London walks are so stunningly beautiful – full of history, famous people, incredible sights, on and on it goes. London will forever be the city that exudes old world and new. The modernisation and tech transformation does not take away all its glory. To celebrate its timelessness, here are some walking trails in London. The following list also includes themed walks that are sure to entice history and literature lovers.
Hampstead Heath
As you take a walk through the heath, you will be struck by its untamed beauty. Hampstead Heath covers 320 hectares and it is the highest point in London, stretching from Hampstead to Highgate.
Hampstead Heath nature reserve, with its sprawling greenery, is a stark contrast to the city. It’s home to huge vibrant rhododendron bushes teeming with colour and a variety of wildlife, and it makes for a marvellous walking experience.
With a chain of 30 ponds scattered all over, it is a refuge for various wildlife such as foxes, rabbits, squirrels, frogs, jackdaws, pipistrelles and Daubenton’s bats. It is easy to experience such wilderness in the old city, let loose and celebrate nature.
The Jubilee Greenway
Completed in 2012 to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Olympics, this walking route is a must-visit tourist and local spot.
This 60km walking route – marking 1km for each year of the Queens’s reign – takes in various meandering routes and linking sites. It is also an ideal place for cycling, if you fancy it. A leisurely stroll down the Regent’s Canal in the evening is a blissful way to end the day. The route is marked by distinctive glass pavement slabs, giving you an experience akin to the countryside.
Expect to see various sites such as Kensington Palace, Little Venice, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Buckingham Palace as you stroll. End your stroll with the delicious delicacies found at Camden Market. Various routes along the Jubilee Greenway include:
- Stokes Road to Woolwich Foot Tunnel;
- River Thames to Greenwich;
- Greenwich to Tower Bridge;
- Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge;
- Westminster Bridge to Buckingham Palace;
- Buckingham Palace to Little Venice;
- Little Venice to Camden;
- Victoria Park to Limehouse Basin;
- Camden Park to Victoria Park;
- Victoria Park to Stokes Road
Inner Temple Gardens
Inns of Court is relatively unexplored, except maybe for the people working there. As you stroll down, your patience will be rewarded – you will find a hidden gem between Temple and Blackfriars, a three-acre garden.
The cobbled streets lead to an exquisite garden that will charm you away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This 14th century garden is home to rich history and many British birds such as robins, thrushes and tits. If you are a history buff, you will be delighted by the remains of 18th century iron gates and the Queen Anne sundial. This British garden is truly a tranquil place to be, with its enchanting flora and history.
St. James’s Park
It is hard to believe that this was once a swampy water meadow. St James’s today is the oldest Royal Park in London. In a particularly fetching location, with Buckingham Palace to the west and the Mall to the north, it is a tourist mecca.
The lake enclosed by the park has two islands, West and Duck Island. Along with the park’s famous residents – pelicans – there are also ducks and geese. It offers lush peacefulness that you will yearn for time and again.
South Bank Stroll: Tate Modern to Jubilee Gardens
The South Bank is best experienced at sunset – the Victorian lamp posts glowing above the Thames paired with the architectural brilliance of the surroundings is bound to make you nostalgic. The London Eye is visible for miles, standing at the side of the Thames and glancing back at you. As you take in the marvels, make sure to stop to admire the modern contemporary art at Tate Modern, which houses various temporary exhibitions.
The Thames Path: Hampton Court to Albert Bridge
This National Trail is much revered among Londoners. The entire trail runs 184 miles along the River Thames, starting from the Cotswolds all the way to the Thames Barrier in Greenwich. This part of the trail starts at Hampton Court Palace and takes you to the magnificent Albert Bridge. Both are architectural marvels adorning the city since early days.
Hampton Court Palace, with its Tudor architecture, never fails to impress visitors. Other places to see are the beautiful and perfectly cultivated Palace gardens and the famous maze.
Unless you are looking for a long trek, it is recommended you prioritise the locations you want to wander about. The trail is also open for cycling. If you want to continue the trail from Albert Bridge to Tower Bridge, you will see sights such as the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Houses of Parliament.
Morden Hall Park
Located on the banks of River Wandle, Morden Hall has been adorning the landscape since the late 1770s. Initially used as a country estate, it is now run by the National Trust. Covering 125 acres, the river meanders through the park.
Its rich fauna includes birds such as cormorants and herons, along with 100 other bird species. Though an ideal place for bird watching, there is also a rose garden which has over 2,000 roses, which are beautiful.
Shakespeare’s London : Blackfriars to Shoreditch
The remnants of St Olave’s church can still be found on Silver Street. This street is famously known as a place where Shakespeare lived. The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Walking through, you are transported back to the Bard’s literature.
Regency London: Mayfair
History lovers will love to explore Regency London as they stroll through Mayfair.
The walk starts opposite The Athenaeum Club on Waterloo Place, and includes sights such as St James’s Square, tiny Pickering Place, Truefitt & Hill and White’s, the gentlemen’s club.
Regent Street
Once home to the Prince Regent, Regent Street was commissioned to be built by architect John Nash.
Although the original landmarks haven’t survived, you can find the historic Nazi memorial and All Souls Church, on Langham Place, still present.
Westminster and Whitehall: Victoria to Trafalgar Square
Celebrate London’s glorious architecture as you stroll across various landmark structures, such as Westminster Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall and Nelson’s Column.
Intellectual London
Explore London’s intellectual roots in Bloomsbury. The sights include the British Museum, John Soane Museum on Lincoln’s Inn Fields, also stroll along Brewer Street – residence of economist Adam Smith.
Samuel Pepys’s London: The City
Chart the history of Samuel Pepys’s by starting at Seething Lane (residence of Pepys) and walk south to the Tower of London, where he witnessed the Great Fire of London in 1666. Further along, on Fleet Street, a plaque in Salisbury Court marks his birthplace.
Charles Dickens’s London: Southwark
If you want to explore the world of Charles Dickens’ writing, there is no better place than Southwark, where he spent his youth. There are many sights included, from the Thames to Guy’s Hospital. Also wander around Lant Street to the White Hart Inn which appear in his work The Pickwick Papers. The walk begins at London Bridge and ends at St Saviour’s Dock.
James Bond’s London: The West End
Stop around at Green Street, Mayfair, birthplace of author Ian Fleming who created the quintessential English hero – James Bond. Nearby spots include the old wartime MI6 offices and other places featured in various Bond movies.
Lea Valley
The Lea Valley has benefited from a facelift due to the London Olympics, and it’s never been as striking as it is now. Start the walk from Waltham Abbey Gardens, one of the largest Augustinian abbeys in the country.
Cornmill Meadows are also popular amongst visitors, with its mosaic of rivers and pools that entice a variety of wildlife. In summer, it is the best place to spot dragonflies. Within the valley there are multiple trails such as farm and wetland trails, lakeside trails etc.
London Wall Walk
Located to the east of Tower Hill, the Roman wall is the largest remnant of the old city wall. Built in 200 AD, this massive city hall stretched from Tower Hill in the east to Blackfriars in the west and was part of the ancient City of London. Little of the wall remains, though you will come across fragments of it on your walk as you are led to the Museum of London.
Jane Austen’s London
London also caters to walks around Jane Austen’s life and her work, thanks to hard-core Austen fans. The walk includes her Chawton home where Jane wrote her novels and resided until her death in 1817. Now it has been converted to the Jane Austen House Museum.
Visit 10 Henrietta Street, where she lived in Convent Garden with her brother during the summer, and St. Clement church, which featured in her most famous work – Pride and Prejudice.
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