The Views of London

London is a beautiful city with many buildings and constructions of interest. And whilst the architecture of the city may look good up close, nothing beats a phenomenal view of the London skyline that incorporates many landmarks. Different people like different views and whether you want to be able to see a specific building or prefer having a narrow or wide field of view, going to the right viewpoint is vital to maximise your journey.

The viewpoints discussed will be from various locations in (and sometimes just out) of London. I have included GPS coordinates for each and a description of roughly where each viewpoint is.

These views are not in any order and the list is definitely not complete (partly because it is very difficult to define what should count).

Greenwich Hill

The view from greenwich hill contains both Central London and Canary Wharf

51.4779023, 0.0000000 (mid south east London)

Greenwich isn't just the home of time but also has an outstanding view of Central London and Canary Wharf. Next to the Royal Observatory, at the top of the hill in Greenwich Park, lies this wide and uninterrupted view which is directly along the Prime Meridian. Which therefore means that while admiring the view you can also take the opportunity to be in two different hemispheres of the Earth.

Richmond Park

51.4449063, -0.2947238 (outer south west London)

The view from King Henry's Mound in Richmond Park is famous for being the longest of the many protected views of St Paul's. Through the provided telescope you can make out the cathedral but also the controversially built 42 storey building in Stratford directly behind St Paul's Cathedral. Some people say this degrades the view of the cathedral, which is legally protected.

Hampstead Heath

51.5596547, -0.1597175 and 51.5719565, -0.1649837 (mid north London)

Hampstead Heath really has two viewpoints, one at Kenwood House (to the north of the heath) and the other at Parliament Hill (to the south). Both locations have a protected vista of St Paul's Cathedral but the construction of the Shard has obfuscated the correct position to view St Paul's looking from Parliament Hill.

One Tree Hill (Honor Oak)

One Tree Hill has a narrow view of Central London

51.4505025, -0.0526373 (mid south London)

One Tree Hill currently has many trees including the one oak tree (well the third) it was named after. The hill along with the one oak tree have a long interesting history which includes the whole area of Honor Oak being named after the Oak of Honor which is the one tree upon One Tree Hill, which as previously mentioned also named the hill. The trees part at the summit (not including the Honor of Oak as it's round the corner) to reveal a stunning and relatively unknown view of Central London.

Primrose Hill

51.5395025, -0.1607025 (inner north London)

Primrose Hill lies to the south of Hampstead Heath and directly north of Regents Park and London Zoo. It has a wonderful view with the landmarks being larger than other viewpoints due to its proximity to Central London. Primrose Hill is quite different to other hills on this list due to the few trees and grass flanks making it a perfect place for picnics in the summer.

Epsom Downs

Epsom Downs with Central London and the Shard just barely visible in the distance

51.3144220, -0.2510809 (south west of London)

Epsom Downs is one of the furthest viewpoints from London but also among the best. Located atop a golf course with the Epsom Downs racecourse to the other side. Partially obstructed by a couple of trees depending on your precise location Central London is just visible in the far distance. Being about 15 miles from the landmarks, be sure not to come when foggy or misty as the shard and other buildings will be impossible to see.

Alexandra Palace

51.5939620, -0.1293945 (outer north London)

Alexandra Palace is now an entertainment centre with an ice rink. But it used to host many things including various exhibitions and the BBC. Alexandra Palace is similar to Crystal Palace in the south with both places holding exhibitions and, suspiciously, both have experienced major fires which burnt them both down. Both have now been rebuilt with Alexandra Palace experiencing stunning views of the city as it's located on the top of a hill.

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