Take a walk in St James’s Park, one of the eight royal parks in London. Enjoy peace and silence in the heart of London. Learn more about trees, enjoy bird watching and walk among ducks and pelicans. Savour a warm cup of coffee by the lake or whilst watching the Changing of the Guards. Lose yourself on Duck Island and visit the cottage. There are so many things to do in St James’s Park.
After a brunch at Timmy Green, near Victoria Sation, we took a digestive walk to Buckingham Palace which turned into a long walk through St James’s Park. Underrated compared to Hyde Park and Green Park, St James’s Park is a good surprise: the freshness of the lake, the shade of the trees, the sounds of birds and ducks… it’s a heaven of nature in the heart of London.
So what is it to do and see in St James’s Park?
Logistics for the St James Park Walk
- Superficies: 57 acres
- How to get there
- Tube: St James Park (District & Circle lines)/ Westminster (Jubilee, District & Circle lines)
- Bus: 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 53, 77A, 88, 91, 148, 159, 211 and 453.
- Amenities: St James Cafe, Storey’s Gate Cafe, Refreshment Points
- Toilets: Public toilets are available
- Opening times: 5.00 am to midnight all year long
- Contact: 0300 061 250
- Website: St James Park
Highlights of the St James Park Walk
- Buckingham Palace
- Changing of the Guards
- The Mall
- Queen Victoria Memorial
- Blue Bridge
- Horse Guard Parade
- Duck Island Cottage
- Tiffany Fountain
- Duke of York Statue
History of St James’s Park
St James’s Park in London, UK.is one of the 8 Royal Parks with a superficies of 57 acres. It is tucked between landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, the Mall and the Hore Guard Parade.
St James’s Park was named after St James the Lesser, one of the 12 chosen by Jesus. In 1532 Henry VIII acquired York Place from Cardinal Worsley and subsequently purchased the land where St James’s Park now stands. His ambition was to make York Place a royal residence.
In 1603, King James I introduced exotic animals to the park. Hard to believe nowadays that crocodiles used to swim there.
But it was King Charles II who ordered the most important changes to the Park to reassemble the Royal Gardens he saw in France during his exile. He also opened the park to the public which soon become a fashionable place to hang around.
Finally, in 1826, the Prince Regent ordered new developments for the Park. The canal was turned into a man-made lake, the paths alongside the park were made smaller to reassemble countryside paths and the Mall was extended to a processional route leading to Buckingham Palace.
Can you walk around St James Park?
Of course, you can! And the walk is worth it 😀
There is a self-guided walk named Tree Walk, which is a 1.3 miles (2.08 km) loop around the park. You can download the map on the website here and follow the route to learn more about the flora in the park.
Alternatively, you can roam freely in the park. Make sure not to miss anything! For that, follow my step-by-step self-guided walk below.
What to do in St James’s Park
1 – Buckingham Palace
Currently the official royal residence, Buckingham Palace has a long history and went through many different owners. It started in the seventeenth century when King James I build a garden to grow mulberries where the Buckingham Palace Gardens stands nowadays. The land was then sold by Charles I and the record shows the presence of a house on the land. Then the house and the gardens went through many different owners.
In 1762, the estate came back to the Crown and George III used it as a residence for his wife Queen Charlotte. In 1820, King George IV made massive changes to transform the family house into a palace. However, the remodelling of the residence was not finished by the time of his death.
It is not un 1837 that Buckingham Palace became a royal residence, Queen Victoria being the first monarch to live there. Under her reign, the palace became a place of entertainment.
In 1911, Marble Arch, which used to stand in front of the palace, was moved to its current location on Oxford Street and replaced by a memorial to Queen Victoria.
You can visit the palace from July to October. For more information, click here.
2 – Changing of the Guard
Whilst you are at Buckingham Palace, arrange your visit on a day when you can see the Changing of the Guard. This spectacle in music is like no other and a must-see in London. It is when one detachment of guards replaces another. It takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays at 11.00 am.
3 – The Mall
The Mall was created in 1660 under King Charles II’s reign. He ordered the remodelling of the park and subsequently rerouted the road adjacent to the park. At one end of the Mall, you find the Admiralty Arch, leading to Trafalgar Square and on the other end the Queen Victoria Memorial. The Mall was opened to traffic in 1887. It is used for procession purposes such as the Changing of the Guard, Trooping of Colours, Royal Weddings and funerals.
Video: Watch the Trooping of Colors rehearsing at the Horse Guards Parade
4 – The Lake and the Blue Bridge
Enter St James’s Park and walk down towards the Lake. You are suddenly surprised by how calm the park is even though it is located in such a touristy and busy area. The lake is man-made and was created in 1826 to replace the canal that was originally flowing through the park. You can walk across the lake by the Blue Bridge. The current bridge is the third version of the bridge. The original bridge was replaced in 1857 and then by the current bridge a hundred years later.
From the bridge, you can view Buckingham Palace from one side and the London Eye and the Horse Guard Parade on the other side. It is the perfect viewpoint for outstanding pictures of London’s most famous landmarks.
5 – Duck Island & The Cottage
Duck Island Cottage serves as the headquarter of the London Historic Parks and Gardens Trust. In 1665 the island was built to be a sanctuary for birds and waterfowl, both exotic or native of England. As the sanctuary’s reputation grew King William III ordered the construction of the cottage which was used as a tea house to entertain walkers.
On the island, you can find 17 species of birds. A notorious one is the flock of pelicans. They were introduced to the park in 1664 as a gift to Charles II from the Russian Ambassador. They remained in the park until today. You can also find parakeets who come to enjoy the food visitors give to the ducks.
6 – Tiffany Fountain
The Tiffany Fountain was originally installed on the lake near Duck Island in 1966. Its purpose is to recycle the water and provide better quality water for the wildlife by sending water into the air.
The original fountain was removed due to malfunction and replaced in 2011 by the current one. This was made possible thanks to the donation of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation.
7 – Cafes
You can find 2 cafes in St James’s Park to take a break from the walk. The first one is St James’s Cafe. In a wooden cabane-like style, it is located near Duck Island. Enjoy a cup of an award-winning cafe and treat yourself to an English breakfast with a perfect view of the lake.
The second one is Storey’s Gate Cafe, which as the name indicates is located by Storey’s Gate. The lodge was built under Charles II’s reign as a residence for the Keeper of the King’s Birds, Edward Storey. The cafe serves vegetarian and vegan dishes.
8 – Duke of York Column
Visible from the park and located between the Mall and Waterloo Place, the Duke of York Column stands on the top of a staircase since 1834. Prince Frederick, Duke of York, was the commander in chief of the British army and brought lots of changes and modernisation. After his death in 1827, the entire army forfeited one day’s wage to finance the project of the memorial. Designed by Benjamin Dean Wyatt, the granite column with a bronze statue at the top measures 139 feet (41 m) and its inside spiral staircase counts 168 steps.
Ready for the challenge?
9 – Horse Guards Parade
I saved you the best for the last: The Horse Guards Parade. Walk a little bit further down the Mall from the Duke of York Column and turn right on Horse Guards Road.
This is the official entrance of St James’s Park and also the place where the Queen reviews the troops during the Trooping of Color each year on the second Saturday of June. The Horse Guards building is from the eighteenth century and is easily recognisable by the clock tower in the centre.
10 – What’s Next?
And this concludes our St James’s Park walk. If you are looking for more park walks, check these guides and download the free GPS maps here.
Map of St James Park
Check the map of St James’s Park below before going for a walk.
Final thoughts on the St James’s Park Walk
Where can you go after visiting St James’s Park?
- Head to 10 Downing Street located on the right of the Horse Guards Parade
- On the other side of the Admiralty Arch, you find Trafalgar Square where you would the National Portrait Museum.
- Alternatively, go in the opposite direction towards the River Thames and you arrive at the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben.
So many options around there!
And you, what is your favourite park in London? Let me know in the comments below.
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