After closing the door behind me, I suddenly realised that I had forgotten my watch. I stood there for a few minutes, wondering whether to go back inside and retrieve it or just carry on. It was after 4 am, and I was on my way to Greenwich Park. I was hesitant to go back inside because it was early in the morning, and I didn't want to disturb my housemates.
I was planning to walk all the way to Greenwich Park, but getting my steps in wasn't the main goal. I wanted to see the sunrise over London, and I had better be on my way if I wanted to make it there for 6 am. I looked at the sky, zipped my coat all the way up and took my first steps to leave the property. Once I was out on the street, I turned right and started walking downhill towards the main road.
There is a 24 hr bus service to Greenwich from where I live, but I wanted to walk and was heading to the main road only for safety reasons. It isn't safe for a woman to use back streets in the early hours of the morning in a city like London. As beautiful as London is, it's a pretty dangerous city to live in, so caution is recommended.
Things haven't been great for me since March, and I've been feeling down lately; no matter how hard I try, nothing seems to work out the way I expect it. I even cut myself badly with a hand mixer while making a smoothie. I got a few stitches in my finger, which is why this post will be published later than usual.
So my morning walks aren't just for weight loss anymore; it's also a way for me to clear my mind and try to stay positive despite the setbacks. And I left home first thing in the morning to see the sunrise over London, hoping to enjoy a moment of peace and quiet in this busy city!
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| London's skyline from Observatory Hill |
Rosy Sunrise In Greenwich Park
I was exhausted and out of breath when I reached Greenwich Park. I thought I had enough time to make it for the sunrise, but I underestimated the distance since I couldn't take shortcuts and had to walk along the main road.
I sat on a bench near the flower garden to rest, and the best view of the London skyline is from near the Royal Observatory, at the very end of the road from the Blackheath entrance. It was quite a walk from where I sat. Although I was exhausted, I got on my feet and started walking again. I didn't have my watch to track my steps, but I knew I had already reached my goal of 20k steps a day.
I used a small entrance to get into the park, and you can go through the flower garden to get to the main entrance, but I preferred to walk around it, as the beautiful cherry blossoms in the garden would've been too distracting. I was anxious to make it in time to see the sunrise before the sun was high in the sky. I highly recommend a visit to Greenwich Park Flower Garden; it's breathtaking in spring and summer.
There were mostly joggers in the park and a few random people like myself who came to enjoy a quiet moment at sunrise. Greenwich Park is a popular tourist spot, and it's been one of my favourite places in London since my first trip to the city as a student in the late 00s. It's always packed with tourists, families, locals, and students.
It's located in Greenwich Town Centre, where you can find Greenwich Market, retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops and more. The Queen's House, The Cutty Sark, The National Maritime Museum, and Greenwich Pier are just a few minutes' walk away from the park, which makes it an ideal destination for a fun day out.
So it gets very busy during the day, and if you want to enjoy a quiet moment in this beautiful park, I recommend a visit early in the morning. The view of the London Skyline in the morning glow is worth getting out of bed.
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| Ranger's House in the flower garden |
A Sun Glowing Over London
"London is so beautiful at sunrise", I thought to myself as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and started taking photos. I have been visiting Greenwich Park for years, but it was my first time seeing the sun glow over the park and London.
I walked as fast as I could to the observatory hill, and my feet hurt so much that I wanted to take off my trainers, but it was worth it. It brought me peace to look at London's skyline in the morning sunlight. I have been doubting myself a lot lately, and I can't wait to leave this city, as I'm feeling out of place here, but nothing mattered in that moment.
Except for the silence, the rosy sunrise and the beautiful spring flowers. My mind was blank, and I was at peace, so I left the observatory hill to head to the rose garden. I couldn't think of a better moment to look at my favourite flower, and instead of going straight there, I took a little detour by the cherry blossom alley.
Greenwich Park is one of the best parks in London to see the cherry blossoms in spring. The blossoms seemed late this year, as they were just starting to bloom during my visit, but it was still an amazing view. The Ranger's House looked so beautiful in the first rays of sunlight through the cherry blossoms.
Walking down the alley to head to the rose garden reminded me of why Greenwich Park will always be one of my favourite places in London. There weren't any roses in the garden yet, but I saw some beautiful tulips and cherry blossoms, which made me happy.
If I'm still in London next spring, I would love to visit Kyoto Garden again. It doesn't usually come up when people talk about the best places to see cherry blossoms in London, but it's a Japanese garden. So I might see some cherry blossoms, and the waterfall alone is worth the visit, to be honest. I wanted to share this moment with you, hoping to inspire you to visit Greenwich Park when London is still quiet and "slow".
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| St Mary's Lodge in Greenwich Park |
I share my thoughts on my podcast The Hushed Journal, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. New episodes on Wednesdays and Sundays; feel free to join me for a chat. See the links below
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