Beautiful walks
One of the best free things to do in London is to take a walk in one of the city’s most beautiful neighbourhoods. In this section I highlight some of the prettiest London walks, from riverside walks to a canalside stroll and a wander through some of London’s royal parks.
Little Venice to Camden canal walk
Little Venice is a beautiful and relatively undiscovered spot in Paddington, with waterside cafes, traditional pubs, and canalside paths. The triangular shaped pool is surrounded by willow trees and gorgeous mansions. There are lots of boats moored here, and it’s a lovely place to spend some time relaxing.
Once you’ve explored Little Venice itself, you can walk along the canal towards Camden, which is about 2 miles away. This walk will take you past Regents Park (look out for animals in London Zoo which you can see from the towpath!) and Camden Lock where there are many colourful shops and market stalls. There are boat tours which go in that direction, if you prefer. You can also extend the walk by going beyond Camden along the canal up to Kings Cross - an area which has been redeveloped extensively in recent years.
Location: Central London
Nearest station: Warwick Avenue tube or Paddington tube/rail
Southbank riverside walk
The South Bank of the River Thames is a great place to take in some of the city’s most iconic buildings, from St Paul’s Cathedral to Tate Modern and the Houses of Parliament. It’s a really nice place to be in the late afternoon or early evening when it’s particularly lively, with many people strolling along the riverside, or sitting outside bars enjoying the iconic views.
One of the best sections to walk is from Westminster Bridge all the way up to Tower Bridge, which is about 3 miles. You’ll pass the Southbank Centre, the National Theatre, the British Film Institute, London Eye, Tate Modern, Borough Market, Hays Galleria, and Southwark Cathedral, as well as many shops, cafes, bars and food stalls.
Location: Central London
Nearest station: Westminster tube is a good place to start, but there are many other stations with easy access to the Southbank including Waterloo, Embankment, Blackfriars, London Bridge and Tower Hill.
Blackheath to Greenwich
Blackheath is a very local and village-like residential area, with some great independent shops including the homeware store Hortus, and many beautiful historic houses. It’s the perfect place to start a walk to nearby Greenwich.
Once you’ve explored Blackheath Village, walk down Montpellier Row and across the heath to get to Greenwich Park. You’ll enter the park at the highest point, where there are great views down to the riverside. When you’ve explored Greenwich Park go down through the Royal Naval Colleges and then to the riverside path - from here you can turn left to visit Cutty Sark, or turn right for the lively Trafalgar Tavern.
It’s about 2 miles in total to walk directly, plus extra if you want to explore Blackheath Village and Greenwich Park.
Location: South London
Nearest station: Blackheath rail
Putney to Chiswick riverside walk
This leafy and relatively quiet stretch of the River Thames is a great place for a walk. Beginning at Putney Bridge station, you can walk along the river, finishing at Chiswick Park and the lovely Palladian style Chiswick House. It’s about 3.5 miles.
One of the best sections of this walk is from the Lower Mall (just beyond Hammersmith Bridge), to the Upper Mall, where there are some fantastic pubs, rowing clubs, and historic buildings including the former home of the designer William Morris, which is now a small museum. Another local highlight is the Emery Walker House at 7 Hammersmith Terrace, decorated in an Arts and Crafts style.
Location: West London
Nearest station: Putney Bridge to do the walk described above, but there are other stations with easy access to the riverside path including Hammersmith tube and Chiswick rail where this walk finishes.
Royal Parks walk
A few of London’s Royal Parks are located within walking distance from one another. If you want to see a few parks in one go, I recommend starting at St James’s Park (enter the park on the east side entrance on Horse Guards Road), then walking through to Green Park, and then up to Hyde Park. It’s about 3 miles to walk directly, or more if you explore each park in full.
Each park is worth a visit. St James’s tends to be quite busy but has an attractive lake, fountain, and resident pelicans. Green Park is a good place for a picnic or to sit in a deckchair for a while - it also has lots of daffodils in spring. Hyde Park is the biggest of the three, and has a boating lake, flower garden, and the Serpentine Art Gallery which hosts a changing pavilion each summer, each created by a different artist.
Location: Central London
Nearest station: Charing Cross tube/rail to do the walk described above, but other stations nearby include St James’s Park tube, Green Park tube and Hyde Park tube.
Rotherhithe to Greenwich
Once an important shipyard area, Rotherhithe was redeveloped in the 1980s is now a mainly residential area. One of its most loved attractions is the Mayflower pub, named after the Mayflower ship which set sail from Rotherhithe for the first stage of its voyage across the Atlantic. The ship famously carried the Pilgrim Fathers - a group of Christians fleeing persecution in England who established the first permanent colony in what became the United States of America.
Another important attraction in Rotherhithe is the Brunel Museum which tells the story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s tunnel under the Thames - the world’s first riverside tunnel.
From Rotherhithe, you can walk to Greenwich via Deptford. Some of the walk goes along the river, where there are many great views.
Location: South London
Nearest station: Tower Bridge tube to do the walk described above, but other stations nearby include Bermonsey tube or Rotherhithe overground.
Richmond to Twickenham
The extensive Richmond Park is a great place for a walk in itself: you can see deer here, or explore the fabulous colours in the Isabella Plantation. However, if you have more time and want to take a longer route, once you’ve explored the park you could head down to the riverside path and walk all the way to Twickenham.
Along the river, you’ll see the Palladian villa Marble Hill House on the opposite side of the river, and on the same side of the river you’ll go past the stately home Ham House which dates back to the 17th century. Another highlight, a bit closer to Twickenham, is Eel Pie Island - a unique island in the river with artists studios. It was once a place where rock stars and counter-culturalists hung out in the 1960s.
Location: South London
Nearest station: Richmond tube/rail