Explore London 2 have been very active this month. They visited Regent’s Park which has much to explore, including formal gardens, secret gardens, sunken gardens, lakes and water features and avenues of beautiful trees. All of this surrounded by the classical Regency terraces. The highlight of the park is the inner circle which contains Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, with over 30,000 roses! We were very lucky with the weather and everyone enjoyed the visit.
Shelagh Irish
Photographs courtesy of Shelagh Irish and Jo Wattis.
The group also made the first of two planned trips to Battersea on Wednesday 21st August. This first outing saw 22 explorers making their way to Battersea by train and bus and getting their first glimpse of the rejuvenation of the whole area as we approached the old power station.
Inside the boiler houses are some very upmarket shops, with the apartments all around, priced in millions. After a coffee break, all but two of the group had booked for the Lift 109 Experience, which includes some background information on the original building and its workings. The history of the power station is fascinating but, nowadays the interior is far removed from the original noise, pollution and heat that would have been the normal conditions for those working there. We were whisked skywards in a glass lift, which pops visitors out of the top of one of the chimneys for a 360° panorama of London’s skyline. The Post Office tower can be easily seen, as can the Wembley Arch and the Chelsea Hospital. Other landmarks take a bit more time to spot, but it was fantastic to see the cityscape spread below us.
After the Lift Experience, it was time to wander towards Battersea Park. Some members opted for lunch near the power station, where there are plenty of restaurants. Others stretched their legs and walked to lunch by the boating lake. There is so much to see in Battersea Park that a separate walk there will be arranged at a later date.
Everyone agreed, there’s always something to explore in London!
Maggie Reeve
