, taking in Kenwood House as you clamber through long grass, over hilly mounds and among woody copses. There are a number of good pubs dotted along the edge of the heath (Spaniards Inn, The Flask, the Magdala, and The Holly Bush) so wherever you emerge you can end your picnic with a soothing pint. Address: Highgate Road, NW5 1PB Nearest Station: Gospel Oak Rail / Hampstead Heath Rail Parliament Hill - Information Pick up perfect picnic fodder from... B&M Seafoods / The Pure Meat Company (Kentish Town), Rosslyn Delicatessen (Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead), GAIL's (Hampstead High Street) or Carluccio's (Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead).  Down South: Richmond ParkOnly 30 minutes or so from central London, this is English countryside as you might imagine it depicted in a glossily illustrated Robin Hood story: mighty oaks, a thousand years old, dense forests, dinky copses, rolling hills, majestic fallow deer and burrowing rabbits. Covering almost 2500 acres, Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London. With such a large space it's hard to know where to start when visiting. A tall brick wall surrounds the entire park so you need to first work out which gate you are going to use to enter and then plan your route from there. The best way to enter is via Richmond Gate, heading first for King Henry's Mound. The park's position on the edge of town affords it some fantastic panoramas of the capital - King Henry VIII's Mound is the place to head for uninterrupted views all the way to St Paul's Cathedral. Wherever you chose to roam - via the ponds and Deer Park or circumventing the many lodges - make sure you end up at the Isabella Plantation. Heavily wooded and wholly organic, the plantation bursts with massive mounds of azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias and really is truly magical. Apart from a couple of roads running around the edge of the park (traffic is highly regulated and, for the most part, unassuming) the park has changed little since the reign of Charles I. Responsible for the park's enclosure and the introduction of deer, Charles I sought sanctuary in Richmond during the plague. These days the park performs much the same function, offering a calming sanctuary from the pressures of city life. Take a massive picnic and spend the day here. Address: Park Office, Holly Lodge, TW10 5HS Nearest Station: Richmond Tube/Rail, and then bus or taxi Richmond Park - Information Pick up perfect picnic fodder from... Maison Blanc (The Quadrant, Richmond town centre), Vivian's (Worple Way, Richmond town centre), William Curley (Paved Court, Richmond town centre) or Paul (The Quadrant, Richmond town centre).  Out East: London Fields & Victoria ParkMartello Road, E8 3PE Located in a bustling, regenerated area of east London, London Fields park has been transformed from a neglected area of common ground into a thriving rich recreation ground. It now contains a wonderful heated lido (one of the few heated outdoor pools in London), cricket pitch, a small BMX track, two tennis courts and a children's play area. Cricket has been played on the park since as early as 1802 and the cricket strip on London Fields still hosts competitive games throughout the summer (late April to mid September). The park is hugely popular spot on weekends, especially in summer when it gets crammed with young families enjoying barbeques and impromptu frisbee games. The nearby Broadway Market (open 9am to 5pm on Saturdays) is also a popular weekend haunt where you can browse the stalls for picnic ingredients and enjoy an al fresco lunch back at the park. From here it's walking distance (it'll take you about twenty minutes) to Victoria Park, an equally enjoyable grassy alternative and which frequently plays host to parties and festivals throughout the summer like the legendary Lovebox Weekender. Address: Martello Road, E8 3PE Phone: 020 8356 8428 Timing: 8.30am till dusk Nearest Station: Bethnal Green tube London Fields - Information Victoria Park - Information Pick up perfect picnic fodder from... Broadway Market (Saturdays only), L'eau a la Bouche (Broadway Market), Climpson & Sons (Broadway Market), or E Pellicci (Bethnal Green Road).  Go West: Holland ParkPretty Holland Park is the ideal location for those wanting to escape the clamour of the city but who don’t want to travel too far out of the centre. Tucked away in one of London’s most elegant districts, it offers small, cosy grassy knolls, cooling woodland glades, wild ponds, an open expanse for games and general frolicking, playgrounds for older and younger children and a cafe – just in case you run out of picnic food. Small, but perfectly formed, this lovely park is perfect for an intimate picnic or romantic stroll. There are beautiful woodland trails, manicured lawns and formal gardens, the Kyoto Japanese Garden with its resident Coi, and a fantastic ice-cream stand in the middle. Holland Park used to be a private estate, and the former ballroom of Holland House is now the stylish Belvedere restaurant. In summer open air opera concerts are held in the grounds. Spending the day here, lazily munching on picnic snacks as the sun sets and the wild foxes start to gather to pick up any leftover crumbs, is the perfect summer pursuit. Address: Holland Park Avenue / Kensington High Street, W8 6LU Nearest Station: Holland Park Tube Holland Park - Information Pick up perfect picnic fodder from... C Lidgate (Holland Park Avenue), Jeroboams (Holland Park Avenue), James Knight of Mayfair (Notting Hill Gate), Ottolenghi (Notting Hill), Notting Hill Farmers' Market (Saturdays 9am-1pm only), Patisserie Valerie (Kensington Church Street). |
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