Before we know it, the new academic year will be upon us and a whole fresh batch of students will be arriving in London to start their degrees. It is very exciting to attend university for the first time or to start a master’s, but there is a higher level of uncertainty right now because of COVID-19 and the pandemic. It will likely be higher for those traveling to London from faraway or from overseas. If you’re worried about finding places outside to spend your time so you can still enjoy the fresh air while maintaining social distancing, check out some of these classic London spaces:

Primrose Hill

This iconic hill near Camden just north of The Regent’s Park has some of the best views London has to offer. If you are in the Camden area for the day or want to go on a long walk from LSE, you should definitely check out Primrose Hill. Since it is a large outdoor area, it is great for relaxing and maintaining social distancing while seeing many of London’s sights!

Hampstead Heath 

Also found in North London, Hampstead Heath is a giant park/forest stretching across a large part of the city. During the summers, there is an awesome lake to go swimming in, but since it is starting to cool down again, maybe it is best to avoid that! However, there is so much space offered in Hampstead Heath that it is a great place to be outside and to stay away from crowds. It is also near Hampstead, a great part of London to have a meal or go shopping.

Greenwich Park 

Towards East London, you will find Greenwich and its wonderful park. In my experience, not enough people spend time in Greenwich, but it is an amazing part of London with great views of the City and Canary Wharf, London’s financial centres. Greenwich Park is massive, so it is a fantastic place to be outside. It is also home to the world famous Royal Observatory, which played a major role in the history of astronomy and global navigation. If you want to spend time in a different part of London, check out Greenwich Park.

Richmond Park

If you’re looking to get outside of London a bit for a day and do something different, head out west to Richmond Park, a beautiful and expansive nature preserve home to a large population of deer and other wildlife. Richmond Park is a great place to be and enjoy nature in the autumn when the leaves start to fall and the deer are out. You could spend a whole day walking through the park and having a beautiful adventure. You tend not to run into many people in Richmond Park, so it is a splendid place to be outside during the pandemic.

This post was written in late August 2020. Please consult the UK government website for the latest coronavirus guidance.