BA - The Club - The Club’s guide to London’s secret green spaces

Crystal Palace Park

You want… a family field trip

At the former Victorian pleasure grounds of Crystal Palace Park, dino-hunting is the order of the day. Hiding in the foliage and perched precariously over the ponds are 30 palaeontological creatures, first erected back in 1854. These days, the fun (if not entirely anatomically accurate…) sculptures are a frozen capsule of Victorian palaeontology and protected with Grade I monument status. But this park isn’t just Jurassic. It’s also a sylvan setting for picnics, ball games and dog walks, with plenty of open space overlooking that iconic London skyline.
Nearest Tube station: Crystal Palace, London Overground

Oxleas Wood

You want… a historic hike

In woodlands so ancient you’d half expect to catch Robin Hood cavorting amongst the trees, a trip to Oxleas Woods is a journey into the past. In London’s leafy southeast, parts of this enchanting sprawl are so old they saw the end of the last Ice Age. Today, a 19-metre-high Gothic folly gives exceptional views across seven counties, while the dense tree cover hides tepee dens, rope swings, fallen trunks and hay meadows that emerge like fairy-tale clearings – perfect spots for a summertime picnic.
Nearest Tube station: North Greenwich, Jubilee line

Kew Gardens

You want… a horticultural day out

Kew Gardens’ 200-metre-long Treetop Walkway takes visitors 18 metres up into the canopy to navigate branches of sweet chestnut, oaks and lime trees as they go. From the architects behind The London Eye, this weathered installation is also a haven for bird-watchers on the lookout for tawny owls and parakeets. On ground level, the Palm House (along with Kew’s other tropical greenhouses) will steam up your specs as you stroll through exotic plant life endemic to Mauritius and South Africa, while the Great Pagoda (253 steps of cast-iron loveliness) is the essential Instagram spot.
Nearest Tube station: Kew Gardens, District line (Richmond branch)

Crossrail Place Roof Garden

You want… big city thrills

Did you know Canary Wharf has a secret? Hidden amongst its glittering towers and ever-revolving whirl of suits lies a roof garden that’s packed with enough flora to chill out even the stressiest captain of industry. The garden, more like a manicured jungle, is purposely filled with plants native to some of the world’s most exotic locales as a nod to the area’s industrious maritime roots. Visit at dusk, when the curving paths are illuminated and the twinkling skies of East London pour through the garden’s giant geodesic ceiling.
Nearest Tube station: Canary Wharf, Jubilee line

Richmond Park

You want… a walk on the wild side

In London’s well-heeled west, Richmond Park is known for the red and fallow deer that roam freely amongst its 25,000 acres of glorious heath. Wondering where to find them? The deer – quite unperturbed by meandering humans – aren’t one bit elusive. There are more than 650 of them in the park, so simply follow the clicks of the Canon cameras and you’ll happen upon them soon enough. This is also the largest of London’s eight Royal Parks, so set a day aside to wander its four corners, including its northwesterly reaches, where a picnic beside Beverley Brook awaits.
Nearest Tube station: Richmond, District line