Ultimate Guide to St James’s Park

 

St James’ Park is one of the Best Parks in London so it’s strange to think it was once a horrible, dark swamp with a leper hospital nearby!
The swamp became Henry VIII’s Royal Hunting Grounds when he built St James’s Palace in 1536. The park is now home to the The Royal Birds including 3 very naughty Pelicans, ducks, geese, swans, moorhens, coots and grebes. The 3 pelicans Louis, Vaclav and Gargi are fed fresh fish between 2:30pm and 3pm every day by Duck Island Cottage. One of their most famous moments was swallowing a pigeon whole!
To the west lies Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards Lies to the east, St James’ Palace to the north and Birdcage walk to the south. If you want to try and catch the changing of the guard head to Buckingham Palace or Horse Guards Parade at 11am each morning. Alternatively bring a picnic, pull up a stripey deckchair and watch the birds on the lake. If you’re more of a people watcher you’ll see lots of ministers and civil servants rushing off to their meetings on Whitehall. Definitely the most romantic royal park with its lamposts, sweeping willows and that incredibly photogenic blue bridge.

We walk around St James’ Park on our FREE London Tour, which runs every day at 11am and 2pm.

 

Opening Hours: 9am-9pm

 

 

 

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