Recuperating from a frenetic London city center commute relies on two fundamental things, the space to disconnect mentally and physically and to reconnect with natural surroundings. The area around Ravenscourt Park near Hammersmith Grove provides a pronounced detachment from the dense urban sprawl of West London, while facilitating the physical needs of the modern Londoner beyond a conventional gym or yoga studio.
Exercise the body with new friends
Exercise is a whole lot easier when you have people to do it with, and it’s a great way to meet the locals. So let’s get straight to the clubs and activities:
Catch up with the running club Ravenscourt Park Runners who run two sessions every Monday evening at 6.30pm and 7pm
From Back to Netball to Desperate Horsewives, look up Netmums for a full list of clubs and classes for adults
The locals are avid cycling enthusiasts, meet likeminded riders and get involved in regular events. Check out HF Cyclists for all the above.
Exercise the mind at Ravenscourt Park
At 13 hectares, Ravenscourt Park is not really a traditional park but more a secret garden as coined by locals. The Shakespeare Garden is a fortified zone of Zen for those who want to unwind or supplement physical activity. And with 690 trees of 104 species, bookworms are never short of a secluded natural shelter to get engrossed in a novel or favourite podcast.
Oh yeah, the kids … what’s in it for them?
Ravenscourt Park has plenty of activities to facilitate the mischief and curiosity of those toddlers. With four play areas, a paddling pool, an adventure playground with a fort-style climbing frame, a nature trail and a basket swing– feel free to let the kids go wild or hop into the basket swing if you feel like testing the suitable for all ages’ theory.
*Image credit to Louise Ireland via Flickr