Cannizaro Park is one of Wimbledon's hidden gems. Located a short distance from Wimbledon village,…read moreit is accessed via a short pathway to the side of Cannizzaro House (now a hotel), off West Side Common. The park was originally part of the garden belonging to the house. These were first developed in the 18th century, and between 1785 and 1806, were the residence of the first Viscount Melville, when they were visited by George III and William Pitt the Younger. The house and park take their name from one of the 19th century owners, the Sicilian Francis Platamone. He became the Duke of Cannizzaro, and although he left his wife to return to Italy in 1832, she remained in the house and acquired his title, albeit dropping one of the 'z's. The gardens as we see them now reflect work undertaken by the final owners in the 1940s, and were acquired by Wimbledon Borough Council in 1947. They are now under the care of Merton Borough Council. A "friends group" helps to maintain the garden. The garden itself includes a large lawn at the front of the house, a formal sunken garden, a substantial Arboretum, a small lake, and a woodland walk. It is well known for its displays of bluebells, rhododendrons, Azaleas and camellias in Spring. The gardens are free to enter, and are a lovely place to stroll and wander on a sunny Spring or summer's day.

Met a friend in Wimbledon and we went for a walk in Cannizaro Park - where we got to see a…read morebeautiful aviary and gorgeous trees. This is a sweet little park and I wish I had time to hang out here for an afternoon - it's so different from little parks in London, more rural and "wild" - very enjoyable. Highly recommend bringing a book and a blanket to hang out and enjoy this space if you need an escape from the hustle and bustle.

Small and unassuming, King George's Park certainly isn't a destination…read more But that means that there's more park for me and other locals without the rest of London there. The park's main draw for me has been the ten well-maintained and secluded tennis courts that cost £6 per hour during peak times. Although the courts aren't flood-lit, which means no tennis matches through the evening or during after-work hours in the winter are to be had. Also, there's a bowling green at the park, if you're into that sort of thing. The grounds throughout the park are well maintained, and the River Wandle borders it to the East, creating quite a picturesque little area. And so far I've done the adult thing and avoided the playground for big kids, despite its enticing monkey bars and climbing structures, but mostly this is because it's socially unacceptable for me to interact with ten-year-olds during the day and the gangs of teenagers who loiter in the playground after dusk intimidate me. Yes, I'm easily intimidated by packs of 16-year-olds in hoodies. Aren't you?

This park is really simple, there's not much to it compared to other fancier parks in and around…read moreLondon, but you know what? I really think this park rocks. It's usually quite quiet, which is what I value the most as I hate lots of rowdy folk infesting parks in the summer time. I've often sat with friends here, made a little picnic and watched locals fly kites, walk their dogs and play with their kids (not all at once mind you!). The park has a real family feel to it and it's just so serene. It may not be big and fancy but it's definitely the park for me being so calm and unpretentious. One of my favourite places i the summer time...

Perfect wee park for kids or to play a game of football. There are also basketball courts which is…read morecool. I mostly go there with my nieces and nephew and it's just an awesome park for children. There are slides, see saws and great swings. It's also perfect for running around and playing bear hunt! It seems the local parents know each other and have a nice gossip there too!

This is a lovely small park, laid out in a traditional style with paths, flower borders, and lots…read moreof mature trees. It is extremely popular with young families, but it is also well visited during summer days by a wide range of people. At one end is a small meeting room, with a small kiosk adjacent, serving snacks and drinks. Although the park is under the care of Merton Borough Council, who maintain the lawns, the planting is maintained by a group called Friends of South Park Gardens, organised as a charity. During the year, there are normally a number of specific activities including a summer picnic and fireworks in November. These are very popular and by ticket only. A lovely spot to visit during the summer lunchtime!

This is a really lovely park a few streets down from where I live…read more The space is relatively small, but is beautifully kept and is a really nice little nature-bubble inside the residential streets. There are always pretty flowers and the grass is kept litter-free and well mowed, so it's comfy to sit on. The public loos are also a big plus if you're spending an extended period of time in the park!! A really nice place to sit and unwind.

Although the place is really cool, 2 weeks ago we went there again for some well deserved fun in…read morethe sun. Unfortunately, my kid and his friends found a dead bird in the middle of the playground. He was very intrigued and he even picked it up and was swinging the stinky thing around to show me. I know....don't ask... Obviously, I was mortified!! I told the staff about what happened and they weren't very surprised but they said they'll clean it up. Last week we went again and guess what, the bird was still there!! Totally unacceptable! The staff totally ignored that bird, the smell (ugh) or the fact that kids are playing next to a health hazard.

This is the best place to bring your kids on their school holidays! The playground is a charity…read morewhich provides loads of activites in areas such as arts and crafts and cooking. I think this is better for younger kids in your family - the lovely staff here will make them feel so welcome! The outside is very bright and colourful - there are sandpits and lots of play equipment. I think that it's restricted to children who live in the borough, as you have to register to use the park, but if there's room they welcome others! My friend's children love this place and I always enjoy bringing them here!

Clapham Common is one of the more "commonly" known commons in London. I used to live really close…read moreby when I first arrived in London so used to frequent the common quit often. In the summer the common gets super busy with people chilling out in the sun. There are also fin fairs and music festivals here too. I'm not the world's biggest fan of this place. I just find the park a little busy in the summertime for my liking but it's still a nice place to hang out if you have to. I'd say places like Battersea Park have a little more class and something a bit different to offer, as it stands, Clapham Common just seems like a big bit of flat land to me for people to get drunk and lie on, that's really all...

One of London's great open spaces, no summer is complete without at least one day spent sunning…read moreyourself on the common. This is a much more open and unrestricted space compared to many of London's parks but then it is a common, which has different laws governing it and is, by definition, supposed to be freely accessible at all times. With Clapham Old Town and High Street nearby there are plenty of amenities if you want to have food or drink whilst sunning yourself, as well as bars and pubs for when it gets chilly. For me the one drawback is Clapham itself; far too white, middle class and with some pretty obnoxious people but then, when the time comes to leave the common you can always take the tube or a bus somewhere a bit more vibrant and interesting.

Home Park is the name given to the area of Hampton Court Palace park which is open to the public…read more It is a large expanse of parkland (over 550 acres) and a perfect place to get some exercise and fresh air, and escape the urban bustle of west London. I've always found it surprisingly quiet - less busy than adjacent Bushy Park or Richmond Park. It is easily accessible from either Kingston-upon-Thames (a 10 minute walk) or Hampton Court railways stations (5 minutes). The area has been a royal hunting ground for centuries, but it was Henry VIII who enclosed the area to form the park as it is now. In 1639 Charles I created the Longford river to bring water to the park, and in 1661 Charles II created the main feature, the "Long Water", effectively a wide ornamental canal, over half a mile long, flanked with a double row of trees on each bank. It was in the park that William III had his riding accident in 1702 (when his horse stumbled on a molehill) from which he died shortly afterwards. The park was opened to the public in 1893 and the golf course opened in 1895. The area south of the Long Water is mostly occupied by the golf course: the park is otherwise a mixture of small wooded areas, ponds and small lakes, and uncut acid grassland; this grassland is home to a wide variety of insects and attracts many different bird species as well as colonies of bats. The park also contains 7,000 trees (including a nationally important concentration of mistletoe, growing on lime trees) and a herd of 300 fallow deer. It is therefore protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Access is through various gates: the closest to Hampton Court is a 5-minute walk along the river bank from the end of Hampton Court Palace bridge. There are also gates along Hampton Court Road and close to Kingston Bridge. There are paths for walkers and cyclists: vehicles are only permitted for those members driving to the golf course. if you are walking in winter, the paths can get very muddy, so waterproof walking boots are advisable. Visitors are advised to stay at least 50 metres from the deer, and to keep dogs on leash when in their vicinity (it is an offence to let dogs approach or chase the deer, and the park noticeboards record a number of prosecutions of dog owners for this, as a warning). Fishing in the ponds and Long Water is strictly by permit only. The park is closed at sundown - closing times are posted on gates, and also on the park website.

Falcon Glade is a rather new (late 2014) pocket park created by the council from a fenced off dead…read morespace. Due to it being by one of the busier bus stops of Clapham Junction Station, the former area was rather gross and being dark and wooded, was frequented by less-than-savoury individuals! Since it opened about a year ago, the park hasn't been terribly well-maintained. That being said, the naturalistic plantings, wooden stool seating (which looks like tree trunks), & sunny open space have been a welcome addition to the area. The space near the bus stop has extended into the park and there is a convenient path which winds through to connect with the pre-existing pavement & formal plantings leading into the neighbouring estate. Although Wandsworth council could do better to keep the grass mown and add a better rubbish receptacle to prevent awful bus stop litterers from making a mess of things, Falcon Glade is still a lovely addition to the parks of Battersea.

What a delightful hidden gem!…read more Cricket in the summer, joggers doing their thing, ice cream van parked up and us rugby boys running amok on a Thursday night. What's not to like? Squirrelled away in South Fulham, this little park is hidden by residential housing on all sides. It's worth finding it though, it's just so lovely. This is hidden London, the stuff the tourists will never see. I'd thoroughly recommend grabbing a wee picnic and some beers and parking up for the evening to watch some cricket in the sun and generally feel very smug about how good life can be sometimes....

What a lovely park!…read more I discovered this place as I met up there for lunch with a friend who works nearby. It's like a magical walled little respite away from the busy road and bustling bridge traffic just nearby. Lots of sports pitches, grass open space, play space for kids, and beautiful big trees to relax under. An all-around beautiful park!

Wimbledon Common is one of the largest open spaces in Southwest London. It is a wonderful place for…read morea walk, jog, or cycle ride. It's very popular with people walking their dogs, and families wanting an easy day out. And, of course, in many people's minds, it will forever be associated with the Wombles. Wimbledon and Putney Commons consist of 1140 acres of open space. Historically, since mediaeval times, the commons were open space for the use of tenants, known as "commoners". Although the land belonged to the Lord of the Manor, the commoners had rights including grazing and collecting firewood. In the second half of the 19th century, the then owner, the Earl Spencer, decided to enclose the common, as had happened with many other comments across England. This meant that some of it could be used for agriculture, but he also wanted some of the land for a garden for a new Manor House, with the remainder to be sold for housing. His plans were however thwarted, as there was a growing movement to protect open space in London. The commons were eventually protected for public use, and the Earl Spencer's family was compensated. The commons are overseen by their own governing body, and paid for by a levy on residents living in the surrounding area. The Common encompasses a range of habitats, including woodland, scrubland, heathland and mown recreation areas - and no fewer than nine ponds, with small streams that drain into the Beverley Brook on the western edge. They are therefore home to a wide variety of bird, animal and plant life. Much of the area is designated a site of special scientific interest. The common is criss-crossed by a large number of paths, some of which are restricted to walkers, whereas others are available to cyclists and horse riders. On a summer weekend, over 10,000 people visit to the common, but it is perfectly possible to lose the crowds. The most popular areas are around the Rushmere Pond near Wimbledon Village, and the Café adjacent to the Windmill near the centre of the Common. There is a car park adjacent to the Windmill, and smaller car parks elsewhere. Note that the golf course on the southern edge of the common is not open to the public, although there is a public footpath across it.

Richmond Park gets all the love, but I actually prefer Wimbledon Common. It's smaller, more…read moresecluded and less popular with joggers and cyclists than Richmond Park. This makes it more peaceful and seem more of an escape from London than Richmond Park. My favourite part are the woods, where wandering along the wide dirt tracks under the the mingling branches overhead is hugely evocative: I could easily imagine a Robin Hood film being shot here! Definitely somewhere I want to return to.