Walking in the tree tops @ Kew Gardens
Londoners often sigh when looking at the entrance fee for Kew Gardens. 121 hectares of splendid land for sure, splendid Victorian greehouses of course… but £13.50? More than a trendy exhibition? When one has Hyde Park and Kensington gardens nearby? Let alone that this is not central London and that you need all your Vitamin C if you’re planning to take public transports with a pushchair…
The last few years, the park has done its best to seduce families again. Summer festivals, concerts in the summer, temporary exhibitions, free entry for kids… and even a great interactive covered play area where parents will gain at least an hour of peace no matter what the weather turns out to be.
Our favourite, the one that for us is worth every single penny of the ticket remains the tree topwalk. No way to beat this.
From afar, you only notice tree trunks.Come closer and you will glimpse rust-coloured pillars. Look up - meet Xstrata (who the hell chose that name?), a walk that will take you 18 metres up (118 steps or a quick lift ride depending on your energy of the day) and which was built in 2008 by the same architects that did the London Eye.
Here you are, same level as the highest branches of those 200 years old chestnut trees… The kids love it. Engravings at kids levels explain biodiversity, the role of seeds and birds. Afar, you can just make London profile, Wembley stadium and on good days even the gherkin. You’re right between the last leaves and the sky. A Peter pan feeling, freedom, everything seems possible…
You instinctively touch the limes, oaks leaves with a sudden tenderness for those green giants. Kids love it too, gasp at the height, and will afterwards look at the forest differently, slightly in awe. They had never quite understood how tall those trees were. Neither had you, for the matter. My 4 and 1/2 princess will ask to go round again, pleeeeaaaase. Imagine how beautiful it must be in winter, all frosty or even better snowy!
200 metres of promenade that one would really love to go further accross the park. Get back to earth? Sure, but we’ll keep stars twinkling in our eyes…
Kew gardens
Victoria Gate
Kew Road
Richmond
Surrey TW9 3AB
Fee: £13.50/adult, kids go free
If you come by car, choose a Sunday, parking in the street will be free. Do come early though, spaces go fast!
4 Responses to “Walking in the tree tops @ Kew Gardens ”
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J’ai entendu parler du Kew Gardens dans un bus Eurolines de retour de Grèce par un charmant anglais qui était très choqué que durant une année à Londres je ne sois jamais allée visiter cet endroit. Et en plus je découvre la promenade dans les arbres. Mais là je ne risque pas de raconter à mon mari qu’un tel endroit existe car je n’ai pas pu échapper à London Eye (il est fan de tout ce qui est en hauteur). Donc est ce qu’il est possible de visiter Kew Gardens et de cacher à mon cher et tendre ce magnifique parcours en altitude ?
Bises de picardie -
Chocoralie says:
Nath: un vrai bol d’air!
Marielle: mmmmh. Si tu lui arraches le plan des mains et que tu evites soigneusement le centre du parc (qui est immense), tu devrais y arriver! Il y a quantites d’autres choses a voir, comme les serres victoriennes qui valent vraiment le detour (qu’on soit plantes ou pas). Bises franglaises…
[...] to the ground, make great shelters for the children (meaning you can eat in peace for once) Then climb the 118 steps to the tree tops and walk right under the sky… Now, walk even further, to the new play area, [...]