Back to Battersea

This morning I met a group of AWC ladies in Battersea Park for a "Walk & Talk."  This is a monthly activity where we spend a couple hours walking around a different neighborhood and then stop for lunch or coffee afterwards.  The leader often shares some interesting tidbits of information about the area or various landmarks, but it's not so much a guided tour as a chance to get some exercise, socialize, and explore a new part of London.

Battersea Park, Chelsea Gate

Battersea Park sits on reclaimed marsh land on the south bank of the Thames, in what was once an agricultural area.  The crops weren't quite as romantic as those grown on Lavender Hill to the south, but who doesn't love carrots and asparagus?  The park and the nearby Chelsea Bridge, which connects it to Chelsea on the north side of the river, opened in 1858.

One of the most distinctive landmarks in Battersea Park is the Peace Pagoda, which was built in 1985 by Japanese Buddhist monks.

Peace Pagoda

From the park, you can also catch an occasional glimpse of the iconic Battersea Power Station, which once famously graced the cover of a Pink Floyd album.

Battersea Power Station over the bowling green

The bandstand in the center of the park

The park is quite large, covering 200 acres, including playing fields, exhibit halls, a small children's zoo, and a sizable lake where you can rent boats in the summertime.

Map of the park

The lake

After walking for about an hour and a half, we stopped at the Gondola cafe for tea/coffee/soup. 

Gondola Cafe

Since there were several new members in the group, the activity leader had the lovely idea of going around the table and sharing a restaurant recommendation as well as a tip about living in London.  Now I have a nice list of new restaurants to try.  None of them are near where we live, but it may come in handy on our next expedition into central London.  Looking forward to next month's Walk & Talk in Putney...