All posts tagged: Hampstead

The row at Hampstead Heath is about far more than a few thoughtless swimmers in a heatwave | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

The row at Hampstead Heath is about far more than a few thoughtless swimmers in a heatwave | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Published by Jenni Sidey

A local row about swimmers and swans in Hampstead Heath has now inspired a government reaction. Environment ministers over the weekend wrote to the City of London Corporation, which oversees the heath, to say that they were “deeply concerned” by footage of crowds of people in the water during last week’s heatwave. One viral video showed young revellers – who had defied a “no swimming” sign – in a wildlife pond, disturbing the nesting birds. It was picked up by the press, with headlines calling the swimmers “selfish”, “horrible” and “appalling”. Like many who saw it, I was saddened and shocked at the disregard for animals: people were clambering over nests, and trying to reach an island specially safeguarded for birds. Yet I also wondered what a polarised, emotive debate is going to achieve when, lurking behind the justified anger, is another question about our access to water. “It’s like nothing is free any more and that’s not fair for us as well. We don’t want to pay for … natural water” – this comment, …

‘Utterly appalling’: anger over swimmers in Hampstead Heath wildlife ponds | Birds

‘Utterly appalling’: anger over swimmers in Hampstead Heath wildlife ponds | Birds

Published by Jenni Sidey

Nature groups have pleaded with swimmers to give wildlife a wide berth after dozens of people swam in a nature pond on Hampstead Heath among nests of baby birds. Swans and their 12-day-old cygnets were disturbed by hordes of splashing revellers in the north London park on Monday as London reached record 35C temperatures. In one video, a swan was seen poking an unhatched egg with its beak after it fell into the water during the chaos. Conservationists responded with dismay after a video was shared on social media of the scenes, which the City of London called “utterly appalling”. Coots, moorhens and swans were seen guarding their eggs and young as people obliviously splashed around them. There are large signs around the pond urging people not to swim as it is a wildlife conservation area. The unseasonably hot weather has meant that people have been going into water sources en masse to cool off. This has coincided with the nesting season for water birds. London’s outdoor swimming ponds and lidos were busy and booked …

Eva Mendes shares rare look at Hampstead mansion shared with Ryan Gosling’s red-brick exterior – watch

Eva Mendes shares rare look at Hampstead mansion shared with Ryan Gosling’s red-brick exterior – watch

Published by Daniella Wilson

Eva Mendes opened the doors of her new luxury Hampstead home as she completed her relocation to London with her husband and fellow actor Ryan Gosling and their two daughters.  The 51-year-old Hitch star and her 45-year-old husband left the United States for the streets of London and landed in the northern borough of Camden, where they offered fans a glimpse of their new house.  Posting a video to her Instagram account, the mother of two girls, Esmeralda, 11, and Amada Lee, nine, wandered around the grounds of the property, showing off the chic gravelled drive and manicured hedges of her neighbourhood.  As the lens zoomed out, followers were shown a clear view of the traditional red-brick mega-mansions that lined the rest of the street, as well as the brown wood fences that enclosed Eva’s driveway.  Eva Mendes debuts first look at Hampstead mansion she shares with Ryan Gosling’s red-brick exterior – watch In the clip, the actress was filmed as she strutted around outside wearing a stunning eggshell blue two-piece that featured a long-sleeved …