Battersea Park

Looking down on Battersea Park, from Lift 109.

One of London's parks, that I have started to visit a lot more, is Battersea Park in Wandsworth. 

This sprawling park is full of walking routes, a bandstand, boating lake, cafes, a children's playground, children's zoo, cricket pitches, a gallery, an Old English Garden, Sub-Tropical Gardens and so much more, so there is something for everyone.

With the new Battersea Power Station tube station, Queenstown and Battersea Park railway stations all within easy walking distance, exploring this expansive park has never been easier.

Sub-Tropical Gardens.

Even during the winter months, when the trees are bare and the Rosary Gardens are pruned. the Sub-Tropical Gardens are still colourful enough to brighten my day. 

The paths that meander around the park and boating lake are usually under tree cover, unless it is one of the paths that crosses the large green spaces, for which little cover is available.

During the warmer months the whole park becomes an oasis that becomes home to myriad animal species, with non-native birds roosting in the trees.

This tranquil space is used by many joggers, dog walkers, fitness fanatics and the like, all trying to find their own little piece of the park, while cyclists stick to their routes while parents dawdle along the paths, while their children explore the wide open spaces and the bushes along the paths.

Flowers in the Sub-Tropical gardens.

Plus, sitting by the Peace Pagoda I can take in the views along the River Thames towards Fulham, Chelsea and Westminster. It is fast becoming my favourite park to visit, as it is unlike, in my opinion, any of the other parks within London.

Walking with mum: Westminster Cathedral to Battersea Park... and beyond

Saturday March 8, 2014.

My mum and I had decided today would be a good day to go to London, so off we set. Because the Jubilee line was closed from Finchley Road to Waterloo, we changed from the Metropolitan line to the Bakerloo line at Baker Street and travelled to Oxford Circus, where we changed to the Victoria line and continued on to Victoria Station.

After a quick coffee, we headed along Victoria Street until we reached our first destination. Westminster Cathedral. After some exterior photos were taken we headed inside. Now, I thought the building was impressive from the outside, but the inside was breath-taking! The lower half of the Cathedral walls are clad in marble, which come from twenty-four different countries, across five continents, of which there are over 125 different types. Above the marble the walls are bare brick, right up to and including the four domes, which make for a truly grand ceiling. In some ways this gives the effect of an unfinished building, but, on the other hand, the marble also draws the gaze of the parishioner to the altar. The low hung chandeliers also give the upper floors an almost melancholy look, where the shadows dance across the rough texture. The Cathedral is a building that could almost be said to be alive.

We arrived during Mass so we waited patiently for this to finish, and for the procession to file out, before we could take a look around. There are chapels to St. Patrick, St. David, St. Andrew, St. George and various others. There were also smaller chapels, as one might expect, for private prayer.

We then decided to head up the bell tower, which contains 300 steps! Fortunately, the steps are off-limits, so we took the elevator. Arriving on the seventh floor, which is 64 metres or 210 feet above street level, we stepped out and into the top of the tower, where four doors lead to four small balconies; North, East, South and West. Unfortunately, the West balcony was closed due to there being a problem with the padlock. Even so, the views were incredible and it was well worth the few quid we were charged to see them. We must have spent a good half-hour looking out into the distance, pointing out the landmarks that we could see through the light haze, that still hung over the city.

We then headed back down into the Cathedral proper, where we had another look around and took even more photographs, before heading up to see the 'Treasures of Westminster Cathedral' exhibition. The exhibition consists of chalices, sacred relics, vestments and other ecclesiastical objects that the Cathedral has acquired, since it opened in 1903.

Although the Cathedral opened in 1903, it wasn't consecrated until 1910 because Catholic buildings can not be consecrated until all debts have been cleared. The Cathedral's architect, John Francis Bentley, was also responsible for the Church of the Holy Rood, Watford, which is said to be his 'Gothic Masterpiece'.

We left Westminster Cathedral and headed south towards Warwick Way, where we stopped at The Queens Arms, Pimlico, for a spot of lunch and a drink.

We then continued down Denbigh Street and onto Claverton Street which brought us out on Grosvenor Road. From here we headed west towards Battersea. Soon, we could see the old Battersea Power Station which looked like the hulking upturned skeleton of some prehistoric animal.

London Peace Pagoda

Peace in our Time.

Saturday March 8, 2014.

Having never visited Battersea Park, I couldn't wait to see the place for myself. It was a warm Spring afternoon when I finally reached my destination, where I took many photographs, from various angles. But, in the end, it was the image above, which was the first one I took, that I liked the most. The light and vibrancy of the colours really gave the area a serene feel, considering the bustle of joggers, dog walkers and fitness fanatics that were all around me.