Looking for quiet picnic spots in London? We all know the usual al fresco hangouts: Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Richmond Park, St James’s Park, Hampstead Heath, Primrose Hill and Kew Gardens. But there are also plenty of smaller or more unusual green spaces where you can settle down for a peaceful and scenic picnic of which Ratty and Mole would be proud. Here are 15 of my favourites, from historic house gardens to palace lawns and one very good view.
The French may have invented le pique-nique, but the British are the masters of outdoor dining. Pack a luncheon hamper, fold your ginghams and, for goodness sake, don’t forget your brolly. Here is a guide to some of the best quiet picnic spots in London.
“‘What’s inside it?’ asked the Mole, wriggling with curiosity. ‘There’s cold chicken inside it,’ replied the Rat briefly…” (Ratty’s picnic from The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame)
Holyday by James Tissot, c.1876 (Tate)
Picnic in a historic house garden
Kenwood House
North London’s Kenwood House has long been famous for its glorious summer picnic concerts. Even without the music, it’s a magnificent Hampstead Heath outpost and one of the best quiet picnic spots in London, with views down the sloping lawns to the lake. Entry is free and dogs are welcome on leads. The café serves snacks and drinks to take away.
Strawberry Hill House
Horace Walpole’s Gothic fantasy provides the jaw-dropping backdrop to one of London’s most magical quiet picnic spots. Read more in my guide to cake at Strawberry Hill House, and find out about the house and garden at Strawberry Hill House.
Osterley Park
A neo-classical villa remodelled by Robert Adam and set in 18th century gardens dominated by three large lakes, Osterley Park provides a magnificent picnic setting. Grab a deckchair on the temple lawn, visit the boathouse, wander through ancient meadows or settle down on the grass. Keep an eye out for spiky friends, as Osterley is said to be a hedgehog hotspot. It’s a National Trust property, so check entry and booking details before you go.
Syon Park
Syon’s estate in west London includes rare trees and a park and lake designed by Capability Brown (and later captured by J.M.W. Turner). You might recognise it from Gosford Park, The Madness of King George and Killing Eve, and it’s perfect for a posh summer picnic. Syon Park charges an entry fee, so check opening times and booking before you visit.
Chiswick House
Enjoy 65 acres of garden with sprawling lawns, a lake, ponds and fountains in one of the earliest examples of English landscape design. Entry to the gardens is free, with a charge for the house. There’s a café in the grounds where you can keep your furry friend happy with a doggy sausage and water. Dogs are welcome (on leads in certain areas). Read more in my guide to Chiswick House and Gardens, or visit Chiswick House and Gardens.
Picnic like a local
Furnivall Gardens
This pretty garden is wedged between some of London’s most famous pubs, notably the Dove and the Blue Anchor. With views across the Thames and towards Hammersmith Bridge, it’s one of the most picturesque quiet picnic spots in London. The garden can get busy, in which case you could walk along an adjacent underpass and head over to Ravenscourt Park instead. Entry is free and dogs are welcome.
Postman’s Park
One of London’s hidden gems, Postman’s Park is tucked away behind St Paul’s Cathedral. The park is also a memorial site, honouring ordinary people who died whilst saving the lives of others. Fifty-four ceramic tablets in the Watts Memorial, created by the artist George Frederic Watts, provide a moving backdrop to one of the prettiest and quietest spots in the City for a park bench picnic. Free entry. Dogs welcome on leads.
Picnic in a museum garden
Horniman Museum and Gardens
Possibly London’s most eccentric museum (inhabited by a dead famous walrus), the Horniman’s garden is also the perfect perch for a quiet summer picnic. With 16 acres of nature trails, ornamental gardens, an Edwardian bandstand, a magnificent Grade II listed conservatory and a sound garden, it’s a magical place for kids and adults alike. Read more in my guide to the Horniman Museum and Gardens, or visit the Horniman. The gardens are free and dogs are welcome on leads.
Gunnersbury Park
A Grade II listed parkland in west London, Gunnersbury Park covers around 185 acres and includes an orangery, an 18th century temple, a museum, a bath house and a boating lake. Entry is free (the museum is free too) and dogs are welcome.
Picnic in a park
Bushy Park
Image: Bushy Park
Bushy Park is the second largest Royal Park, with a whopping 1,100 acres of parkland in the borough of Richmond upon Thames. Henry VIII’s old hunting ground is a playground of ancient trees, ponds, woodland, deer and many species of bird. It’s close to Hampton Court Palace, so you can go and say hi to Harry after lunch. Free entry. Dogs welcome, but be aware of the deer.
Holland Park
Only a hop, skip and a jump from Kensington, Holland Park’s 54 acres is home to the annual Opera Holland Park. The Japanese Kyoto Garden is an oasis of calm with its koi carp ponds and strutting peacocks. Explore the ancient woodland and, in the opera season, the park is the perfect place for a pre-show al fresco dinner. Free entry. Dogs welcome.
Bishop’s Park
Next door to Fulham Palace is Bishop’s Park, a Grade II listed park with a rose and sculpture garden, lake, moat garden and meadows. It’s said to have appeared in the 1976 horror film The Omen, but don’t let that put you off. This park is a London gem. Free entry. Dogs welcome.
Picnic at the palace
Fulham Palace Gardens
Once the country residence of the Bishops of London, Fulham Palace is now a historic house and museum with Grade II listed gardens. The gardens are botanical treasures with a long history, and the café serves takeaway for your picnic. Entry to the botanic gardens is free.
Eltham Palace
Perched on the south side of Greenwich, Eltham Palace sits in 19 acres of award-winning gardens, with a medieval bridge over the moat and a spectacular rock garden, making it one of the most beautiful quiet picnic spots in London. Entry to the gardens is ticketed, so check booking before you go. Read more in my guide to Eltham Palace.
Picnic with the best view in London
Turner’s View, Richmond Hill
This utopian vista from the Terrace Walk in Richmond has been immortalised by both J.M.W. Turner and Sir Joshua Reynolds. Protected by an Act of Parliament, it’s now affectionately known as Turner’s View. It gets Londoness’s vote for the picnic with the view. Find out more about the artist in my guide to Turner in London.
Planning your picnic
Whichever of these quiet picnic spots in London you choose, opening times, booking rules and dog policies change, so check each website before you set off. If it rains, my guide to Kew Gardens on a rainy day has plenty of ideas for a Plan B.
Know any quiet picnic spots in London? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.
“There are few things so pleasant as a picnic eaten in perfect comfort.” (Somerset Maugham)