London National Park City Map

Over 3,000 parks and open spaces, 147 nature reserves, 300 farms, four UNESCO World Heritage sites, 8.3 million trees, and thousands upon thousands of vegetables grown on no fewer than 673 allotments. It’s got all the makings of a bucolic daydream; some sort of idyllic county brimming with hay bales and wild strawberries. In fact, all of this is right on your doorstep. All of this can be found in London.

London is one of the world’s greenest major cities but much of its natural space goes unexplored. The London Park City Map is here to change that. Unfolding to the size of a traditional Ordnance Survey map (125cm x 95cm), and ambitiously venturing beyond the M25 to include the whole of Greater London, the map aims to connect people to London’s green spaces simply by letting them know that they exist.

The map is marked out according to six categories – Green Space, Play Space, Food Space, Civic Space, Wild Space and Blue Space – and marks out everything from village greens, tennis courts and cemeteries to nature reserves, woodlands and reservoirs. It plots walks, outdoor activities (think BBQs, paddle boarding and camping) and even the city’s highest peaks. Who would’ve known that you can reach 245m by simply climbing Westerham Heights in south-east London?

The project is the brainchild of Charlie Peel, founder of environmental social enterprise Urban Good, and has been made in collaboration with Ordnance Survey and Greenspace Information for Greater London. The map is part of an ambitious  wider campaign to make London the world’s first National Park City. “London being a National Park City is a vision which celebrates and recognises what’s already being done in the capital, but challenges Londoners to work together to make the capital even greener, healthier, more naturally diverse, resilient, beautiful and enjoyable.” Together with the Mayor of London and an alliance of councils and local organisations, the National Park City Foundation is working towards declaring as a National Park City in Spring 2018, with the initiative being launched the following year.

In 2016, Urban Good set about raising money to fund the production of the map. The fundraising was successful and no fewer than 1,000 maps are available absolutely free of change, all you have to pay is a small fee to cover postage costs.

Head over to the Urban Good website to order yourself one and get about embarking on your very own London adventure!