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The Best Place for a Picnic in London

BySunny London

How many options do you think you have for choosing the best place for a picnic in London?

Would you believe that London is made up of 40% public green space, totalling 35,000 acres, including 3,000 parks?

In my Spring/Summer Guide to London that is part of the free guide series you get when subscribing to the Sunny News Weekly Email, I include planning a picnic in London on the list of best things to do during the season. You can find more out about these guides if you keep reading.

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This is one of the reasons why I was very excited when I received the research that Zipcar UK completed as part of their campaign with Park4Picnics. It turns out that Londoners have some strong thoughts about the best place for a picnic in London, and it’s quite interesting!

Foremost, over four in five Londoners (85%) are planning at least one picnic this summer. This adds up to an estimated 5.8 million picnics happening in London at this time!

The Best Place for a Picnic in London- Top Choices

Now, Londoners don’t mess around when it comes to picking a place to enjoy the summer sun and traditional British food. Research from July 2019 indicates Londoners chose the best place for a picnic in London with a view to be: (in order of preference)

  • Greenwich Park (36%)
  • Primrose Hill (19%)
  • Parliament Hill (14%)
  • Hyde Park, Battersea Park and Richmond Park

If you’re in Greenwich, make sure you take a few minutes to stand on the Prime Meridian Line. Standing with one foot on each side means you are perfectly in the middle of east and west.

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When visiting Primrose Hill, you might want to scope out your spot to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Mr Sunny has been there a few times and he says it’s certainly the most posh, free activity that evening.

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The Best Place for a Picnic in London- Hidden Gems

Of course, if you want to go somewhere off the beaten path, there are some great ideas in the research too. And, in the spirit of the North vs South River Thames debate that playfully takes place among all Londoners, the spots are divided this way too.

North London hidden gems:

  • Waterlow Park, Highate
  • Forty Hall, Enfield
  • Harrow View Point, Harrow
  • Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill
  • Kenwood House, Hampstead

South London under the radar spots:

  • Horniman Museum Gardens, Forest Hill
  • Burgess Park, Camberwell(ish)
  • Eltham Palace PArk, Eltham
  • The Rookery, Streatham
  • Danson Park, Bexleyheath

The Best Place for a Picnic in London- What to Pack

If you are new to the British picnic process, Mr Sunny and I can help. We produced a video back in 2016 showing how much fun a picnic in London can be. It’s less than 2 minutes and gives you a feel for what to pack in a picnic hamper. If you would rather read about it on the blog rather than watch it on the Sunny News YouTube, that is possible too.

The Best Place for a Picnic in London- How to Get There

What I think could stop many people from planning a picnic in London is how to transport their hamper, blanket, and other fun items to make the day enjoyable. At the time we shot the video, we were living very close to a local park but still appreciated using Mr Sunny’s car to make the process easier. For those of you who don’t have cars in London, I guess you could take public transport.

But I wouldn’t want to do that!

Another alternative would be to use a network of floating cars, so you don’t have to lug around picnic baskets and pay for parking at your picnic in London destination. Additionally, it’s a great way to save pennies and the planet.

The Best Place for a Picnic in London- Final Thoughts

Sunny friends, have you gone on a picnic to any of these places or can you add an idea to the best place for a picnic in London? What’s your ‘must have’ picnic food item or special treat?

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