Mari

Ealing Common

North Ealing · 1.2 miles

A sizeable open space of roughly 47 acres (19 hectares) lies in the west London district of Ealing, bounded on the east by Gunnersbury Avenue (A406) and on the north by the Uxbridge Road. The area stretches west towards the Ealing town centre, with the smaller extension beyond Gunnersbury Avenue reaching Leopold Road, while Elm Avenue marks part of the southern edge. The common is designated as common land under the 1866 Metropolitan Commons Act, meaning it is held for public use without an admission charge. The landscape is characterised by avenues of horse-chestnut trees planted in the late Victorian period after the Ealing Local Board acquired the land. An English oak dominates the northern part, and London plane trees line the perimeter. In the south-west corner, the enclosed Warwick Dene park offers rose beds centred within a more intimate setting. Historical records note a cricket match on the common in August 1733 between local teams and the London Cricket Club, reflecting its long-standing role as a recreational venue. The surrounding streets form a conservation area, and the name “Earing Common” is also used informally for the neighbourhood served by Ealing Common station. Access is straightforward from the surrounding road network, with pedestrian routes linking the common to nearby residential districts and the broader Ealing borough.

Wormwood Scrubs

Old Oak Common · 1.2 miles

Covering 67 hectares, this open space in Old Oak Common lies in the north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and is the borough’s largest park. Known locally as The Scrubs, it forms one of the biggest commons in London. The area is divided by Scrubs Lane and the West London line railway, with the eastern section referred to as Little Wormwood Scrubs. The park has been publicly accessible since the Wormwood Scrubs Act of 1879, which secured its use for recreation while allowing occasional military training. Within the grounds are a range of sports facilities, including the Linford Christie Stadium, numerous football pitches and a pony centre. The southern edge abuts two notable institutions: HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs, constructed between 1875 and 1891, and the Hammersmith Hospital campus, which incorporates the relocated Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital. Historical uses have been diverse – from cavalry exercises leased to the War Office in 1812, to an airship landing ground in 1910 and a naval air station during the First World War. The park also formed part of the 1908 Olympic marathon route. Management is undertaken by the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust, which funds maintenance through leases of the hospital car park, rental of sports fields, advertising billboards and two public car parks. Access is via the surrounding road network and public transport routes that serve Old Oak Common; entry to the park is free and open to all.

Museum of Brands

Ladbroke Grove · 2.5 miles

The Museum of Brands presents the development of consumer culture from the Victorian era to the present, housed in the former London Lighthouse Building on Lancaster Road, Notting Hill (postcode W11 1QT). Although the museum’s charitable registration dates from 2002, the collection it displays originated at the Museum of Advertising and Packaging in Gloucester Docks, where more than 12 000 items were stored between 1984 and the closure of that venue in October 2001. After a relocation to Notting Hill in 2005, the collection – known as the Robert Opie Collection – was re-opened in September 2015 at its current address, a site previously owned by the Terrence Higgins Trust. The nearest town identified on mapping data is Ladbroke Grove. Visitors can view original domestic products, packaging, posters, toys and games, and the museum rotates temporary exhibitions, talks and workshops throughout the year, including the 2020 exhibition “When Brands Take a Stand”. Admission is subject to a charge and the premises are step-free, providing wheelchair access. Opening times are published on the museum’s listing. On-site amenities include a café, a garden area, and spaces that can be hired for receptions, parties, conferences and boardroom meetings. Academic researchers are not permitted to access items beyond those on public display. The venue attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually, reflecting its role as a specialised showcase of branding history.

Design Museum

High Street Kensington · 3.1 miles

The Design Museum in Kensington, London, England, exhibits product, industrial, graphic, fashion, and architectural design. In 2018, the museum won the European Museum of the Year Award. The museum operates as a registered charity, and all funds generated by ticket sales aid the museum in curating new exhibitions.

Wembley Stadium

Wembley · 3.1 miles

A landmark of modern sport, Wembley Stadium dominates the Wembley skyline in north-west London. Opened on 9 March 2007 on the site of the original 1923 arena, the all-seater bowl provides 90,000 seats, making it the largest stadium in the United Kingdom and the second-largest in Europe. Designed by Populous together with Foster + Partners, the structure is defined by the 134-metre-high Wembley Arch, which carries the majority of the roof load. The venue offers step-free, wheelchair-accessible circulation throughout, and the roof incorporates partially retractable sections over the east and west ends to admit sunlight for pitch maintenance. Owned by the Football Association through Wembley National Stadium Ltd, the stadium serves as England’s national football ground and hosts the majority of England men’s and women’s home matches, the FA Cup Final, the FA Community Shield and a range of lower-tier cup finals. It has staged UEFA Champions League finals, UEFA Euro 2020 matches including the final, the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro final, and the gold-medal football matches at the 2012 Olympic Games. Beyond football, Wembley regularly hosts Rugby Football League Challenge Cup finals, NFL London games, and major music concerts, and it was the temporary home of Tottenham Hotspur between August 2017 and March 2019.

Warren Farm Nature Reserve

Ealing · 3.1 miles

Reccognised as a local nature reserve by Brent River and canal society or Brent River Parks. A species diverse meadow rewilded.