Tim Webb
London's wild. It has hidden green gems, a wealth of birds and other creatures and unexpected splashes of colour and movement where someone's imaginatively created something that makes the heart sing. Concrete, steel and glass abounds, but so too does nature.
Having grown-up on the Welsh borders I'm no stranger to wildlife, yet I feel closer to foxes, squirrels and the dozens of wild birds I see daily here in the city, than I did living in a rural setting. Dad to three lovely girls, I and my partner live in Hackney and enjoy the opportunites London offers. It has a more diverse range of wildlife than many National Parks, great open spaces, theatres, shops and museums, plus restaurant's representing food cultures from every corner of the globe.
Cycling round London helps keep me relatively active and in touch with the seasons... it isn't always sunny, but you get to see and hear more of the natural world. You don't need any special gear or knowledge to enjoy London's secret wild world; try it. Take a stroll along any street and just look in the trees and hedges, or the rooftops and gutters.