There are many ways to spend a day in Hyde Park. Several monuments and statues are located in the park. There are beautiful gardens, places for different types of activities and one can even rent a pedal boat on the Serpentine lake. Hyde Park is also an excellent place for a quiet day reading a book or taking pictures. Deck chairs can be rented between March and October if the weather allows it.
One of the main attractions in Hyde Park is the Serpentine, which is a 1.2km long recreational lake. On the north side, there are rowing and pedal boats to rent for a lovely time on the water, and there are several places to get food and drinks around the lake. In the east end of the lake, you’ll find Serpentine Bar & Kitchen offering tables right next to the water. Close to the restaurant, there is an ornamental waterfall surrounded by plants and flowers.
There are lots of swans, geese and other birds enjoying the lake. The next stop is the Serpentine Lido, which hosts the Serpentine Swimming Club, the members of which can swim in the lake every morning between 5 and 9.30 am. There’s also the Serpentine Lido Cafe offering food and drinks throughout the day.
Diana Memorial Fountain is a water fountain built in memory of Princess Diana. It is made of 545 pieces of Cornish granite, and it was opened in 2004. The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk is partly located in Hyde Park, and the route includes several locations and buildings that played a part in her life. Next to the fountain, you’ll find the Serenity bronze sculpture is inspired by the Egyptian goddess of nature and designed by Simon Gudgeon. Walking west from the Lido takes you to the Serpentine Bridge, which crosses the Serpentine and is part of the road dividing Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
The park also contains many monuments, for example, the Reformers’ Tree monument, which became a symbol of the right of the people to assemble and eventually lead to the formation of the Speaker’s Corner, located in the northeast corner of the park. Some notable past speakers in the corner include George Orwell and Karl Marx.
The BST (British Summer Time) Hyde Park offers a range of concerts in the open spaces of Hyde Park with some of the biggest names in music on most summers.
