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Route summary
: virtually
traffic-free course in central London following paths round Hyde Park,
Kensington Gardens, Green Park and St James's Park (the Royal Parks)
The route covers many of London's famous
historic sites: Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace,
10 Downing Street, Horse Guards, the Mall, Hyde Park Corner, Speakers'
Corner, Albert Hall, St James's Palace, and Kensington Palace.
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These
instructions start at Marble Arch but it is a circular route and there are
several starting points at the Underground Stations around the parks - Marble Arch - Lancaster Gate- Queensway (Central Line); Knightsbridge-Hyde
Park Corner - Green Park (Piccadilly Line)
Abbreviations: TL=turn left. TR = turn right. SO = straight
on. X= cross. Rd = road
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Leave Marble Arch
station by Subway 3 (signposted Hyde Park/ Speakers Corner). At top of
steps enter park and SO then TL down path between green railings to main
path and cycle path.
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TR
into park heading west, away from Marble Arch and Oxford Street, following path
running parallel to North Carriage Drive (the inner ring road). X rd
with care and heading towards gate and Bayswater Road, TL just before
gate. Follow path inside the park, with North Carriage Drive on left and
Bayswater Road on right.
X rd and SO with
flower beds and Buckhill Lodge on right.
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Following main
path (North Walk) to Black Lion Gate (main road on right) X the
Broad Walk (main
north /south footpath). The Princess Diana Memorial
Gardens are to the left, Black Lion Lodge is to the right.
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At end of path
(wall of the coach park), TL towards Kensington Palace.
Go through
pedestrian gate at the end, and past the Orangery on left. TL just
before the State Apartments. TR into the Sunken Gardens,
follow path round garden, exit TR to the Broad Walk.
TR.
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Pass
the Queen Victoria Statue on right and then TR along path passing in front
of Kensington Palace. At the end of the path, TL and follow the path
along the brick wall. Kensington Palace Gardens Hotel on right.
Cont to bottom. (heading towards main road - Kensington High Street)
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2
miles. Keep SO main path (ignoring path on left back up
Kensington Palace and right turn to Kensington High Street).
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path and keep ahead (signposted to Albert Memorial) along path just inside perimeter of park, (public toilets on
R) With gates to the right, the footpath
widens into a roadway (no traffic except for cyclists and roller
bladers) Stay on path closest to road. |
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Passing
Albert Memorial on left and Albert Hall on right, SO and X rd
(Alexandra Gate) following footpath ahead on left hand side of the
road (past tennis courts/bowling green on left, adjacent to horse riding
track)
3 miles.
Passing
Knightsbridge
Barracks on right, X RD at lights and continue towards Hyde Park Corner
to steps (on right)
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For a shorter
route (4 miles) cont. on path towards Apsley House, Xing rd (South
Carriage Drive) at zebra crossing and TR along the pavement.
Following
footpath, TLthru barriers and TR up main path (Broad Walk) passing statue of
Achilles on right, SO to Speakers Corner at Marble Arch, passing the Joy
of Life Fountain to right. Finish back at
Speakers' Corner. (Marble Arch)
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To
continue on longer route : TR down steps out
of Hyde Park to main road by bus stop. TL on pavement, and down
subway path (Exit 1)
into Hyde Park Corner underground station. Keep left all the way
through subway, TL up path (Exit 2) to traffic island.
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With Victory Arch
on right, pass war memorial on left, and down steps back to the subway.
At end of subway TR and up footpath SO at top of path and follow
path down Constitution Hill.
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4
miles. With Buckingham
Palace on right, and Canadian War Memorial on left, stay just inside Park
and follow curved wall round to right. (can also follow footpath outside
park)
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X
rd at lights: either (1) TR (facing Buckingham Palace) follow footpath
round with park on left and Wellington Barracks on right. Or (2) SO down
path into park and bearing right, follow path round edge of lake and TR up
path to road.
TL on to Birdcage
Walk. Wellington barracks and
the Guards Museum are on R.
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Cont.
to corner (police station and with Big Ben ahead) TL into Horse Guards
Road with HM Treasury, Foreign Office, War
Cabinet Museum on right.
Pass Household Division war memorial on left, TL on to the Mall
back towards Buckingham Palace.
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5.2
miles. X the Mall at first set of lights and stay on footpath heading back towards Buckingham Palace.
X Marlborough Road and Stable Yard at Clarence House .
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TR up footpath
(Queens walk) along side of Green Park. Just before top of hill, TL
back into park. SO, heading back to Hyde Park Corner
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Follow footpath
as it bends to left then, retracing
route back into Hyde Park : TR
down steps and TR
into subway and SO up steps at end to traffic island.
With statue of Wellington on left, down ramp back to subway past tube
station entrance on left. Up path at Exit 1 and TR at top up steps and TR
along pavement.
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6.
5 miles. X rd (South
Carriage Drive) at zebra crossing and TR along the pavement.
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Following
footpath, TL thru barriers then TR up main path (Broad Walk) passing statue of
Achilles on right, SO to Speakers Corner at Marble Arch, passing the Joy
of Life Fountain over to right. Finish back at Marble Arch (7
miles)
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There are, of course, lots of paths and
routes to train or walk through the Royal Parks in Central London. The
Royal Parks Route is a tried and tested training route and a good way to
see the sights of London.
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back
to Walks Index
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