The Meanderings of a Literature Student

Over the past month, there have been days where I've gotten the urge to walk and explore London by foot. My meanderings have taken me to various parts of London, but two of my new favorite areas were ones that I discovered just the other day. I had been longing to visit Hampstead Heath and Chelsea for ages, and finally got the opportunity to do so. Hampstead Heath is an enormous park in the north of London and is famous for its ruggedness and wildness, as well as its spectacular views over London from Parliament Hill. As I hiked through it I felt like I was transplanted back into the state parks of Minnesota, which is something that I miss deeply, so when I find it I hold on to it with both hands.
One thing that I'm not sure that everyone knows about me is how much of an outdoors fanatic I am. I love the outdoors, pure and simple. Growing up in North Dakota and being raised by a family of sports enthusiasts and hunters, how could I not? Appreciating the outdoors is in my blood and it is one thing, among many, that I am so thankful for in regards to my upbringing. Now, I am also at heart a city person, but I found quite early on that the two do not necessarily go hand in hand as easily as I would have hoped. I find myself pounding the pavement more often than hiking through tree-lined paths or biking along grassy meadows. This is ok, but every week or so I get an intense longing and urge to get out into nature and just clear my lungs of the polluted city air. This is why going to Hampstead Heath meant so much to me; I think I may have found an escapist's paradise within the bustling city.

Walking in the park-a mixture of meadow and forest

view from Parliament hill

Now for Chelsea: Chelsea is located in the southwestern part of central London and is famous as being the "posh" area of London where the rich and beautiful live. You can find large mansions, expensive cars, and designer shops surrounding the Sloane Square area and it is a treat to wander through and imagine living there. I took a 2 hour walking tour of Chelsea as I was most interested in learning about the area because of the high amount of Victorian writers and painters who have lived there. I saw many houses formally owned by the bigs of the Victorian period as well as the houses of Mick Jagger, prominent London architects, and the likes of Lawrence Olivier and Vivian Leigh. The area is steeped in history and is just a pleasure to walk around. Chelsea is largely free of tourists and the sidewalks are wider, the air feels cleaner, and the houses are nicer. It is a wonderful place to spend a sunny afternoon slowly ambling along the streets.

Old Pub- The Fox and Hound

The Thatcher Infirmary 

Gorgeous Chelsea Houses

Christopher Wren's Royal Chelsea Hospital

Bram Stoker's House

Oscar Wilde's House

George Eliot's House

Church dedicated to Sir Thomas More