Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HYDE PARK
KENSINGTON GARDENS
Queensway, Lancaster Gate or High Street Kensington.
www.royalparks.gov.uk
.
Daily 6am-dusk.
MAP
The more tranquil, leafier half of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens is home to
Long Water
,
the pretty upper section of the Serpentine and the
Italian Gardens
, a group of five fountains
laid out symmetrically in front of an Italianate loggia.
One of the park's best-loved monuments is
Peter Pan
, the fictional character who enters
London along the Serpentine in the eponymous tale. The topics author, J.M. Barrie, used to
walk his dog in Kensington Gardens, and it was here that he met the five pretty, upper-class
Llewellyn Davies boys, who wore “blue blouses and bright red tam o'shanters”. They were
the inspiration for the topics “Lost Boys”, and he eventually became their guardian. Barrie
himself paid for the statue, which was erected in secret during the night in 1912. More fun
for kids (and also inspired by Peter Pan), is the nearby excellent
Diana Memorial Play-
ground
.
To the south of Peter Pan is the
Serpentine Gallery
(daily 10am-6pm; free;
www.serpentinegallery.org
)
, which has a reputation for lively and often controversial con-
