Open Space, Open Mind

by Micheal Landon

In the summer, students flock to the nearest green space to lounge in the sunshine. Then winter comes along and we all stay indoors. But with an abundance of free exercise space all over London, you wonder why.

With towering grey concrete blocks, south London does not always seem the most hospitable place for students looking for relief from urbanisation in the form of outdoor sport or leisure.

If you search hard enough, among the monolithic tower blocks and constant traffic, there are ideal outdoor spaces for students to enjoy a spot of physical activity away from studying.

London College of Communication

A short walk away from LCC, you’ll find a huge leisure and green-space nirvana called Burgess Park on Albany Road. At 46 hectares, this area, once the most densely populated part of Southwark - before the Blitz - is the largest park in the borough.

For 40 years, the park has grown steadily, taking in hundreds of demolished dwellings, factories,and even an old canal.

More importantly, the park has a sports pavilion, with state-of-the-art eco-designed changing rooms, a cricket pitch, and a small football pitch for good measure. There is also a cycle track and a lake that’s great for fishing.

If you are looking for an area to chill out, look no further than Surrey Square Park. A few minutes' walking distance from LCC, this is one of the few green spaces that have been maintained for residents of the Elephant and Castle area. The area is ideal if you want to organise a little kick-about with your mates.

A short bus journey away is Kennington Park. The park contains many historic trees, as well as open areas and spaces for wildlife and bio-diversity. A range of sports facilities are also offered, from basketball and netball courts to an all-weather floodlit facility for football and hockey.

Chelsea College of Art and Design

Near the Chelsea College, Victoria Tower Gardens is ideally situated by Westminster tube station for students looking for a peaceful change. Quiet and scenic, these riverside gardens are set on the south side of the Houses of Parliament, overlooking the Thames, and is the perfect space for light exercise or to simply enjoy the views on offer.

London College of Fashion

Walk east from the  London College of Fashion and you will find Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The largest public square in London, Lincoln’s Inn Fields is thought to be one of the inspirations for Central Park in New York.

In the centre, there is a public court for tennis and netball, as well as a bandstand, previously used for corporate evenProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 .

Wimbledon

If you are a student from Wimbledon College of Arts, you are are well stocked with Mostyn Gardens, one of the few green spaces which has been well maintained for the locals and visitors to the area.

So, there’s plenty to do for people who want to escape the grey scenery and keep fit whilst studying around London, you just have to look a little harder for it.