Hyde Park | Kayode Okeyode

The Sun Sets over Serpentine Lake

The Sun Sets Over Serpentine Lake

Thursday, 13 August 2009, 1941 hours

[Canon EOS 5D Mark II | ISO 400 | 135mm | F/4 | 1/1600 Seconds]

End of another day; I was lucky to witness these ducks leave the lake in single file just as the sun was setting.

The Serpentine (also known as the Serpentine River) is a 28 acre (11 ha) recreational lake in Hyde Park, London, England, created in 1730.

In 1730 Queen Caroline, wife of George II, ordered the damming of the River Westbourne in Hyde Park as part of a general redevelopment of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

At that time, the Westbourne formed eleven natural ponds in the park. During the 1730s, the lake filled to its current size and shape.

At the time of construction, artificial lakes were long and straight. The Serpentine was one of the earliest artificial lakes designed to appear natural, and was widely imitated in parks and gardens nationwide.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpentine_Lake

The Grand Entrance

19 Mar

This was taken on the same night as the previous image; it had taken me a while to scout around for great subjects to shoot and I’ll be back here on better days . . .

The cut off (and blown) building on the right is Apsley House and apparently has a great history. For over 200 years, it used to be known colloquially as “Number 1, London” because it was the first house encountered after passing the tollgates at the top of Knightsbridge on their way to London. It’s one of the subjects that deserve another look in better light (and weather).

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The Grand Entrance to Hyde Park, at Hyde Park Corner next to Apsley House, was erected from the designs of Decimus Burton in 1824-25.

It consists of a screen of handsome fluted Ionic columns, with three carriage entrance archways, two foot entrances, a lodge, etc.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park%2C_London