Escape the city and get closer to nature near your halls 🌷

Central London can be a lot, especially if you've never lived in a big city before. Luckily, there are numerous Royal Parks, Municipal Parks and smaller Green Spaces, or 'Pocket Parks', dotted all over the city for you to enjoy. North London may boast some of the bigger and more iconic parks, but there are still some great spots close to Bankside House, perfect for a walk, a picnic or just getting some fresh air.

1. Bernie Spain Gardens/ Gabriels Wharf

One of the closest small parks to Bankside, roughly a 10 minute walk away. It can get quite busy on a hot day, being right on the Southbank, but still a pretty and functional park to relax in, or to enjoy an ice cream from 'La Gelatiera' located nearby in the OXO Tower.

2. Mint Street Park

Mint Street Park is about 5 minutes away from Bankside walking, one of the smallest on my list- but always quiet, and home to an outdoor gym.

3. Southwark Park

A bit further away, Southwark Park is roughly 25 minutes away via the jubilee line or the bus from Southwark Street. But there's always something going on, it has an art gallery, sports facilities, a cafe and a small boating lake. Every Saturday at 9am Southwark Park also hosts parkrun, a free timed walk/run, which is a great opportunity to exercise and get involved in the local community.

4. Burgess Park

My favourite bigger park, and the largest in Southwark, Burgess Park is 25-30 minutes from Bankside by bus. Similar to Southwark Park, Burgess Park has a wide range of sports facilities, a pavilion cafe, numerous events (including another parkrun), outdoor cooking spaces and a fishing lake.

There's also a lot to explore in the surrounding area- check out this Halls Life Blog on 'Weekend Activities near Burgess Park'.

5. Inner Temple Garden

Open to the public on weekdays between 12:30 and 3pm, the Inner Temple Garden is a stunning and well-maintained park hidden from view from Victoria Embankment and the road. The surrounding architecture and tranquility makes it a great place to relax in on your way to or from uni.

6. Geraldine Mary Hamsworth Park (Imperial War Museum)

The Geraldine Mary Hamsworth Park surrounds the Imperial War Museum on the site of the former Bethlem Hospital, a 20 minute walk from Bankside. There are lots of picnic benches, some sports facilities, as well as a Tibetan Peace Garden, sculptures and Soviet War Memorial. The Imperial War Museum is a must visit in London to learn more about conflicts from WWI until present day for free.

7. Archbishop's Park

Part of the former site of Lambeth Palace, Archbishop's Park is a 25 minute walk from Bankside. The park has great sport facilities and lots of shade to relax in on a hot day. Despite being so close to many tourist attractions, it's still a very quiet and peaceful space.

8. Postman's Park

A 20 minute walk from Bankside, Postman's Park is worth a visit for its history alone. Despite being a very small park in the heart of the City of London, the contrast between the surrounding buildings and the flowers is charming, and the memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice is a unique and interesting feature. 

Have fun exploring these local green spaces! If you're interested in a more extensive list and finding hidden parks further afield I recommend checking out the Go Parks London Map.