A day at Hampstead Heath....

This was the start of where I began the day trip hiking venture through Hampstead Heath. It has 791 beautiful acres of idyllic woods, well-established hedgerows, ancient trees, and a range of wildlife that include birds, bats, and 300 species of fungi!

                       A few pictures of the skyline that has become iconic in our everyday world.

 The ponds were so peaceful, I could resist taking a few pics of them as well. Some fine feathered friends were floating around. One of the most relaxing days I have had thus far!

 One of last destinations for the trip was to see Kenwood House itself. It is a 17th century manor that houses a noteworthy art gallery containing works by the likes of Rembrandt, Gainsborough, and Turner. It was purchased in 1925 by Edward Guinness (yes...the brewing magnate!), and the building has been featured in the movie Notting Hill. The landscape garden surrounding Kenwood House hosts summer jazz festivals, as well as a gorgeous setting for a lovely family picnic! There is a cafe/ restaurant, and ice cream booth that supply visitors with a little extra something as they visit (at a price of course!)

I hope you have enjoyed these pictures at least half as much as I enjoyed taking them. They were not initially done for a blog, but I had them available, so thought that others might enjoy viewing them too! As this is my first day at creating this site, I will endeavour to take better and improved photos in my near future.  ;D