Green Park, ghosts and a Unicef appeal

Other royal parks are varied and ornate, but by comparison Green Park is as plain as its name: no ponds, no lakes, no buildings and not a lot of monuments. Just loads of grown-up trees , grass and daffodils . I like its calm economy amid the ritziness nearby. It does, though, share some common history with St James's Park next door. It's been a hang-out for thieves, notably highwaymen. And then there are the ghosts. Londonist foraged for these in " the wild wood of the West End " two summers ago: According to writers on ghosts it is a dark, depressing and dangerous place. Peter Underwood described Green Park's "stillness, an air of expectancy, and a sensation of sadness" in his book "Haunted London" and James Clark mentions the park's "subdued atmosphere" in his own "Haunted London'"... Ghostly suicides linger: the figure of a man in evening clothes and dancing pumps was seen fading into nothing just before the First World War. It was thought to be the shade of a man who had poisoned himself. Be careful which seat you take in Green Park as you may find yourself sharing it with the ghost of a "crazed-eyed old man" trying to cut his own throat with a razor. Enough! On 7 October I'll be running through Green Park, without fear of spectres or ghouls, as part of the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon course (pdf) , which also includes Hyde Park , St James's and Kensington Gardens . My participation in this annual London event will also be a charitable exercise, as I'm running in aid of Unicef . This time last week I was able to announce that I've passed my target of £550, but wouldn't it be nice to push on past the £600 mark? If you've a few quid to spare, please donate it via my Unicef fundraising page . Many thanks.