About Steve

Hello, I’m Steve

I live in Romford and spend much of my free time walking through, photographing and exploring parks across London.

What began as a personal interest in green spaces gradually became EKS Parks: an independent project created to help other people understand what a park is really like before they visit.

I have always enjoyed being outdoors. I am especially interested in quiet walking routes, mature trees, lakes, gardens, birds and the small details that give every park its own personality.

Why I Created EKS Parks

Planning a park visit often requires much more research than it should.

Opening times may appear on one website, parking rules on another, accessibility information somewhere else and café or playground details on a completely different page.

My goal is to bring the most useful information together in one clear place, so visitors do not have to search through page after page just to find the details they need.

My Approach

The guides on EKS Parks are not written as generic descriptions of green spaces.

I write each guide after walking the park myself, usually on a normal weekday or weekend visit, and I take the photographs on the day. Afterwards I check the practical details against local councils, park operators, The Royal Parks, the National Trust, City of London and transport providers.

• Routes that may be most enjoyable
• Best areas for a first visit
• Quieter and busier locations
• Useful details for families
• Details visitors may underestimate
• Issues to check before travelling
• Seasonal changes and conditions
• Practical advantages and disadvantages

My aim is to explain the practical details that help visitors plan with confidence, using information that can be checked against an official source.

How I Research and Verify Every Guide

Each guide ends with a short note explaining when I visited, what I saw for myself and which details I checked afterwards.

Before publishing, I check practical information against appropriate official sources wherever possible. These may include local councils, park operators, museums, cafés, activity providers, transport services and official event announcements. Prices and details read from signs on the day are marked as such in the guide.

I pay particular attention to information that could directly affect a visitor’s plans:

• Opening and closing times
• Parking charges and restrictions
• Public transport and useful entrances
• Playgrounds and family facilities
• Cafés, toilets and baby changing
• Accessibility and step-free routes
• Museums and seasonal attractions
• Event closures and restrictions
• Prices and booking requirements
• Temporary changes to facilities

I also review recurring visitor experiences to identify common practical issues that may not be clearly explained on official pages. Changing information is checked against the most reliable source available before it is presented as current.

Every guide includes a review date so readers can see when the information was last checked.

More Than a List of Facilities

A useful park guide should do more than say that a location has trees, benches, a playground and a café.

I try to explain how those features may work together during a real-world visit.

A playground may be excellent but located far from the main café. A park may technically have parking, but spaces may fill quickly. A museum may be free but open only on selected days. A lake may appear close on a map while requiring a long walk from the most convenient entrance.

These are the details that help people plan properly. My goal is to answer the questions that visitors often discover only after arriving.

Nature, Birds and Walking

Walking through London’s parks allows me to see a side of the city that is often missed during everyday travel.

I enjoy watching different parks change through the seasons: spring blossom, summer gardens, autumn colour, winter waterbirds and the quieter paths that become visible when trees are bare.

Birdlife is one of the things I notice most. Lakes, ponds, woodland edges and open grassland can support very different species, even in parks separated by only a few miles.

I believe these natural details deserve space in a guide alongside practical information about cafés, parking and playgrounds. A park is not only a destination; it is also a living environment that should be visited responsibly and respected.

Independent and Honest Guides

EKS Parks is an independent publication.

My opinions come from what I saw on my own visits. I do not describe every park as perfect, and I do not hide practical disadvantages.

If paths become difficult after rain, parking is confusing, toilets are far away or a major event changes the atmosphere, I believe readers should know.

Smaller or less famous parks also deserve recognition when they offer something genuinely useful, peaceful or enjoyable.

My Commitment to Readers

I aim to keep every guide clear, useful and honest.

Information about parks can change, and no website can guarantee that every facility will operate exactly as expected on a particular day. When I identify an important change or receive a verified correction, I review and update the relevant guide.

Readers are welcome to report outdated information, suggest a park for future coverage or share a practical detail that may help other visitors.

EKS Parks will continue to grow as I explore more of London’s green spaces and document what makes each one different.