Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park Walk to the Diana Memorial Fountain

Region: Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, Greater London, England

This 3.2-mile linear London walk begins at High Street Kensington Underground Station and finishes at Knightsbridge Underground Station. It links Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, the Italian Gardens, Peter Pan statue, the Serpentine and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in one easy-to-follow route.

The walking itself takes approximately one hour without stopping, but that is not how we experienced it. We spent four to five hours exploring the palace exterior and gardens, taking photographs, enjoying coffee and slowing down at each landmark. Treat it as a relaxed half-day London itinerary rather than a race between Tube stations.

This is a point-to-point Tube Trekking route, not a circular walk. Both ends are served by the London Underground, making it straightforward to return to your accommodation or continue exploring central London.

You can check out my other Tube Trekking walks, for more ideas on how to explore Greater London.

Important distinction: Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park are neighbouring Royal Parks. Kensington Palace stands within Kensington Gardens, while the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is in Hyde Park. “Diana Memorial Garden” usually refers to the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, and Kensington Palace Gardens is a separate road beside the park. They are different places, despite the similar names.

Kensington Palace: We explored the exterior and surrounding gardens but did not enter the palace. If you want to add an indoor visit, check Kensington Palace tickets and tours here.

Getting There, GPX and Route Map

• Start: High Street Kensington Underground Station.
• Finish: Knightsbridge Underground Station.
• GPX: Download the Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park GPX file.
• Route app: Follow the walk on my Outdooractive route.
• New to GPX files? Read my plain-English guide explaining what a GPX file is and how walkers use one.

Walk Profile

• Distance: 3.2 miles / 5.1 km
• Route type: Linear, from High Street Kensington to Knightsbridge
• Walking time: Approximately 1 hour without stopping
• Recommended visit time: 4–5 hours if you explore the landmarks, take photographs and stop for coffee
• Difficulty: Easy, predominantly level park paths and pavements
• Main stops: Kensington Palace exterior, Italian Gardens, Peter Pan statue, Serpentine and Diana Memorial Fountain
• Cost: The outdoor walking route is free; palace admission, refreshments and transport cost extra

Route Stages at a Glance

Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park Walking Route

1. High Street Kensington to Kensington Palace

Leave High Street Kensington station and turn right along Kensington High Street. We arrived early and stopped at Whole Foods Market for snacks and coffee before entering Kensington Gardens. If you want to walk continuously, simply continue to the park entrance and follow the GPX towards Kensington Palace.

Kensington Palace is directly ahead once you enter the gardens. We explored the exterior, walked around the grounds and enjoyed the setting, but we did not go inside. The palace visit is optional and requires a separate ticket; the rest of this outdoor route can be enjoyed without palace admission.

Do not confuse the names: Kensington Palace is the royal residence, Kensington Gardens is the public park around it, and Kensington Palace Gardens is a separate road running beside the park. The Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace is also sometimes described online as the Diana Memorial Garden; it is not the Diana Memorial Fountain visited later on this walk.

Check Kensington Palace tickets and guided tours if you want to extend the outdoor route with an interior visit.

2. Kensington Palace to the Italian Gardens

From the palace, cross towards the Round Pond before following the park paths north to the Italian Gardens near Lancaster Gate. This ornamental water garden was my favourite stop. Its fountains, stonework and formal layout feel surprisingly peaceful for central London, and we paused nearby for another coffee.

3. Italian Gardens to the Peter Pan Statue

Leave the Italian Gardens with the water on your left and follow the paths south. This section runs beside the Long Water and forms part of the wider Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk. Continue until you reach the Peter Pan statue, one of Kensington Gardens’ best-known landmarks.

4. The Serpentine and Diana Memorial Fountain

Continue beside the water and pass beneath Serpentine Bridge. This is where Kensington Gardens meets Hyde Park: the connected water is generally called the Long Water on the Kensington Gardens side and the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

The next major stop is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park. Its flowing water divides in two directions before meeting in a calm pool. On our warm-weather visit, we took off our shoes, cooled our feet and relaxed beneath the trees with other visitors.

This is the fountain—not the Sunken Garden beside Kensington Palace. For visitors searching specifically for the memorial fountain, Knightsbridge is a practical Tube station for this route because it is also our finishing point.

5. Diana Memorial Fountain to Knightsbridge

From the fountain, cross the open parkland towards Kensington Road on the southern edge of Hyde Park. Follow the GPX east towards Knightsbridge Underground Station. This completes the 3.2-mile walk; there is no need to retrace the route to High Street Kensington.

We finished with food and a well-earned drink nearby. Knightsbridge also gives you the option of continuing into central London or returning directly by Tube.

Practicalities

• Navigation: The parks contain many intersecting paths, so download the GPX or save the Outdooractive route before starting.
• Footwear: Comfortable walking shoes are sufficient in normal conditions.
• Food and drink: There are cafés and refreshment options around the parks, but opening times can change. Kensington High Street and Knightsbridge provide many alternatives.
• Palace admission: The route passes the exterior and gardens. Entry to Kensington Palace is optional and ticketed.
• Park access: Check current opening times and temporary restrictions before travelling, particularly for an early or late visit.
• Best pace: Allow half a day if you want to experience the route as we did rather than simply walking from station to station.

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