Battersea, I learned, means “marshy island,” and the area that the park now sits on had been reclaimed from the river. The one mapped around Battersea Park took me on a deep dive into its history. Battersea Park’s version of Single Form anastas_styles/Shutterstock The idea is that you explore an area by solving clues to follow a trail. That’s when I heard about Treasure Trails, a company that creates puzzle adventures for locations around the U.K. If you travel illegally for a holiday you risk the lives of your family and friends. And until recently, we didn’t even know when this holding pattern would end. The dreary weather is exacerbated by the fact that we’re not just advised not to travel this time, we’re told that “going on holiday is currently illegal,” shutting out those last rays of hope. Snow and near-constant rain have made park walks an expedition that requires a full armor of winter clothes. I even started appreciating those windy days when my hair would get whipped into a frenzy of knots but the leaves of London Planes would rustle joyfully overhead. I stumbled on the sanctuary of the muddy paths next to the Old English Garden, which almost no one bothered with. I found that the park sounded best on a rainy day when the sticky crunch of the gravel underfoot would help dampen the traffic noise. Sub-tropical garden in Battersea Park anastas_styles/Shutterstockīut I persisted. When an unseen helicopter started whirring overhead, drowning out just about every other sound, I gave up and headed home more stressed than when I had left. Without realizing it, I was dashing from one corner of the park to the other trying to find an acoustic sweet spot. I tried to return my focus to the blackbirds, but the parakeets intercepted with their sharp screech, then came the caustic caw of the crow. Under the shelter of palm trees, there was a brief moment of respite. But as soon as I walked away from the trees, the obtrusive noise of city traffic swooped in, and I dove for cover in the sub-tropical garden in the middle of the park. I had become so accustomed to walking the same route, chaperoned by the sound of someone’s voice, that walking without a plan or aural companionship made me feel incredibly vulnerable.Īt my usual starting point, blackbirds called to me from their sheltered perches. So I dutifully unplugged from my podcasts and let my ears do the guiding.Īt first, it was terrifying. The idea is to slow down and absorb the sounds around you, whether they’re good or bad. When England entered a second lockdown, I tried to inject that same sense of discovery by going on a soundwalk around the park. Battersea Park runs along the River Thames AJ Lawrence/Shutterstock Chelsea Gate entrance to Battersea Park Willy Barton/Shutterstock 2. To ensure we complied, police were sent to patrol the streets, ready to hand out fines to those who broke the rules.ġ. The entire country was told to stay at home, and only go outside once a day for essential reasons such as to shop for groceries or to exercise. entered a national lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic. That all changed last March when the U.K. Battersea Park in London PhotoLondonUK/Shutterstock ![]() ![]() For me, the park has always been a place of peace and joy, a replacement for that rare commodity in central London-a private garden. I’ve lived in a tiny studio apartment in one of these blocks for the last four years. ![]() On its other three sides, dense apartment blocks plug the gaps. Its northern perimeter is a promenade that opens out onto a view of the river and the grand Chelsea mansions beyond that. Within its 200 acres of parkland are several hidden gardens, a boating lake, and even a children’s zoo, making it one of the city’s most interesting parks. On the southern bank of London’s River Thames sits Battersea Park, a protected green space that first opened to the public in 1854. The coronavirus pandemic took away Qin Xie’s freedom to travel, but playing tourist in a much-loved park right at her doorstep brought that joy back.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |