Hanwell Zoo

Keilyn ready to explore Hanwell Zoo.

Hanwell Zoo is typical of the many smaller zoos dotted in and around London, with the usual animals to see. Rabbits, ducks, chickens, donkeys and goats are a staple of this sort of zoo. 

However, at Hanwell Zoo there are exotic birds, some of which I have never seen anywhere else, red-crowned crane, black cheeked lovebirds, red fody, glossy starlings, white faced whistling ducks and more.

Then there are the mammals, like Meerkats, capybara, porcupine, armadillo, alpaca and more.

In the nocturnal enclosure you may, if you have the patience, spot the gray slender loris, loping through the branches.

The same could be said for the Margay, a cat that likes to sleep more than it likes to walk around.

With a fair-sized playground, with sandpits, water features, slides and climbing apparatus, there is something for children of all ages to enjoy, when they tire of the animals.

Battersea Park Children's Zoo

An Emu.

I find that the Children's zoos and City Farms offer a great alternative to the much larger London Zoo, and are often a lot cheaper to visit, especially with the cost of living crisis.

So it was that while walking from Westminster to Battersea, with Keilyn, we found ourselves at Battersea Park Children's Zoo. Having never visited this particular zoo, we decided to head inside and have a good look around.

Asian Short-Clawed Otters.

We saw parrots, Asian Short-Clawed Otters, Goats, Lizards, Spiders, Capuchin, Snakes, Donkeys, Cranes, Iguana, Frogs, Rats, Emu and so much more.

Thao Whipping Frog.

We failed to spot the Chameleon, but we did look for it for about twenty minutes.

Keilyn ready to board the helicopter.

Then there were the adventure playgrounds, which Keilyn loved, as it had a real helicopter, fire engine and tractor to clamber over and play in.

Keilyn driving a fire engine.

Considering its relatively small size, the zoo certainly contains a myriad of species in well built enclosures.

A Harvest Mouse.

Walking with Keilyn: Westminster Bridge to Battersea Park... and beyond

Keilyn with the heart for our friend and colleague Khalid Jamil.

Sunday July 30, 2023.

Keilyn loves walking through and around London, almost as much as I do, so we decided to walk through a different part of the city, on this visit.

On our way to London for another epic walk.

The day began with our usual walk to the Watford underground station, changing at Finchley Road and then exiting at Westminster.

Our starting point.

We began by crossing Westminster bridge, with its tourists from a myriad countries, before descending the stone steps to the Albert Embankment. and the National Covid Memorial Wall and looked across at the Palace of Westminster.

We decided to follow the Albert Embankment, which stretches for a mile from Westminster Bridge to Vauxhall Bridge, passing St Thomas' Hospital and Lambeth Palace before grabbing a coffee and a hot chocolate from a street vendor near Lambeth Bridge.

Lambeth Fire Station.

We then continued along the Albert Embankment, passing the Lambeth Fire Station, until we were near Vauxhall Bridge, where we had to make a slight detour due to the still ongoing construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. This did, however, give us a chance to see the main entrance to the SIS (MI6) building, which is a side of the building that I had not really seen.

Keilyn with some riverside chairs.

Soon we were back walking along the Riverside Walk, where Keilyn found some wooden chairs that spun round. A few steps further and we could see the Embassy of the United States of America, which is the largest American Embassy in Western Europe, and looks like a glass cube with small 'sails' covering three sides. 

Embassy of the United States of America.

We continued along Riverside Walk before having to make another short detour before finding ourselves in the Tideway Village, with its converted trawlers and house boats. 

'St Michael' is a converted trawler that you can stay on.

One final detour and we arrived at Battersea Power Station, which we entered so that Keilyn could get a sense of the scale of the building. With her suitably awestruck and with us both having made use of the facilities, we headed out of the south entrance and continued our walk.

Battersea Power Station interior.

We passed beneath a railway bridge, passed by Battersea Dogs and Cats home before stopping at a Tesco Express for some extra provisions, before passing beneath another railway bridge and heading into Battersea Park.

It was still quite warm, although the clouds were threatening rain, as we sat in the Rosery Gardens and ate our lunch, while joggers and dog walkers busied there way through the gardens.

The Rosery Gardens.

Suitably rested we headed ever westward along the south of the Boating Lake, before turning north and entered the Sub-Tropical Garden, with its ferns and palms. These were interspersed with colourful bedding plants.

The Sub-Tropical Garden.

The Sub-Tropical Garden.

We then continued along the tree-lined path, passing the Bowling Green Pavilion, the Bandstand, the Tea Terrace and formal gardens, until we reached the London Peace Pagoda, where stopped for another short break alongside the River Thames. 

The London Peace Pagoda.

Next to us, in the small car park, the UK Bungee Club were using a crane with a basket attached to jump from. Their screams echoed as they plummeted earthward.