The beautiful London park barely anyone knows about yet where you could be one of the only visitors

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a slice of serenity in the city with people constantly on the move, traffic at a standstill, and noise blaring through the air.

At times it can become a bit too much, so putting pause on life just for a minute can make all the difference.

If you’re looking for a city escape, you won’t have to travel very far – just north toward Arsenal.

Gillespie Park is also home to the Islington Ecology Centre, where you can discover over 244 species of plants, 94 types of birds, and 24 species of butterflies.

The park is protected by Fields in Trust through a legal “Deed of Dedication,” which safeguards the future of the space for future generations, which was awarded during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

Gillespie Park is a perfect place to venture out to if you’re looking for a new place to roam and explore, or take some time and relax.

Wandering through the park you’ll find an abundance of different landscapes, including woods, meadows, the Open Play Area, and ponds.

The park has self-guided walking routes, starting from the Ecology Centre to the Upper and Lower Park.

Towards the Upper Park you’ll pass the rock garden, giant Cardoon Thistles and Coneflowers, before heading toward the Long Meadow full of wildflowers.

The Long Meadow is a prime spot for joggers, as well as dog-walkers, so if you want to bring your fluffy friend along, there’s plenty of ground to cover.

But if you’d rather head to the Lower Park, you can follow the footpath next to the Ecology Centre rather than heading up its drive.

Follow the path past the centre toward the collection of small ponds, where you’ll find wildflowers such as Dame’s Violet and Ragged Robins.

Strolling through the Knotted Gate toward the woodland path, you’ll find the reserve populated by butterflies.

During summer it’s always an idea to do the Butterfly Transect (counting the number of different species).

You can stop and sit beside the Main Pond, where you can find a selection of pond-life such as tadpoles, water skaters and water scorpions.

The variety of habitats are especially important as meadows have nearly disappeared from the UK’s countryside.

You’ll find White Water Lilies, Water Forget-me-nots, and Purple Loosestrifes dotted around the wetland areas near the Main Pond.

Gillespie Park is also dotted with artwork, including several mosaics such as the Freedom From Torture Mosaic.

Located at the back of the Ecology Centre, the mosaic was created in 2012 by survivors of torture seeking refuge in the UK.

The people who made the mosaic came from Cameroon, Chechnya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Uganda.

The park’s grounds are endless and wild, making it an intriguing place to visit.

For those of you looking to take some time out of the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life and take a moment for yourself, Gillespie Park is the hidden oasis for you.

How to get there

The closest Tube stations to the park are Arsenal and Finsbury Park, which you can get to on the Piccadilly and Victoria lines.

Drayton Park train station is also nearby.

Address: 10 Tannington Terrace, Gillespie Rd, London N5 1LE

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