As I write this, we are still living in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is a challenging time for all of us, and it can be difficult to think about the post-COVID future. It is important for all of us to stay strong, social distance, and stay healthy. However, the first thing you will want to do when life begins to return to normal is spend a lot of time outside, and I have three London parks you should visit south of the Thames River when all of this is over. In my opinion, they are massively underrated.
1. Clapham Common
Clapham Common is the anchor of the southwest London neighborhood Clapham and one of the largest parks in South London. As someone who lives directly across the street from it, I can attest to its beauty and majesty. It is a wonderful park to walk around, have a picnic on, or to play a game of football. In regular times, you will find so many local people enjoying the sunshine on the Common. Surrounded by shops, bars, and restaurants, Clapham Common is in a great location and you can go for some lunch or have a drink after you have enjoyed yourself at the park.
2. Battersea Park
Battersea Park is directly across the Thames River from the affluent neighbourhood of Chelsea. While a lot of Londoners know it and have probably been, it is still not as popular as some of its peers near Kensington, like Hyde Park, Green Park, Holland Park, or Kensington Gardens. Battersea Park is a fantastic place for a long afternoon stroll or a more quiet place to read a book. It is very leafy and green, providing excellent shade from those hot spring or summer days. It has great views of the river and some fabulous gardens to enjoy. I recommend Battersea for a long summer afternoon where you want to read or get a nice tan.
3. Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is one of London’s royal parks and is one of the largest green spaces in southeast London. In addition to its beautiful views of the City and Canary Wharf, it is home to the Royal Greenwich Observatory, a popular London tourist destination. That being said, this park is underrated because it is more out of the way from central London and not close to many other tourist attractions. It is situated on a nice hill, so you can enjoy a lot of different views. It is a great park to walk around in or to have some ice cream. I found that Greenwich Park is a nice place to relax after some dinner and to watch the sunset. You will not want to miss it!
When you start planning your post-COVID London adventures, add one or all of these parks to your list!
