I’ve been running this website since 2011 and I’ve posted up a fair bit of London walking information in that time. But which posts are the ‘greatest hits’? I dug around in my website statistics to find out.
The most popular post EVER on London Hiker is a Q&A in which I answered a question about great views near to London.
This makes sense, it’s exactly what I’d want to know if I’d recently started hiking in London, too.
Actually I’ve posted a lot more about this since I published this short post!
If you’re interested in great viewpoints, you might like this more recent article, too, which provides a very different perspective from my own:
I’m a HUGE fan of the Time Out Book of Country Walks and I love to recommend the books for day hikes from London.
Many years on I still think they’re the best if you want REAL countryside walks from train stations around London (and some great country pubs and tea shops too).
Doing the walks in these books opened my eyes to some of the wonderful countryside surrounding London.
I’m glad people are still discovering them!
I still maintain this list of hiking clubs that do weekend trips out of London, plus a link to the excellent list maintained by Rambling Clubs of the many, many walking clubs that do organised day walks from the city.
This is still a popular topic and I often get asked about organised walks and clubs to join – I’m often directing folks to this page!
One of the first posts I wrote and a manifesto of sorts!
I was passionate to reassure readers that living in London didn’t mean missing out on Britain’s gorgeous countryside, green spaces and natural wonders.
If you want a bit of inspiration and four suggestions of fantastic walking areas you can reach within 1 to 4 hours of London, check it out.
As a hill fan I loved answering this fab question and as you’ll see I found 10 ‘steepest’ hills accessible from London in a day walk, plus some other great ideas for wonderful viewpoints that weren’t necessarily steep hills but were still worth a mention.
As the London Hiker tagline says, “Satisfy your hill walking cravings!”
Penny Foot from the Central London Outdoor Group suggests 6 walks perfect for the colder months.
The clocks have gone back and the shorter days are with us again but don’t think of hibernating during the winter months. In and around Greater London are plenty of country walks of around 5 to 6 miles that are within Zone 6 or only just outside.
On these walks you can stop at warm pubs for lunch and a beer or cafes for tea and cakes and sometimes both are possible. If the weather suddenly turns bad, there are usually “bail out” options such as catching a bus to the nearest station.
Here are a few of my favourite short winter walks:
This is a pleasant Autumn walk along Banstead Downs with 2 golf courses, a prison, Oaks Park, Woodmansterne village and a return to Banstead by field paths. The walk starts and finishes in Banstead station which is in zone 6.
You can have lunch in the cafe in Oaks Park or The Woodman pub in Woodmansterne.
This walk includes Littleworth Common, Arbrook Common, Oxshott Heath, Esher Common, Fairmile Common, West End Common as well as Sandown Park Race Course and the Scilly Isles. Starts and finishes at Esher (just outside the Oyster zones, so you need a cheap day return)
You can have lunch in the Prince of Wales pub in West End.
A hilly circular walk from Caterham with a stop to visit the Norman church of St Peter and St Paul at Chaldon before continuing across Happy Valley, Coulsdon Common and around Kenley Aerodrome. The church contains the oldest known wall paintings in Britain, dating from the 12th century, portraying the tree of knowledge, the seven deadly sins and how souls must avoid them when climbing the Ladder of Salvation to reach heaven.
The walk starts at Caterham and finishes at Whyteleafe on the same line (both in Oyster zone 6)
You can stop for lunch at The Fox.
A linear walk from Totteridge & Whetstone tube to Hampstead Heath, mostly following the Dollis through parks and woods, including a nice view of the Mill Hill viaduct. The walk is either paved or else firm underfoot. There is no convenient pub for lunch but there is a café at the end.
The walk officially finishes at the Hampstead Heath Extension but you can easily continue to Golders Green station where you can stop at Cafe Persia for cakes and coffees plus Persian snacks and sandwiches if you are hungrier by then.
A walk from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace (AllyPally!) with two lost railways, overgrown platforms, disused stations, and abandoned Tunnels plus Highgate Woods.
It follows a green corridor on the course of old railway lines that once ran from Finsbury Park through Stroud Green, Crouch End, Highgate, and Muswell Hill to AllyPally.
This is London’s longest Local Nature Reserve complete with bats, squirrels, wildflowers, butterflies, and even the occasional muntjac deer.
You can have a late lunch at AllyPally.
This walk takes in the wonderful birch woods of Harrow Weald and Stanmore Commons plus Bentley Priory, the 18th century mansion where the Battle of Britain was masterminded, and its deer park
You can have lunch at either The Case Is Altered or The Hare.
There is also the possibility of coffee and cakes at the end at one of the many coffee shops and cafes in Stanmore.
This winter the Central London Outdoor Group (CLOG) is doing a series of Lazy Tuesday walks including the above plus a several more.
CLOG is a friendly outdoor activity group (run for members by members) for people living in and around London, happy to welcome anyone who enjoys walking, cycling, exploring our countryside and other outdoor activities. Most of our current members are in their late 30s to 50s. We typically have four to eight events every week. Non-members can attend up to three events to try out the group before joining.
You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter @CLOGTweets
[Some images copyright CLOG/Penny Foot, used with permission]
I’ve created 3 great resources for you in…. *drumroll*
1) The London Hiker 50: The ultimate London walking ticklist
A carefully curated list of 50 ‘must visit’ walking locations in and around London accessible in a day, including interactive map, printable ticklist, and links to the best suggested walks in each of the 50 locations (you will get a PDF with instructions on how to access this online resource)
Where are the unmissable viewpoints? What should any self-respecting London walker aim to tick off their checklist? I have the answers!
With this list, you’ll be able to find great ideas to suit you if you’re a beginner, and later on, if you want to try something more adventurous.
I know this list will help you walk the BEST of London.
2) How to Walk the Best of Britain from London… Ideas, Inspiration and Tips for Beautiful Walks in Your Weekends (PDF ebook)
This bumper ebook (127 page PDF) is a compilation of 10+ years of experience of hiking Britain whilst living in London, 5 years of blog posts on londonhiker.com, and the best resources from my Hiking Britain email trainings all about hiking in Britain’s best hiking location – from London, without a car and in your weekends!
It includes my Crash Course in Britain’s Best Hiking: discover where the best hiking locations are and how to get there from London; stories, tips and inspiration for walking trips to various locations (South Downs, Isle of Wight, Peak District, Lake District, Snowdon, Brecon Beacons, Yorkshire Dales, Scotland); the big list of 20 ideas for weekend walking breaks from London; a planner to help you plan your best hiking year ever.
(Note: this 127 page ebook is a curated compilation of blog posts published on londonhiker.com and email content sent to my Hiking Britain email list.)
3) How to plan Fantastic Car Free Walking Weekends (PDF ebook)
In this guide I want to share with you the EXACT process of how I go about planning car free walking weekends away from London in Britain’s best hiking areas, with a specific case study. This mega guide is going to be full of really PRACTICAL step by step tips and I break down the specific process for you – so you can do it too.
You can
1) buy each of these items individually from my shop
OR
2) get them all for free as a bonus with membership of my Walk Your Weekends package
OR
3) just get the 3 great resources in a bundle and save!
From making habitats for hedgehogs, footpath checking, river clearing, walk leading, gardening, photography or even admin; here are 11 volunteering opportunities to help maintain and improve London’s green spaces.
“Whether you’re a nature novice or an ecology expert, everyone’s welcome”
“We undertake a range of activities in both urban and rural areas, from planting trees and wild flower meadows, to building stiles, clearing footpaths or creating new food growing projects.”
“Our Team London website offers over 50,000 opportunities from 2,000 charities. To make it easier for Londoners to fit volunteering into their lives, Team London has partnered with Do-it to launch London’s first Speed Volunteering Service. Speed Volunteering roles are different from some of the more traditional volunteering roles you may have seen. They make it easier for people to give a little bit of time while still making a positive impact.”
“Volunteering in the environmental field is very rewarding and enriching. You can learn news skills or gain knowledge as well as enjoying yourself without the pressure of a work setting. SWLEN, and around 100 environmental groups we support, could not function without volunteers. Many of these groups are ‘friends of parks’ or ‘environmental conservation’ groups and volunteering with them means spending time outdoors in the wonderful setting of the parks, green spaces and river corridors of leafy south west London.”
“Our goal at Hands On London is to bring a variety of volunteering opportunities for local charities and community partners to as many busy Londoners as possible, in a flexible and manageable way.”
“As the charity for London’s eight amazing Royal Parks, we rely on volunteers to help us raise funds for and support an exciting range of projects, from wildlife conservation and landscape restoration, to education, art and community sport. Every hour you give means so much to the people and wildlife that benefit from our projects, now and in the future. Whether you want to help wildlife, learn more about the Parks, meet new people or gain work experience through an office-based role, we’re likely to have a suitable volunteer opportunity for you.”
“It’s the skills, time and passion of our volunteers that make our places special. Whether you’re looking to help in the great outdoors, connect with the public or get up close and personal with our houses, we have something exciting happening near you.”
“Groundwork is a national charity that works with communities across the UK supporting them to create better places, live and work in a greener, more sustainable way and to improve their economic prospects. Whether you’re looking to gain work experience and broaden your horizons, fulfil your passion for environmental issues or simply want to give a few hours a week to a cause that benefits your community, Groundwork can help you to do something special.”
“Volunteers have always been at the heart of the Ramblers. They run path maintenance teams, champion walkers’ rights, and help thousands of people enjoy getting out and walking to help improve their health and wellbeing. They also help walkers connect with their community and with the Great British countryside.”
“However you can help, whether it’s face painting, digging, media work or photography, a little time from you can make a world of difference.”
“Volunteers perform a vital role in helping to maintain the Thames Path through an ongoing programme of maintenance and improvements. Tasks include vegetation clearance, installation and repair of signs, gates and bridges and some workshop tasks. Led by staff from the National Trails team, tasks take place most weekdays and occasional weekends. All tools and training are provided and the tasks are a good way to meet like-minded people. Alternatively, volunteers can become ‘monitors’ by adopting a 2-3 mile section of a Trail, walking it once a month and reporting back any problems.”
Waterproofs?
Check.
Map, compass, guidebook?
Check.
Ok clothes… shirts, trousers, boots…
How many days are you walking? Two…
So you write down TWO pairs of socks.
Right?
Wrong.
Trust me on this one!
I know because I made this mistake once, on one of my many weekend hiking trips away from London.
I was walking on Saturday and Sunday, and travelling back to London on the train on a Sunday night.
Unfortunately, it was a very wet weekend.
I don’t mind getting wet in the rain, and waterproofs kept most of me dry, but both pairs of socks got soaked, and my boots were soggy too.
When I got back to Windermere station I shoved my wet waterproofs into a plastic bag and into my rucksack.
No problem.
But… my boots and socks were sodden.
And I didn’t have any dry ones with me.
By the end of the trip my feet felt utterly disgusting and I was extremely uncomfortable. When I finally peeled them off at home, my feet were like prunes.
YUK.
(I know, it is disgusting! But I am only telling you this to save you the same pain!)
So: don’t make the same mistake I did!
Pack a spare pair for your journey home.
Even if your boots are still damp, a change of socks will make the journey back much more pleasant.
Find out how to do this – without a car – at Walk Your Weekends
]]>Osterley Park is a National Trust run Georgian country estate in West London.
It’s well worth a trip, and here’s 6 reasons why!
Situated in the Borough of Hounslow, the Park can be reached in about 30 minutes from central London.
There are many walks and paths taking you around the estate past the lakes, long walk and great meadow.
You can also camp in the parkland each July!
There’s also a natural play trail for children in the park.
Many combine their visit to Osterley park with a walk which also passes the Hounslow flight of locks on the Grand Union Canal.
As well as the mansion, if you can be persuaded to venture indoors!
“I went to Osterley because it’s bluebell season, and I’m a bit of a bluebell fan. Not the kind of bluebell that grows all over my garden, and probably yours too. That’s the Spanish or hybrid bluebell, which stands up straight with flowers evenly arranged around the stalk and has very little smell. No, I was after the elusive English bluebell, delicate and deep blue with flowers growing on one side of the stalk so it droops over at the top, and with the characteristic bluebell smell of my childhood.” Bluebells and Wisteria in Osterley Park: Sequins and Cherry Blossom
The Google Trekker project recently completed a ‘streetview’ style walkthrough of the whole of the North Downs Way!
Here are some of the best viewpoints from the trail as seen in Google Trekker.
Nearly at the top…
View from the top:
Box Hill is a classic viewpoint and a must do for any London walker.
There are many lovely paths around the main viewpoint with wonderful views south.
A short climb up from the village of Wye brings you to Wye Crown, a chalk crown carved into the hillside to commemorate the coronation of Edward VII.
From here you can see the North Downs stretching away into the distance, and if you’ve been walking the trail, appreciate just how far you have come.
Grassy paths lead on over the lovely, quiet Wye downs.
Again on the Wye section, the trail takes you past another significant viewpoint, the Devil’s Kneadingtrough, a ‘dramatic coombe’ and nature reserve.
As you approach the end of the trail on the Hollingbourne to Dover loop, the iconic white cliffs come into view.
The Hollingbourne to Dover via Canterbury loop is another option for finishing the trail.
Of course, you get to see the beautiful Cathedral as you head out on the last few days of your walk along this wonderful trail.
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Here are 8 great Facebook pages you’ll love if you’re a Londoner who loves walking.
If you Like this page you’ll receive regular news about free organised walks, mainly in central London, plus loads of interesting snippets and shares.
Follow this page for beautiful photos from the brilliant Time Out Book of Country Walks, whose website are maintained by the Saturday Walkers Club, and news about organised informal walks you can join.
News about the campaign to make Greater London the world’s first National Park City – but also, lots of interesting information and news about green spaces all over London.
Photos and news from the 5,000 acres of Royal Parks. A great place to find out about some great outdoorsy events and activities.
News, information and events about London’s wildlife.
News about London walks but also interesting campaigning and lobbying activities relevant to London walkers.
News and photos from the National Trust’s 10 London properties/estates! Many outdoor activities are listed here along with news and information about their properties.
The closest National Park to London, this page is updated with news, photos and articles to inspire you out into the Park.
Yep London Hiker is on there too! Follow my page for articles from this website plus any interesting London walking news I notice around the web.
See you there!
A walk around Greenwich is almost mandatory if you want to walk the best of London!
The views from Greenwich Park were voted the second best view on a London walk by 24 London walking experts (coming in close behind Richmond Park!).
So if you haven’t made it there yet, what are you waiting for?
1. The famous views of the city
2. Admiring the deer in ‘the wilderness’ enclosure, at the southern end of the park:
3. The beautiful flower garden and rose garden:
4. And of course no trip to Greenwich would be complete without stepping over the famous Meridian Line:
Try out this quiz and see how knowledgeable YOU are about walking in and around London!
Here’s a few London walking news items and articles you might have missed recently… from mushroom picking to a new nature reserve, and a campaign against the ‘Lee Valley Tax’.
“Sir David Attenborough has opened a new nature reserve in London, a functioning reservoir, which has been hidden from the public for nearly 200 years. As of 1 May, local residents of Woodberry Down – and, indeed, the entire general public – are able to freely visit and explore Woodberry Wetlands, London’s newest nature reserve.” [source]
“Escaping everyday life needn’t wait for the weekend – cycle out to the countryside and return to your desk next morning” [source]
“Wandle Trust volunteers were named winners of the Urban Project category of the 2016 UK River Prize for their improvement work on the historic river.” [source]
“WildHomes, which launched last month, advertises highly affordable and attractive homes in natural spaces, but they aren’t necessarily suitable for humans. Instead the scheme promotes accommodation for London’s wildest residents — including sparrows, hedgehogs, bats and bees.” [source]
“The Lee Valley Park, set up in 1966, is a 10,000 acre park running through north east London, Essex and Hertfordshire and is the capital’s largest park, four times the size of Richmond Park. Since it was created Sutton, Croydon, Merton, Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston boroughs have all paid an annual levy to the park authority to maintain it.” [source]
“Royal Parks are cracking down on bylaws which prevent people from picking wild mushrooms from local parks without permission – they say they won’t hesitate to prosecute after a spate of ‘shroom robbing.” [source]
“More than 70 health, conservation, education and culture experts have signed an open letter to London’s elected councillors calling for them to back the campaign to make London a National Park City.” [source]
“The Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden, in Deptford, south east London, is one of the community gardens under threat from development in the capital.” [http://www.hortweek.com/health-conservation-experts-back-london-national-park-city-campaign/landscape/article/1393019” target=”_blank”>source]
Sophie Casenave shares some tips on how to connect with nature in between your hikes.
Hiya, my name is Sophie, and I am on a mission: to help every one of us (re)connect with and take care of Nature. Because it’s good for us, and it’s good for the planet – win-win! (yes, read my bio below and you will see that I’m unashamedly a self-confessed greenie!)
If you’re following London Hiker, I’m pretty sure you’re like me: addicted to being outdoors!
You know it is what makes you breathe deeply, smile, relax, put things in perspective and generally feel better about yourself, calmer, happier. It’s like a drug, really.
And when it’s been too long that you haven’t seen a mountain, the sea, or just a field with cows or sheep in it, your legs start to itch, you become irritable, you begin to feel the tension in your shoulders (funnily enough, you’re absolutely fine when carrying a big rucksack in the wild) … You need to get back to Nature!
The problem is that sometimes, for a whole range of reasons, we just can’t get out of the city: a loved one really needs you to stay close; a baby is on the way; you’re in the middle of a big project at work or at home; you broke a leg; your bank account is already in the red even before the 15th of the month; your partner gave you an ultimatum that he/she wouldn’t allow one more escapade for the next 3 months at least … we all go through similar times at some point! So what can you do?
The secret to stay sane is to adapt what you do every day, to multiply opportunities of contact with natural elements, small touch points I call them, and repeat every day.
And the other secret is actually to notice when nature is close to you…. After all, we’re all so good at speeding around in our daily life, head down to be more productive, that we forget that even in the middle of a big city, nature is all around us! We just take it for granted while we’re dreaming of big adventures.
With this in mind, here are a few suggestions you can apply to let nature back into your everyday life.
Try to get as much natural light as possible during the day. It’s good for your mind and for your body.
If the weather is warm enough, try to expose your arms and legs to the sun. Think of all the vitamin D you will produce! Exposure to daylight will also boost your serotonin production (a natural anti-depressant) and will help regulate your sleep. This means walking to work, or if it is too far away, get off public transport a few stops early, or park your car a bit further, and walk the rest of the way.
At lunch, go outside to eat your sandwich, instead of staying indoor and checking your Facebook notifications or Twitter feed at your desk. If you have a park nearby, fantastic. Go and walk there for ten minutes every day, or sit on a bench; slow down; take a few deep breaths in and out.
Clear your mind to focus on where you are, what’s around you; listen to the breeze rustling in the trees, the birds singing, even the noise of the cars in the backgrounds; open your senses. If you want, visit the same place every day and start noticing the seasonal changes.
And in the weekend, explore the city to find a little bit of what you’re craving for. Catherine’s Insider’s Guide to Walking in London will come handy!
Really can’t get outside? Bring the outside in. Research shows that employees who have potted plants close to their desks are more productive and less likely to take sick leave. A quick Google search for “office plants” will show you plenty of options for low maintenance greenery. Read: these plants would be hard to kill!
If you can, position your desk to have a view of trees or grass.
You can apply this option to your home too. Bringing plants into your house is an easy way to invite nature inside. For example, you can grow potted herbs in your kitchen on your window sill: basil mint, coriander, chives… Or buy some fresh cut flowers. If you love the idea of a regular delivery to your home check Bloom & Wild.
If you have some daylight in your bathroom, add an orchid; this plant loves humidity!
Bring the fresh air in: as much as you can, open windows, at least 10 minutes a day, especially in your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and your working space. Oxygen helps your brain be creative!
If you really can’t get out, listen to bird songs or the sound of the ocean, in your earphones if necessary. You can find great tracks to download online (or buy a CD).
Use a picture of your favourite landscape as the background on your phone, tablet or computer: research is showing that even looking at a representation of nature is good for our mind!
You can also start colouring: the success of stress busting adult colouring books that depict elaborate natural environments is also part of our desire to reconnect with nature. There is a plethora of this kind of books on the market. My favourite ones are those by Johanna Basford.
Eat fresh food, ideally local (so it will be in season) and organic. A meta-study led by Newcastle University, and published in the British Journal of Nutrition, concluded that organic crops have substantially higher concentrations in antioxidants compared to nonorganic ones; they also have less cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) and fewer pesticides. And organic dairy and meat has been shown to have a better fat profile that the traditional options.
Check here if you have a farmers’ market in your neighbourhood. They are great for making connections with people who know what’s growing when, who can make recommendations and share recipes. Not only this will be good for you on the inside (as part of your 5 a day plan); but touching fresh fruits and vegetable, smelling them, tasting them while preparing them… all this is good for your mind too. Being mindful of what we eat is a key part of noticing nature around us.
For convenience, you can sign up to an organic box delivery scheme. I’ve had one for years, and regularly order when life is becoming hectic and I still want to eat healthily. They now provide delicious, easy-to-follow, step by step recipes.
Drink loads of water, your body is made of it! If you find water too boring, pour it in a jug and add slices of lemons or cucumbers, or a few sprigs of fresh mint, or a few cut strawberries. It tastes delicious!
By this, I mean all the chemicals that surround us. The worst offenders are the ones you will get in contact with for a long time. Most air fresheners that you will breathe in for hours are loaded with chemicals: acetaldehyde and benzaldehyde both carcinogen; propylene glycol, a neurotoxin; etc.
Why don’t you just make a potpourri of dried lavender or dried roses after the summer? Orange or clementine peels and cinnamon sticks are great for winter. Or burn some essential oils into an oil burner; eucalyptus or lavender oils work well to purify the air. Mandarin and ginger oils are great to remove cooking smells.
Have a good look at the cosmetics you put on your skin, as ingredients may pass into your blood stream. Go for formulas as natural as possible. Many chemicals found in cosmetic are suspected carcinogens or endocrine disruptors (potentially interfering with your hormonal system). Go for brands that don’t add parabens, silicones and mineral oils, and who use organic ingredients as much as possible. Don’t just go for a packaging which claims “organic” check the percentage, as any product can call itself organic if as little as 1% of its ingredients are certified as organically produced!
I’m a big fan of organic coconut oil as a make-up remover – it works great even on waterproof mascara! You can also make your own face mask, body scrub or toothpaste. Google is a great tool for finding recipes. I’ve been sharing a few face masks recipes on my blog. Have fun and experiment!
Most importantly, learn to appreciate nature around you, even in the city – while you’re preparing for your next trip to the hills.
Like what you’ve just read? Want some more? I regularly run a “Nature Challenge: 28 days to a happier, healthier you”. The challenge guides you to experiment ways to add a touch of nature into your everyday life, so that you can feel all the benefits from a more natural lifestyle. If you are interested to know more and find out when the next challenge starts, please visit the challenge sign up page.
A true free spirit, Sophie Casenave doesn’t fit easily in a box! With many interests in life, she plays to her strengths as a natural lifestyle mentor. She is a self-confessed greenie, addicted to being outdoor; she loves connecting with people and supporting them; through her studies (M.Sc. Arch: AEES), she has built expertise about the impact of the built environment on people’s well-being and she currently loves learning about positive psychology and ecotherapy. Above all, she is free and happy by nature and she wants to spread the feeling
Blog and website: www.sophiecasenave.com
Facebook: HappybyNature
Instagram: SophieCasenave
Profile photo of Sophie taken by Rachel V Photography
Claire Bourke explains why you don’t have to hang up your walking boots as you enter the city limits.
As you are reading a blog called London Hiker, I don’t need to tell you that escaping the city is a major stress-reliever. Despite its wonderful diversity, bustle and connectivity, I still feel the tense angles in my shoulders settle down by degrees as the train pulls out of London.
Trouble is, when work gets hectic, you’ve missed the boat on those cheap advance-purchase train tickets and there isn’t a free weekend in sight, you can find yourself marooned on this urban island with no escape.
But, not so hasty! If hiking is your stress-ball, it can be closer than you think.
With an open mind, a bike and a willingness to walk between places with close to zero aesthetic value to find off (or almost off) road trails, I’ve found ways to beat urbanitis even when leaving town isn’t an option. Best of all, I’ve gotten to know my new home city far better than I ever would have done if I’d spent all my time escaping from it.
Here are my top tips for getting a regular dose of fresh air, endorphins and birdsong into your London routine every week (or every day, if you fancy):
London is many things, but it will never be the middle of nowhere. I very quickly gave up on expecting to find a Munro on my doorstep and Royal Mail doesn’t deliver, so my first step was to find out what actually was on my doorstep instead. My walk to work is two miles of concrete jungle, followed by a gorgeous skip across Tower Bridge, followed by another mile of concrete jungle. As a first-time-Londoner, finding Tower Bridge on my commute was incredible; the novelty still hasn’t worn off. I’d have missed out if I’d taken the tube.
As inauspicious as it sounds, walking to work made me appreciate the elements that I love about a good hike and by turns my wish-list for urban hiking: exploration, head-space, views, endorphins and re-connecting with what’s around me. I won’t pretend that my commute achieved all of those – there’s only so much inner-calm that one woman can muster amidst perma-roadworks – but you’ve got to start somewhere.
Robert Macfarlane’s book Wild Places was the first book I had ever read about the joys of being in a landscape. Since then, I’ve gobbled up narrative non-fiction books on places that I love and those I’ve never (yet) experienced. Aside from being an excellent way of exploring expansive and far away landscapes when getting there isn’t physically possible, these books reminded me that hiking is essentially getting to know a place better in all its grandeur, but also in its minutiae. That is something that also works for me in an urban environment. It may not be the Kang La pass in the Himalaya as explored by Peter Matthiessen in The Snow Leopard, but Whitechapel was sure to have its own ups and downs [1], right? With this in mind I armed myself with a local map and set out to explore the green splodges thereon…
I wouldn’t want to give the game away, but, amongst other things, I discovered leafy Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, the site of the eponymous white chapel, the epicentre of 1970s anti-racism protests in Altab Ali Park and that puddles can get remarkably deep when they form in curb-sided cycle superhighways. It’s given me a collection of pretty outdoor spots to boost my mood and spend a lunch break, even if I only have half an hour.
Squeezing onto a crowded bus or having to pretzel around a fellow passenger on a tight-packed tube is the stereotypical London scene and elicits allergic reactions in many fans of the great outdoors. It’s not for everyone, but for me cycling is the ideal way to break free of the commuter blues, add a dose of fresh(ish) air to my day and concertina the distance between home/work and some great parks and open spaces. You can also buy a lot of OS maps with the money saved on public transport.
I was already a regular cyclist when I moved here, but the sheer volume of traffic was outside of my comfort zone. To build my confidence, I prepared with recce runs of the routes I fancied on Sundays so that I got to know the road layouts outside rush hour; this made them easier to negotiate for weekday excursions. I eased in gently, taking the ‘scenic’ quieter routes at first to get my bearings. Now, with my wits about me, confidence built by experience, and a healthy amount of wimping-out of dodgy traffic weaves, I love London cycling and cycle most days. My reward is my own personal landmark tour of a beautiful city and the ability to get further afield more quickly to diversify my post-work walking possibilities.
In under an hour I can be on the far side of the city on Hampstead Heath watching the sunset from Parliament Hill or down in Crystal Palace park admiring the 19th century dinosaur sculptures. This year I picked one of my favourite views of London, from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park, and cycled out to see it at different times of year; getting drizzled on solo in autumn and sharing it with sunbathers in summer.
The improvements for cyclists and the number of us on the roads increase year by year, but cycling infrastructure is undoubtedly a work in progress. Off-road paths in the bigger parks like Hyde and Regents, Parkland walk [2] (a traffic free four and a half mile stretch of tree-over hung disused railway line between Alexandra Palace and Finsbury Park) and the Thames Path provide opportunities to explore London by bike-hike if taking on the traffic is more than you can stomach.
London is the first city I’ve lived where I can genuinely get lost. My London-based friends also seem to have chosen to live as far apart from one another as possible, which has meant a lot of wandering from one side of town to the other. Transport for London, Citymapper, Google Maps and the variety of similar transport and map apps available for mobile phone have become my allies.
Whilst the idea of getting my phone out half way up a mountain fills me with horror (escaping technology is part of the appeal, right?), embracing hand-held technology has helped me to be more creative with my A-to-B in London.
Citymapper proffers a quiet route alternative to cycling as-the-crow-flies through the city’s most terrifying junctions (see #3); Google Maps gives an idea of the incline of the route so you can find somewhere to satisfy calves pining for hill climbs; most of these apps will also tell you when the next train is departing for a last minute dash to Epping Forest when work finishes unexpectedly early. And, if you don’t fancy engaging with technology? Just switch your phone off, enjoy getting lost, and save your battery for getting you home.
‘Wild Swimming’ is popping up in the media more and more. Love or hate the re-branding of what was once ‘having a swim outside’, there’s a lot to be said for the wonderful feeling of water on skin. When out hiking I find the draw of the sea, lakes, tarns and rivers, right down to muddy puddles irresistible; knowing this, a friend of mine presented me with ‘Swimming London: London’s 50 greatest swimming spots’ by Jenny Landreth as a leaving gift for my move south. It inspired me to explore as many of the outdoor swimming options as I could and it was surprisingly easy to rack up double figures in less than two months. I’ve never looked back and now often seek out an outdoor swim after a stressful day’s work. Who would have thought I’d end up swimming outdoors more regularly in the middle of London than I ever had in my previous homes?
This is largely thanks to London’s lido [3] renaissance, fuelled by passionate grassroots campaigns to rescue crumbling public pools from their 1980s/90s abandonment. There are lovingly refurbished beauties like Tooting Bec and London Fields with their prim early 1900s feel; eye-level ducks, geese and herons at Hampstead bathing ponds and the Serpentine; the no frills thrills of Park Road Lido in Crouch End; and the opportunity to be part of an art installation in the middle of a building site (Kings Cross Pond Club).
Some highlights from my lido-hunting include being dappled from below by the reflections off the aluminium lining of Parliament Hill Lido on a sunny day, waving up at the tenants in the over-hanging flats at the Oasis Sports Centre pool, and seeing the undersides of clouds fade from peaches to purples on a sunset swim in Brockwell Park. Low points include the rather idiotic plan to swim in Brockwell lido in January when the water was 4⁰C; luckily they had cheap deals on the attached sauna/steam room over the winter so I could thaw out!
For those who love the outdoors, but dislike cold water (probably sensible!), London Fields, Charlton, Oasis and Park Road are just some of your heated outdoor options. London Fields in particular is open all year round, so there’s not even an excuse to stop swimming when there’s frost on the ground; bring some flip-flops for the pool side mind.
Lidos are also excellent focal points for hikes. These could be DIY and on a whim, but many are also short detours from TFLs route recommendations on Walk London. You may also be lucky enough to stumble upon a lido in your local area (see #2).
Do you like bats? I do. I was incredibly happy to discover that London is full of bats (as well as the almost ubiquitous urban foxes and some less obvious pairs of Peregrine falcons). If I walk or cycle home from work around dusk, I get an accompaniment of bats as I cross the park. In fact, walking after work and in the dark is a great way to get a different (and often calmer) perspective on London.
Strolling along the South Bank at night involves a lot less elbow dodging. You’re more likely to get the view from Waterloo Bridge to yourself. Moon-rises are surprisingly beautiful when reflected in the high-rises. I also watched both the lunar eclipse and the annual Perseid meteor shower from a London suburb this year, so it is still worth a star gaze even if you can’t get out of town to a dark sky area.
Unfortunately many of London’s gated parks get locked up after dark – I know this from spending many a November evening madly chasing park wardens to let me out – but there are also plenty that stay open. Go for a night walk. Bring a friend (or don’t) and contemplate the city lights through the trees. If you like hiking, you’ve probably got a head torch and a camping stove already, so you can even have a cuppa.
London is a playground for exploration; it’s huge, sprawling and nonsensically arranged. It’s probably obvious from this post that I have a terrible sense of direction, but you too can get lost here, you might even enjoy it. I was sceptical about finding head-space when London-bound, but once I recognised that all (or at least most) of the elements required for a great hike are right here, I got through my mental block. It may be relatively low-octane-sploration [4] for the mountaineers amongst you, but it has the benefit that you can do it every day. Don’t get me wrong, I will always hanker after escapes to the hills and my mates in less urbanly-challenged parts of the country won’t be rid of me any time soon, but it’s also a great feeling to be able to do what I love closer to home too. You don’t have to hang up your walking boots as you enter the city limits.
Claire Bourke is a postdoctoral immunologist working in Whitechapel and living south of the river. Her research focuses on how infections and malnutrition affect immune cell function, which basically means running around a laboratory trying to get experiments to work and handling lots of blood samples. She hails from Newcastle via Edinburgh and York. In her spare time she dabbles in writing, makes inexpert forays into long-distance trail running, delivers training courses for a listening service and runs away to the hills as often as she can. She still has not gotten used to leaving the house without an anorak.
Photos: All those included in the article were taken in London by Claire Bourke. Claire’s bio photo was taken by Clare Andrews from the summit of Ben Klibreck in Sutherland, Northern Scotland.
With help from Jade Attwood, we suggest three special places for a night under canvas.
Living in London, it really is hard to go back to basics. Surrounded by skyscrapers, living in busy streets, and with a non stop lifestyle, there is seldom a chance to really escape to nature (apart from the odd park of course).
For those who love camping, a long journey is usually necessary to find a spot to pitch up. With travel time included, camping trips out of the city usually mean taking some time off work to really enjoy your time.
But what if you didn’t have to go so far afield to have a picturesque night under canvas?
Here are three top class campsites, in zones 1-5 to get your fill of nature and really relax on your camping holiday.
Nestled in South East London, is the quaint Abbey Wood site. Within Zone 4, the site boasts a quick 35 trip by train from Abbey Wood station into central London.
For those that want to fully escape the hustle and bustle of central London, take in the sites around Greenwich. Full of quirky pubs and restaurants, Greenwich is a metropolis in itself, with a distinctly heritage feel.
A short walk from the site you’ll come across the National Maritime Museum, a option for those looking to explore some nautical history. Or take in the sun on a relaxing river cruise to Tower Bridge, Westminster, or even Kew, for a truly nature filled day out.
Accessible from Ponders End (Zone 5) or Edmonton Green (Zone 4), lies Lee Valley Campsite in Edmonton. A highly modern site, with its own cinema and ice rink, it’s a haven that seldom needs to be left for the duration of your stay.
With everything on site you would need, this site is one which you can truly immerse yourself in, away from the throes of tourists in central London.
With beautiful cycle and walking riverside routes to sample, there will be plenty of opportunity to fully embrace the great outdoors, and entertainment in the evenings to make your stay even more enjoyable.
Perhaps you enjoy a spot of golf? The site even boasts its very own golf course, perfect for those who like to take their walks while enjoying their favourite sport.
Lastly, but by no means least, is the the Caravan Club’s Crystal Palace site (nearest station Crystal Palace, Zone 3). Perfect for those who want a country retreat but not feel completely isolated from the city, a quick trip on the number 3 bus will take you straight to Oxford Street, via Brixton and Trafalgar Square.
Situated right next the beautiful and expansive Crystal Palace park, once home to the palace itself, the pleasure gardens are perfect for a relaxed walk or an evening stroll. Crystal Palace is also home to many up and coming eateries, a whole new area to explore for enthusiastic foodies.
Camping in your own tent is a great cost-cutting alternative to a expensive European city break, and takes nowhere near as much hassle. All that is left is to prepare everything you need, to make your trip as stress free as possible.
Aside from your tent and camping gear, it’s important to invest in some good quality tent insurance: for every camping eventuality.
All that is left is to grab your Oyster, hop on the tube, and escape the city (well almost!).
Additional research and content added by Catherine Redfern of London Hiker.
Jean Straus explains how a simple ramble round her favourite London park grew into a annual fundraising event.
What began as an individual challenge for me as a fundraiser and hiker has turned into an annual event. Here’s my story.
Three years ago I was working at Action on Hearing Loss as a winner of the Vodafone World of Difference competition. Despite being retired for several years, I had jumped at the chance of some short-term paid work where I’d get to know the workings of a charity that looks after the interests of, among others, people like me, who lost my hearing (not completely) suddenly.
I was engaged to learn the ropes of a large charity, and during my few months there, I watched as colleagues signed up people to abseil down a tower, as someone swam the English channel, others ran the London Marathon and a few daring cyclists cycled up and down mountains in California.
As someone whose stamina boils down to typing 100 words per minute for a few minutes, I could only be asked to donate to rather than participate in such activities.
But I wanted to do something as well that would stretch but not destroy me.
I love walking. I love Richmond Park.
And over the years I’ve discovered it can be extremely satisfying simply to walk the perimeter of the park, which is 7.4 miles.
The rest is history.
Friend Pauline joined me for the first lap; friends Christine and Anne came along for the second, and I managed to raise more than £1000.00.
Soon after, Action on Hearing Loss decided to approach the park to make this an official walk; I think the charity liked the idea, as have done families, and participants who were not used to being fit enough to take part in active charitable events.
Eighteen people came along to the second walk, including young children whose parents feared the walk would be too hard for them but were pleasantly surprised. Moreover, I think many contributions came in from people who could actually imagine that they could take part even if they were not free to do so on this occasion.
I was sure the possibility of a stop along the way to get an ice cream was a strong drawing point, along with the opportunity to view deer in the open, or to gaze out from the viewpoint over St Paul’s Cathedral, ten miles away, but actually feedback has been that people just enjoy the ramble and getting to meet new groups of people.
The third year brought in people who’d heard about it through twitter, the Action on Hearing Loss website, audiology clinics, even university billboards, and how rewarding it has been to see it grow from being one person’s walk to something shared in a community.
Last year the Mayor of Richmond agreed to come along, and we handed him a ribbon to cut after he made a short speech. Then off we went!
I’m looking forward to this year’s gallivant.
It would be great to be joined by new people and past participants. See you there, rain or shine!
Jean Straus is a retired teacher of vulnerable pupils, who became involved with charity work when she lost much of her hearing in the last ten years. She now writes reviews for the Action on Hearing Loss (formerly RNID) Magazine, has served on a Steering Group to do with prioritising research questions to do with hearing loss, and she’s currently a CLAHRC fellow within the NHS, where she is looking to find ways to reduce the depression people often feel with losing their hearing. Jean regularly walks in her local park (Richmond) but has gone on treks on the southwest coast in Devon and Cornwall.
Ramble Round Richmond is Action on Hearing Loss’ annual sponsored walk around the Tamsin Trail of Richmond Park. Join Action on Hearing Loss for a 7.4 walk around the blissful park, soaking up the rare tranquillity that this area of London has to offer. This year the walk will be taking place during Deaf Awareness Week (2nd-8th May) and as one of the quietest places in London, where better to help Action on Hearing Loss celebrate and raise awareness for this hidden disability. The event is open to all and we would love to see as many families rambling together as possible. All walkers will be provided with a map and some information on the park. There will be rest points along the way and some light refreshments will be provided to all walkers. Click here for more information.
To the west of London, in Buckinghamshire, lies an 540 acres of ancient woodland which is – intriguingly – managed and owned by the City of London, about 25 miles away.
For over 130 years, Londoners and locals have been enjoying this beautiful, serene woodland teeming with natural wonders.
The area has been used for many films, including Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and the Princess Bride.
…including the Druid’s Oak, reported to be “at least 800 years old”
“…the first thing you notice is the stillness. Crackling branches and crushed leaves underfoot are at times the only things that break that unreal silence, other times it is the whispering, the murmuring which builds in the deep dark places.”
– In The Chime Hours; Burnham Beeches The Whispering Woods
Its ancient connections have given the area a somewhat ‘mysterious’ reputation. Infamous conspiracy theorist David Icke claimed that Burnham Beeches was where his contact witnessed British Prime Minister Ted Heath shapeshift into a reptilian during a ritual in the early 1970s! [source]
…Including a great variety of fungi:
…and of course, the pollard trees provide a home for many creatures, birds and insects:
“I can’t think that Burnham Beeches won’t suit everyone. It’s a brilliant place to come with dogs, kids, bikes, balls and extended families. Romantic couples can ooh and ahh at the water’s edge and snog behind the trees. Exhausted parents can tank up on caffeine and let their kids roam free. Ramblers can walk for hours in the 375 hectares and not get bored.”
– Muddy Stilettos: A beautiful walk in Burnham Beeches
By public transport you can take a train from Marylebone to Beaconsfield OR from Paddington to Slough (both about 30 minutes). Then catch a bus to Farnham Common (this takes about 15 minutes from Beaconsfield, or 30 minutes from Slough).
By car, it’s about 50 minutes drive from central London, according to the AA journey planner.
“Autumn is possibly the best time to visit, so I just about got in with time to spare. Lovely scrunchy beech leaves underfoot, with a scattering of nuts (and mud) beneath, form a matted carpet of brown. So long as you’ve not come in your best trainers, it’s a delight. The main access is from the east, a short walk from the long village of Farnham Common, where a large car park awaits more Bucks-style visitors.”
– Diamond Geezer, Beyond London 10 (South Bucks)
“We visited another new place today for a family walk – Burnham Beeches. What a great woods this is for families. There was so much to keep Little Miss A’s interest. I can’t believe we were out for 3 hours!”
– Mummy on a Budget: Family Walk at Burnham Beeches
The Essex Estuaries is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC), particularly due to its open coast mudflats and sandbanks.
The SAC stretches from Wivenhoe, down around the Essex coast round East and West Mersea, to Southend-on-Sea / Leigh-on-Sea, where there is also some great walking in the nearby country parks and on the islands.
From London Liverpool Street you can catch a train to:
And from Fenchurch Street you can catch a train to:
Reached from Leigh-on-Sea, a short walk takes you to Hadleigh Country Park and the distinctive castle (some say it’s haunted).
“We arrived at the Castle just as it was getting dark and found a spot below the fortress a bit out of the way. It almost goes without saying that this is a very atmospheric and cool place to have an overnight adventure. I personally also loved the view over the estuary, the refineries on Canvey Island and even the Kent coast.”– Jason Webber, Microadventure at Hadleigh Castle
Nearby Two Tree Island, a 640 acre nature reserve, can easily be visited on a walk to Hadleigh.
From Burnham-on-Crouch, North Fambridge or South Woodham Ferrers you can explore the tidal River Crouch.
This is definitely one for you if you like peace and quiet; most walkers report seeing nobody on their visit.
“To my left are marshes, covered in uniform green vegetation. They stretch almost as far as the eye can see. Beyond is a small sliver of shining sea and the distant glimpse of an occasional big cargo ship. To my right is a grassy track running parallel to the sea bank, then a watery culvert and then farmland – flat and featureless. I see nobody.”
– Ruth’s Coastal Walk: Tillingham Marshes to Burnham on Crouch
“We labour up the lower and upper slopes of The Cliff and from the crest, looking west, Essex stretches flatly in the direction from which we have travelled. We can see perhaps – who knows – as far as Billericay? Even Warley? To the south, the glamorous skyline of the Southend Megapolis exudes all manner of promise.”
– The Essex Coast: North Fambridge to Burnham on Crouch
“The Colne Valley is the Stour’s quieter, less illustrious cousin. You won’t find coach parties here unless the satnav’s faulty. You will find dreamy villages of half-timbered tearooms and tottering 18th-century cottages painted pink, baby blue and cream, as if Barbara Cartland’s been let loose with the Dulux.”
– Guardian Let’s Move to the Colne
Canvey Island is just south of Hadleigh Country Park, accessed from Benfleet station.
A walk around it is an intriguing mix of coastal beauty, sea defences, and heavy industry.
“…the best thing of all is always the quality of light. The Thames estuary is a very special place, especially in the afternoon and evening; I don’t have words to describe it, but it never disappoints.”
– Peter Cameron: A Walk around Canvey Island
“Just past the Yacht Club on the eastern end of Canvey and you can walk out onto the salt marsh and follow a ‘footpath’ to Canvey Point, the most easterly point… Not knowing the tide tables, I turned back at the warning barrier. There is a fine view east to Southend Pier and the river looks huge as it meets the North Sea. It was also the first point on my journey that smelt like the seaside, a distinctly salty tang in the air.”
– More Ambler than Rambler: Walking the Essex Coast: Canvey Island
The Broomway is a notorious tidal path along the Maplin sands to Foulness and is one of the most dangerous paths in Britain.
The path used to be marked with large posts (‘brooms’) but now can only be followed by a compass reading.
As the path disappears under the tide, which rushes in extremely fast, the route is incredibly dangerous and it had caught out many a walker with tragic consequences.
“…the experience of the walk was quite like nothing else I have experienced in this country. A huge sky, the vastness and unchanging nature of the environment around us, the trudge through the wet sand which could get somewhat hard going, as well as the sense that this was slightly on the edge, and the sad knowledge that many had perished out here.”
– Ramblers, Paul Carter: The most perilous path
“Yes, it was undoubtedly dangerous, and parts of it more dangerous than others, full of unexploded bombs and forbidding command towers. The shifting sea and the land bore little correlation to one another. The striking thing though was its unearthly beauty, particularly later in the day when the tide went fully out. The sky and sea mirrored one another, and the people walking were also mirrored. When we first looked over the rise, people were exercising their dogs on the shimmering surface, and it seemed as though they were walking on water.”
– Helen Callaghan: The most dangerous road in Britain
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Here are ten of the best and most interesting maps to help you get the most of walking in and around London.
This is a great place to start: this map immediately gives you a great visual idea of how the major walking trails fit together across London.
You can click through to get detailed maps for any of the specific trails too.
Londonist have come up with a fantastic twist on the major walking trails and created a Walker’s Tube Map, which shows 13 of the most prominent walking routes in a familiar tube map style.
This is particularly great for seeing how the various routes interlink.
Not only that but they’ve created a great intro video explaining major routes, too.
Prompted by various unofficial versions over the years, TfL finally produced their own map showing walking times between tube stations.
“A TfL spokeswoman said: ‘What we have seen is that people are desperate for this sort of thing, so we have created it. We focused on central London, zones 1 and 2, and based the times on our journey planner.’ [Evening Standard]
“It probably isn’t news to most people, especially to those who live in the capital, that strike action recently resulted in some sections of the London Underground temporarily closing… It was when the demonstration was in full swing that we started to wonder how many calories someone might burn if, for instance, they decided to swap certain legs of their journey for a walking commute.” [Treated: Get Fit with our calorie busting tube map]
“For some journeys it’s really not worth getting on the tube: it takes a long time, and costs you money. Sometimes it’s quicker and easier to walk… One of the very few weaknesses of the standard tube map is that its distortion of geography (a very successful attempt to present the different stations and lines more clearly) sometimes means that it’s not clear when the tube trip is unnecessary… But here’s a slightly altered map showing which stations are an arbitrary and as-the-crow-flies 500 metres apart from each other (there are many more stations 600, 700+ metres from each other” [RodCorp: London Tube Map with Walklines: sometimes it’s quicker to walk]
A beautiful map showing just how green London is: great to see how the various walking routes visit the green spaces, or just to get ideas. Click through, save the image and then zoom in to see the detail.
“Londoners share a very long and proud tradition of protecting and enjoying our natural and cultural heritage. Friends of parks, town planners, the Royal Family, the Corporation of London, the Greater London Authority, conservationists, councils, government departments, developers, builders, charities, campaigners, allotment keepers and generations of millions of gardeners – all continue to contribute to making our capital one of the greenest cities in the world for its size.” [Greater London National Park City Campaign]
A fantastic and fun representation of London’s rivers and waterways in its own right, but click through and you can actually listen to recordings from each ‘stop’ on the waterway.
“An auditory tribute to Harry Beck’s Underground map, the skeleton which has long lent shape to the city in the minds of Londoners. Here sounds were collected from along London’s canals and lesser rivers.” [Sound Survey]
You want hills? Want high ground? This map will show you where it is.
A map showing the ‘peaks’ written about in the book Mount London: Ascents in the Vertical City.
Not necessarily all green spaces, these are an interesting mixture of London high places, hills and viewpoints.
Click on a pin and you can read a snippet from the book!
This map shows the GPS logs from walking the tube lines above ground. You can click through to see the individual tube line maps – it’s a fascinating insight into what walking the tube lines is like above ground.
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When you need to escape the city, where do you head to?
You want to walk somewhere REALLY beautiful.
Somewhere that really makes you feel like you’re in the heart of a unique landscape.
The answer?
Try an official ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB).
There are eight close to London, possible to visit within a day. Wouldn’t it make a great challenge to visit each of them?
Over an occasional series of blog posts, I’ll be showcasing each one!
Today we are looking at:
Here’s a taster of what to expect from this AONB, and some ‘must do’ walks to experience the best of the area.
1. The Dedham Vale AONB is on the Suffolk-Essex border.
It can be reached by train from London from Liverpool Street to Manningtree (journey time approx 1 hour).
2. It’s famous for being immortalised in paintings by Constable and Gainsborough.
In fact the area is often called ‘Constable Country‘.
“Still I should paint my own places best; painting is with me but another word for feeling, and I associate “my careless boyhood” with all that lies on the banks of the Stour; those scenes made me a painter, and I am grateful…”
– Letter to Rev. John Fisher (23 October 1821), from John Constable’s Correspondence, part 6, pp. 76-78
3. Many people come to visit Flatford Mill, and view the site of the Constable’s famous Haywain painting which is almost unchanged.
4. The River Stour runs through the Vale, meandering peacefully through green farmland.
5. The landscape includes many wildflower meadows and picturesque villages.
The specialty of this area without doubt lies with its rivers and their valleys. Broad sweeping vistas, with a perhaps surprising degree of pasture and woodland, provide a gentle, understated but always interesting and pleasurable perspective.
– Steve Hallam, Focus on Constable Country
6. The River Stour is popular for boating and canoeing as well as cycling, and of course walking.
7. The Stour Valley is a haven for wildlife.
Some of the creatures found here include native black poplar, otter, water vole, dormouse, stag beetle, white clawed crayfish, skylark, barn owl and great crested newt.
8. The Stour Valley Path is a 60 mile route following River Stour through Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, including the Dedham Vale AONB.
9. A walk through this peaceful landscape has inspired people for generations.
How sweet and beautifull is every place & I visit my old Haunts with renewed delight… nothing can exceed the beautiful green of the meadows which are beginning to fill with butter Cups — & various flowers — the birds are singing from morning till night but most of all the Sky larks — How delightfull is the Country.
– Letter to his wife, Maria (20 April 1821); as quoted in Leslie Parris and Ian Fleming-Williams, Constable (Tate Gallery Publications, London, 1993), p. 28
And continues to inspire visitors today:
Video by Aussie Marco
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Let’s start with a question:
How do you get more fresh air into your life whilst living and working in London?
When you think you’ve heard it all, somebody comes along and really surprises you.
I’m so excited that he’s let me share his project with you.
This is Trefor Jones.
He likes to spend a lot of time outdoors.
But after his epic holidays were over, London life seemed a bit mundane:
He decided he’d sleep out in London’s Parks and green spaces.
He says, somewhat modestly,
“This was a little project I set myself to give me an outlet of excitement, thrill and challenge; an alternative to escaping the city when I couldn’t”
He’d not just camp in the parks, but bivvy:
…or hammock:
And he’d spend not just one night in the open air, but EVERY NIGHT IN SEPTEMBER.
Yes, that’s 30 nights sleeping outdoors in London’s parks and green spaces.
Whilst still working full time, and commuting.
The rules for the project were:
1. Parks/green spaces had to be in travel zone 1-3
2. He’d sleep in 6 of 8 Royal Parks
3. Parks were chosen by a random draw from the master list each week.
4. No return once a park had been ‘done’
About once a week he was joined by friends:
Sometimes sleeping in cemeteries, dodging dog poo and heavy downpours; sometimes sleeping by herds of deer, and witnessing spectacular dawn views.
Sometimes solving conundrums like: where do you bivvy when the park looks like this?
But mostly, finding a surprising peace and tranquility in the middle of the city.
A September To Remember – 30 Nights: London from Trefor Jones on Vimeo.
1. I’m guessing you were no stranger to bivvying before trying out this challenge. What previous experiences did you have sleeping outdoors?
I’ve been doing it for ages. Firstly with tents, then moving onto bivvying in the past few years. It’s always exciting and a bit of a challenge but actually bringing it to my front doorstep was a completely new approach in itself.
2. How long have you lived in London?
I’ve been living in London for the past 4 years. From day one, I’ve always been astounded at how green it is and how much is on offer. Green space, and room to breathe were a big thing for me when I first moved up, and I think, the idea of not having that, had put me off living here for quite a while before I made the leap. It’s amazing what you can get out of a capital city.
3. Is it.. you know… legal to bivvy in the Parks? Did you get anyone trying to move you on?
I’ve never been one for small print, which actually usually works out all ok. I know there was some potential red tape around the Royal Parks. That’s why I thought it best to complete them all, so no one felt left out. And funnily enough, no one ever moved me on. The worst I ever got were a few confused, or maybe just friendly, dogs sniffing around me, whilst their owners were completely unaware.
4. I think most people would immediately think about safety. Did you have any fears before starting and were there any times you felt in danger?
There’s always a fear that comes with sleeping out in a bivvy as you are so exposed. Though I was sleeping in parks and green spots across inner London, it wasn’t much different than when I’m sleeping out in a National Park or in a forest. It’s usually the case that any fear or sense of danger is all in your head, I find. The cemetery was pretty scary mind, I’m glad I had a couple of friends join me that night.
5. Practicalities! What did you do about calls of nature, showering, commuting, and clean clothes?
There were some logistics to work out of course, especially as I was still working my 9-5 Monday to Friday job alongside doing this. I had a stash of pants and socks at work and luckily there’s a shower there too, so my colleagues didn’t have to suffer. As I was getting up with the sun very early each day I would often have time to mission back to mine, dump my stuff, have a good scrub and roll into work on time, looking like I’d been tucked up indoors all night. Little did they know…
6. Homelessness has been rising in London over recent years. Did you encounter many people sleeping outside in the parks?
This is always a question I get asked. I only had one encounter with a homeless person in the whole of the 30 nights, which is surprising when you think of the numbers in London.
7. What was the worst thing about bivvying in London parks?
I honestly don’t have any bad things to say about it, but getting dog crap on your boot and discovering this just before getting into the bivvy at night was pretty grim. Still this only happened 3 times so that’s not too bad really when you think about it. Peckham Rye Common was a nightmare to bivvy out on. Ended up buried in a big clump of nettles for the night. Was interesting waking up in there.
8. What was the most surprising (or the best) thing about bivvying in London parks?
It was this incredible sense of space, and freedom to breathe and process even though you’re in a city of millions. That was the most remarkable thing I guess that you could achieve that peaceful isolation in these places. It certainly has made me even more grateful for how green London is and opened my eyes to having adventures closer to home when you can’t get away in the middle of the week.
10. What’s your next challenge?
There’s a bunch of ideas floating around in my head, and some exciting trips outside of the city coming up, but something I started a few weeks back and would like to see the completion of is doing the London Loop walk around Greater London, doing it after work and under the cover of darkness. ‘Night Rambles in Suburbia’ I’m calling it. It’s a different approach to long distance walking and something fun to do with your evening during winter. I guess I’m refusing to get restricted by what season we’re in and how many daylight hours we have at our disposal once we’ve finished work. It’s also another adventure close to home, and another look at what’s right here on our doorstep.
Follow Trefor at his blog The Boney King of Nowhere, Vimeo or Twitter.
Please let him know if you enjoyed his video!
(All images apart from title image copyright Trefor Jones, used with permission)
In this post I want to share with you the EXACT process of how I go about planning car free walking weekends away from London in Britain’s best hiking areas, with a specific case study.
This mega guide is going to be full of really PRACTICAL step by step tips and I break down the specific process for you – so you can do it too.
But first a quick flash back.
I loved hiking in the outdoors and I wanted to hike the best of British hiking.
But I lived in London; 87 miles from the nearest ‘mountain’.
I had no car, I had very few holidays left to spend on traveling around the country. I had a few vague ideas of where I’d like to go, but not enough, and I had very little free time to research it all.
I didn’t want to hike in a group or a club (and by the way, if you do, here’s a list of London clubs that organise trips away).
I just wanted to go off by myself or with one or two close friends and just enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside, away from the city and all of the stress and the crowded underground.
I just wanted to know what’s best to do and exactly how to do it.
I just wished that someone would hand it to me in a comprehensive guide and say, “OK, this is what to do: here’s how to get there by public transport, here’s the walks you can do, here’s where you can stay, here’s how to get back on Sunday, here’s where the bus stops are, where you can get a picnic, and here’s some things you need to know to get the best out of walking in the area.”
More than ten years and many successful walking weekends later, I created exactly what I would have wanted all those years ago.
It’s called Walk Your Weekends and it’s a comprehensive information resource about my best car free weekend walking trips from London (plus a lot more).
In this post I’m going to share with you step by step exactly the specific resources and tactics I use to plan the detailed itineraries that I’ve created for Walk Your Weekends and how you can do it too.
I’ll use a case study of an itinerary I created for the Brecon Beacons, for my Walk Your Weekends members.
To make it easier to navigate this monster 7000+ word case study, I’ve included a detailed Table of Contents below.
1. How to decide which region to walk in when you don’t know where to start
1.1 The best place to begin for ideas
1.2 How to think big
1.3 How to get the REALLY juicy information
2. How to find accessible locations by public transport from London
2.1 The first port of call for travel information
2.2 The best way to find a great overview of the whole area (it’s not always where you’d expect).
2.3 How to see detailed maps of the area online for free
2.4 More useful train information to check
2.5 How to find train travel times and duration from London
2.6 An alternative travel idea to check
3. How to find out what is BEST to walk in an area – even if you’ve never been there before
3.1 – 3.8 Eight great sources I check to get ideas for the best walks.
3.9 How to find the interesting summits on an interactive map
4. How to QUICKLY find transport and practical information without spending weeks down a Google rabbit hole
4.1 How to find bus route maps easily
4.2 How to find bus stops on country roads
4.3 How to find bus stops in villages and towns
4.4 Another useful bus stop search that’ll give you more useful information
4.5 How to easily look up bus times
5. How to get ideas for walking routes and plan them out
5.1 – 5.5 Nine sources I check for route ideas
5.6 How to plot out your custom route
6. How to know what to expect from a walk from the comfort of your own sofa
6.1 – 6.3 Three ways to easily and quickly get a feel for the terrain and type of walking
7. Must ask questions and searches to ensure your weekend is safe, memorable, and fun – WHATEVER the weather.
7.1 – 7.7 Seven things to check to make your weekend a success
Personally, I don’t just want to go to one place over and over again, no matter how beautiful it is.
For example, the Lake District is one area that I always keep returning to. But as beautiful as it is, I want to see other places as well; to experience walking in as many varied places as I possibly can.
So how do you decide where to hike if you’ve never been there before?
Use the National Parks as a start point.
This is a great place to begin. The National Parks are obviously some of Britain’s best walking areas. No doubt about it!
Ask yourself these questions (don’t worry about transport /practicalities for now):
Consider: what has been on your ‘bucket list’ for ages?
I’m not totally sure that I like the phrase “bucket list” but that’s what everyone seems to be saying, so I’ll say that.
There are certain areas which I just think, “I’ve never been there. I’ve never managed to get there yet. I really want to explore that!” For me, I’ve never been to the Cairngorms, the Howgills, Dartmoor…. These are on my bucket list, so to speak.
One of my main drivers for getting out there and going to these places is to not put things off and to not say to myself, “Oh, I’ll get there one day. I’ll do it one day.”
I just think to myself, “Why not this year? Why don’t I go this year?”
Crucially, I don’t start by looking what’s close to London and assuming I’m limited to those areas.
I start by thinking what do I REALLY want to do – and then work out a way of getting there from London.
You can get a lot further than you think when you start to investigate it.
Ask friends, family and contacts for tips.
Word of mouth is one of my key sources: I find it invaluable.
My main source of advice is my Mum and Dad because they have been walking for years and years. They’ve been all over the place. They have so much good advice.
They’ll say to you, “Oh, when you’re walking down that path, make sure you look over at that house which seems so insignificant, but actually it’s a really notorious place because it used to be where really influential hikers and climbers used to hang out.”
Things they’ll tell you that the guidebooks won’t, like: “Oh, that pub is the best one to go to but, don’t go to the other pub because that’s awful.”
This stuff is invaluable!
So mine your friends and family for all their tips and suggestions.
From your initial investigation, now decide on a particular area to investigate further.
I didn’t know much about it, only that a) it was in South Wales and had the biggest mountains closest to London b) although there aren’t any rocky craggy fell tops like in the Lake District, its Mountain Rescue service was very busy c) I also knew that the military used it for training.
I’d seen a few pictures of the central Beacons fells; they looked grassy and wedge shaped. I really wanted to climb the central beacon fells and walk the best of the Park.
But I didn’t know if it would be a place I’d want to return to often, or just ‘tick off’ my list.
Due to its accessibility from London by train, I knew I wanted to create an itinerary for Walk Your Weekends so I decided to research it and create one.
In this case, asking friends and family didn’t help me much because my family and friends had little experience of the Brecon Beacons. It was down to me to be the pioneer in this case! So, onwards with the research.
Then I start to look at the practicalities. Can I get there?
Can I get there in an evening.
Can I get there in a weekend and back again?
Investigate the official Park / Region website.
I start off by looking at the official website for the area. It’s usually a National Park or there’s usually some kind of website that will tell me how to get there.
Although it’s a start, often the ‘how to get here’ page provides cursory information.
I end up with a list of stations I’ve never heard of before, which can feel meaningless.
Now find an overview map of the region.
These will show nearby train stations in context so you can see which are closest to the areas you’re most interested in (hills, coast, etc).
The problem I’ve found with a lot of official websites is that it’s sometimes really hard just to find a big, useful overview map of the area! They’ll tell you about various places and locations with pretty pictures, but they often don’t provide any context of WHERE those places are.
I’ve found that sometimes, actually, the most useful overview maps are not on the ‘official’ websites.
If you have Memory Map (more on this later) you could use that, but I like to see a real overview, large scale map first.
How I do it is head over to Google Images search (NOT Google!) and search for “[REGION] + map”
It’ll immediately come up with some promising overview maps:
Click on the image for a closer view – and if it looks promising, you have the option to view the image or view the page it comes from:
Now we’re talking!
Take a look at where the key stations that you found out about from the official website are located in context to the area as a whole.
For example, are they on the edges of the area, or right in the heart of it?
From Google searching for an overview map of the area, I could see that those were on the southern edge of the National Park but in different places: Abergavenny was near the Black Mountains, and Merthyr Tydfil was closer to the central Beacons.
Next, browse the area on an OS (Ordnance Survey) map.
If you don’t have a hard copy map yet, you can do this for free online at bing.com/maps
I browse the area on a Ordnance Survey map, just to look around and get a feel for the kind of terrain and layout of the land. I have Memory Map (which I’ll talk about later) but I like bing.com/maps, which allows me to zoom in to 1:25,000 scale (unlike my version of Memory Map).
I’ll start by searching for one of the train stations. Then I’ll pick the drop down option in the menu to switch to an OS map view.
You can the zoom in and out to change from a 1:50,000 to a 1:25,000 view. You can also make it full screen too!
I just find that browsing it really helps me understand the layout of the land, where the stations are, where the villages are, where the key mountains and hills are. I just find that so helpful and it really helps me brainstorm routes and ideas. Also: it’s just fun to do! I love looking at maps. I could spend hours doing that…
I then located the main central Beacons fells, which I knew from the overview map were north of Merthyr Tydfil. I could see that although Merthyr Tydfil was the closest station, there was quite some distance between there and the hills so I’d have to get there on a bus as it wasn’t possible to walk.
I like to look at a National Rail map so I can look at the stations that the official websites recommend, but also the stations that are perhaps minor stations which are nearby the park, that could be useful stop off points for my walks.
It’s also useful to find out which stations are at the end of the line and which ones are not; and whether the stations are on the same line or different ones as this can affect your travel plans.
Although both accessible from London, the two stations were on separate train lines so it wasn’t very easy to hop between the two.
Would it make sense to explore the Park from just one base location? But which one was best? Maybe I might have to create itineraries for TWO base locations instead of one?
I needed to know more about travel times – on with the research.
Once I’ve worked out where the stations are, it’s time to work out, is the travel time practical?
Go to NationalRail.co.uk to look at the train times.
Enter your details. I usually just put ‘London’ in the search box – at this stage I might not know which London station the trains leave from.
For the travel times, I usually put in a date a few weeks ahead, on a Friday, leaving around 5pm.
The results will show me trains from 5pm onwards, so I can see if it’s logistically possible to get there in an evening after work:
I can also see how long the journey takes and whether there are any changes.
Then do another search for returning on a Sunday evening. The Sunday one is the key one to check, because often on Sunday, travel times can be slightly different than they are on Saturday or during the week.
Now you can ask yourself, would this give you enough time to actually get back in the evening but also do a really great walk -something really rewarding, not just some little potter around a town before you have to run for your train?
I usually find that it IS possible to travel back on a Sunday evening and still do a satisfying walk that day.
Here’s a tip: plan your second day’s walking to start close to your accommodation, meaning you can start your walk sooner (and therefore end sooner for getting your train). Save the big epic walks and bus journeys for your Saturday walk if you can.
Although the journey to Merthyr Tydfil was a bit on the longer side, it was closer to the ‘famous’ hills (the central Beacons) that most people would probably want to tick off, so the long journey was probably worth it. If someone was going to visit the Park only once, they’d probably want to walk the central Beacons fells.
But at this stage I didn’t want to discount either base location, since Abergavenny was so convenient. It was clear now that I probably needed to create two itineraries.
If you want to save money, and have more time to travel, another option would be to search the National Express for coaches.
From London, these leave from London Victoria. You can get some good bargains if you are willing and able to travel by coach, but obviously it does take a lot longer to travel, and they only go to/from certain places.
This might suit you if have more time than money – perhaps you might be a student, or don’t work 9-5, so you may be able to spend a whole afternoon traveling.
You can see the locations on their website under Destinations > Find Your Coach Stop:
Once I’ve decided on an area and approximately whether I can get there in an evening, then I start to look at actually WHAT in that area am I going to walk?
What EXACTLY would I like to climb? What trail am I going to follow?
What, specifically, am I going to DO?
At this stage, I am not plotting a specific route, but investigating ROUGHLY where I want to hike on a macro level.
As a I research this, I adjust my initial investigations. For example, I may discover that one train station is more suited to the key/classic walking routes than others.
I use a wide range of sources to help me come up with ideas. I will often cross reference one source with another, and if they are both recommending the same walking experience, I know it’s bound to be a classic, ‘must visit’ location.
Here are just a few I use and recommend:
When browsing the 1:25,000 map you can see the major trails marked with a green diamond, so you’ll see them criss-crossing the area. However, not all trails are marked like this, so a book like this is very useful to provide me with information about trails which aren’t immediately obvious.
The UK Trail Walker’s Handbook has got every single trail listed in it, and it also comes with a map.
This book is basically like a big directory of all of the different trails and paths that you can walk.
I love looking at this because I really like trail walking. It is actually a really brilliant way of hiking in an area to just do a section of the long distance trail. The paths are usually really good, the signage is really good, the trail takes you on a journey through the area, so you get to see a lot of it.
It’s especially good for bad weather alternatives (low level walking usually). If the weather is really bad and you can’t climb that mountain that you wanted to climb, then maybe you could walk along a trail instead.
Then, I actually look at the mountains and hills and one of the sources I check is the Tail 100, which is a list of Trail Magazine’s 100 best UK mountains.
It’s totally subjective list – it’s basically what they think are the best – but I’m happy with that. You might as well start from somewhere!
Sometimes there are so many different mountains in one area and you just think, “Oh gosh, where do I start? What do I do? Which ones are the best?”
This is a great help with that question.
I talk about this great checklist some more in my 5 Day Crash Course to Britain’s Best Hiking!
And here’s the link to the Trail 100 list
The other source I use to find out about worthy hills to walk is The Relative Hills of Britain by Alan Dawson. The relative hills are hills and mountains which are 200 meters higher than the surrounding ground – so they are usually hills with a view, which of course I like.
You can obviously get loads of different lists of hills. You can get the Munros, you can get the Nutalls, which is mountains over 2,000 feet. But because this book is based on relative height rather than ‘pure’ height alone, it has a lot more ideas for England and Wales (obviously the Munros are only in Scotland).
Basically I will have a look at that and see what relative hills there are in the areas where I want to walk.
I was bought this as a present a few years ago. It’s full of lovely photos, and I use it to quickly get ideas for great locations to walk. It’s useful to confirm ideas from other sources; if the same locations are mentioned in several sources, then it’s bound to be worth visiting.
This is a really useful book I’ve referred to a lot: it covers a wide range of areas around Britain and has some excellent ideas for routes as well as practical information about visiting an area.
This might include Wainwright for the Lake District, plus any other specific books and guides I have accumulated over the years.
After all this I actually have a look at my archive of clippings from British walking magazines.
These are some of the magazines that you can get in Britain for walking. There are more, but these are just some of the ones that I’m familiar with.
The main two that I’m familiar with is Country Walking and Trail.
Trail tends to be more about climbing mountains. Despite the name, it’s not really about trail walking. They sometimes include some scrambling routes and it’s slightly more ‘adventurous’, I guess. It tends to be walks that are mainly based in the North of England, Wales, or Scotland. You’ll like Trail if your idea of a good time is bivvying overnight on a mountain.
Country Walking is more gentle walking, I think it’s fair to say. Country walking probably would cover more routes in the South of England as well as everywhere else, and more low level walking suggestions.
TGO (The Great Outdoors) is another one you can get. It says it’s the UK’s best hill walking and backpacking magazine. I’m not as familiar with this one, but I get the impression that it’s mostly, or strongly based around Scotland (I apologize if I’m wrong about that).
So over many years I cut out all the routes and I filed them away by area. So if ever I’m going to a new area, I just look at that and then look at all the routes that they do. Quite often a lot of the same routes will come up over and over again, so you can see that certain routes are the main key ones to do in an area.
You get to think, “OK, that is the main thing that people tend to do… maybe I should do that?”
Again, I use word of mouth. I talk to my friends, I talk to my family.
So now I have a list of great ideas, I start to investigate them a bit more on the map.
This interactive map by the Saturday Walkers Club is brilliant for finding which mountains and hills are closest to stations/roads. You can actually see where mountains and hills of different heights are on the map, zoom in and find out their names.
Go to the website, browse the region and look at where the hills are, noting which are closest to train stations or roads where there might be bus services.
Sometimes you will find that there are some which are near to the stations and others which are just too far away and it’s just not possible to get to them. You can just cross them off your list for that weekend. You can think, maybe if I’m having a longer holiday I can go and do that, but just for this weekend, I can only really concentrate on those few.
To start from the Saturday Walkers Club website go to Walking > British and Irish Hills.
You can see each hill or mountain marked with a coloured pin:
If you click on one of the pins you can find out its name.
The others were Pen Y Fan and the Sugarloaf.
Since the former was accessible from Merthyr Tydfil and the latter from Abergavenny, this reinforced my decision to create two separate itineraries.
The Lonely Planet book also recommended walking on Pen Y Fan and the central Beacons; the Readers Digest included it in their list of amazing places; and my magazine archive included several routes for Pen Y Fn and the central Beacons. This was now a definite ‘must do’ for my Merthyr Tydfil itinerary.
The Relative Hills book and the Saturday Walkers Club map showed me that there was a cluster of summits in a horseshoe on the Black Mountains, centering around Waun Fach, closer to Crickhowell and Abergavenny. I noted that this could be a possible option for some good walking in the eastern side of the National Park.
And from the Trail Walking book, I learned about several trails passing near or through Merthyr Tydfil and Abergavenny such as the Beacons Way, the Taff Trail and the Trevithick Trail. These could be useful bad weather or low level alternatives for my itineraries.I now had a ton of great ideas of hills and trails that could form the basis of my itineraries.
The next step was to plan routes that were accessible by public transport.
So now you need to check out bus routes and find out which ones will be useful for getting you to the places you want to walk.
This isn’t always easy! I’ve found that it can take ages to Google these things.
You can get lost in a rabbit hole of links and information and bus companies and different websites, that aren’t quite right.
For example, here’s a google search I did for “Brecon Beacons + bus routes”. In a standard Google search I would have to open many of these links one after the other and then try to dig around the websites to try to find a simple route map.
Believe me, this can take forever.
What I recommend instead is that you search for it Google Images, not in the general Google Search.
Here is a search in Google images for Brecon Beacons + bus routes + map. You can immediately a few likely images – that looks like it’s got the bus numbers on it, it’s got the bus routes marked in different colours, it looks like the kind of bus map that I’m familiar with.
Now you can just immediately click through on each image and it will hopefully take you to a much more useful page.
The only thing you need to be careful of is that the bus route map is up to date and doesn’t include discontinued routes – so do treat with a little bit of caution if it isn’t on the bus operator’s website.
Unfortunately the OS maps do not show you where bus stops are.
So here’s how I find them.
In Bing.com/maps – switch from OS view to road view. Then zoom in to 200 ft / 50 m. At this scale, a little blue bus stop sign will suddenly appear where there are stops.
If you click on it, it tells you the bus route number.
On a country road there’s not going to be much identifying features around so you can flick back to the OS map view to better understand exactly where the stop is located.
Here’s what that looks like when I switch back to OS maps on Bing. So now we can see that the stops are almost directly in front of the building, and close to the plantation.
Google is similar. In Google maps, you need to zoom in to 50m. Obviously you can switch to Google Earth view to see it in context, if you like.
If you click on the bus stop, it actually tells you the route and also bus times!
There is a website called Findthestop where you can search for locations and it will show you the bus stops.
I’ve found that it doesn’t always work very well for stops on country roads, but I find it handy for checking where the stops are in village or towns.
Here’s a search I did for Crickhowell:
When I’m writing my itineraries and looking up bus stops on quiet country roads, I want to check if there is actually a bus stop sign in place, and also I find it useful to look at a picture of the stop in location, so I can see if there are any other things to note nearby, such as buildings, parking places etc.
For this I use Google street view.
In Google maps, navigate to your bus stop location. Then grab the little yellow person from the bottom right hand corner of your screen, and drop them onto the road. I sometimes find it takes a couple of goes to get it to work.
Looking around from the Brecon Beacons bus stop I was investigating, I looked to the right and saw that the bus stop was next to a car park: That’s a useful clear landmark I can tell people to look out for.
I also noticed a small refreshment shed; again, useful to know about!
On the other side of the road, I can just about see a red telephone box. All useful information to know.
Now you know where the bus stops are and what they are called, you can check on specific times to work out your itinerary in detail. For this, I use Traveline.info. It’s a really easy to use and brilliantly useful way of finding public transport information.
When you enter the departure/destination locations in the search box, after you click ‘Search’ it will usually suggest some specific locations which you can choose from.
For example, if I type in Merthyr Tydfil it will suggest Merthyr Tydfil bus station, rail station, and other options. If you are not sure you can just select the general town/place name.
If you click on a result, it will expand to show you the times, plus any walking time from your destination to the bus stop, as well as the bus route, the bus company and the duration of the journey.
A bus route that I found reference to on some websites had unfortunately now been removed from service.
But I did find two useful bus routes: one linking Merthyr Tydfil with the central Beacon hills and another that linked Abergavenny, Crickhowell and Brecon. This presented Crickhowell as a real possibility for a base; from my reading it sounded like a lovely village with lots of great walking options around.
Now it’s time to dive really deep and plan a route! For me, this is one of the most fun aspects of planning your weekend. This has two stages; getting ideas for routes, and planning out your own custom route. Here’s how I do it.
First of all, here’s how I get some ideas for routes.
A really great source is carfreewalks.org. They, as the name suggests, give routes of car free walks, submitted by members of the public.
It’s a great one for idea sparking; you could just use their route, but sometimes the routes that they suggest don’t quite fit with what I want to do.
The other thing to be aware of is sometimes bus routes stop operating or change, so you should check to ensure that the route is still accessible by bus.
To use this site, simply search for your base location and the site will suggest routes in the area.
If you click on the pin representing the start of the route, it will show a red path so you get a helpful overview of the route on a map and a summary description.
Then click on ‘show me the walk’ for all the detail, which includes an OS map.
Here are some walking route websites I might refer to for ideas.
However, I keep in mind that not all of the routes will be written with public transport in mind.
I then start Googling Blog posts. I will Google the key terms and the walks that I want to do or the hills that I want to climb and add the word “blog” to the search field. It will bring up loads of blog posts of people who have done the walk.
This can be very time consuming, as not every search result will be helpful or relevant, but you do sometimes end up on a really useful gem.
I’ll have a look and see what they say, and see what route they did, read their report, look at the photos and this will help me to get a great impression of the walk, things to look out for and insights you might not always get from a standard route instruction.
AGAIN! I ask friends and family if they’ve walked in the area which routes they recommend.
Again – I’ll dig deeper into my archive of magazine route recommendations and see if any routes appeal to me.
To do the planning of specific routes I use Ordnance Survey’s Memory Map software: I have the 1:50,000 GB Ordnance Survey Map for the whole of Britain (it costs about £100). You can also get the 1:25,000 Explorer edition which costs about £300.
Using this software you can plot out routes, measure distances, look at the routes in 3D, and more. I’ve got to admit that I probably haven’t used it to its full capabilities and I don’t know every single thing it can do, but I do use it to plan out routes and check on distances.
In Memory Map, click on the Binoculars icon to search for your location.
Type it in and click search; the software will suggest some places, click to select the correct one. The click View.
You can zoom in and out using the magnifying glass icons on the menu bar:
When I’ve found the place I want my walk to start, I then plot a route. Click on the New Route button to start:
I can then begin to plot the route on to the map. As I go, it shows me the distance of each ‘leg’ (each time I click to adjust the route) and the total distance:
I can easily see the total distance of the route I’ve plotted, and adjust accordingly if I need to.
It will also show me the total ascent and descent in the route.
As I don’t have the 1:25,000 Memory Map, I will often click over to Bing.com/maps to check little details at that scale if I need to.
When I’ve planned out the route, I then look for shorter alternatives that Walk Your Weekends members might want to try.
I’ll also check distances of any optional detours like the possibility of ‘bagging’ a nearby summit that’s only 30 minutes away from the main route, and make a note so I can add this info into the itinerary.
After all this planning I actually ended up working out itineraries for three Brecon Beacons weekends, and 11 possible routes, including bad weather/low level alternatives and shorter options for those who wanted them!
Despite the lack of bus connections, I was able to work out an itinerary that DID connect the best of Merthyr Tydfil & Abergavenny walks, including a traverse of the central Beacon fells and ending in a lovely little village with a bus stop to Crickhowell / Abergavenny. This way, Walk Your Weekends members could choose to walk the ‘best’ of the National Park in one weekend or choose to base themselves in either Merthyr or Abergavenny.
Sometimes, it’s nice to not see the views before you go and be surprised by them.
But if I’m planning on climbing a mountain that is quite serious and there are potential navigational difficulties – or I’m thinking it could be cloud or mist – I do like to have a look at what it’s like before I go so that I can visualize and then at least I have some idea of roughly what it looks like from the top, or on the way up.
It’s just another thing to keep in mind when I’m walking, to think, “Am I on the right track or not?” Here is a really easy and quick way to do that.
I go to Flickr and search for the name of the place I’m going to. This is an example of when I searched for a couple of mountains in the Brecon Beacons, Pen Y Fan and Corn Du. You immediately see what it’s like from looking at this. You can get an idea of what the walking’s like. From this I know that it’s not scrambly, the paths are quite clear, the route between Pen Y Fan and Corn Do is really clear on the ground because it’s been worn away by so many people. The summit is quite flat. All useful info.
This is really helpful for some summits which can be tricky to locate especially in mist. For example, the summit of Bowfell in the Lake District can be a bit little bit tricky to find. To have a look at some pictures of what it looks like on a clear day, it’s really helpful. You can just browse everyone’s pictures and just get a general idea.
Again, Google Images is another great one for doing a similar search.
This is the same mountain in Google Images. It’s quite reassuring because you can see “OK, the path’s really clear, and the summit is flat and the hill is grassy.”
It just gives you a really great idea of what to expect.
For contrast, look at the difference when I search for Bowfell summit, in the Lake District. Immediately you can get a feel for the kind of walking involved: it looks very rocky (and indeed it is). Completely different walking experiences:
You Tube is another great one because a lot of people put up videos of their walks. You can actually get a lot of tips from watching those videos. Some are better than others, obviously: a lot of them are just pictures like a slideshow with music over the to..
What I like to hear is people’s actual experiences, people talking about it and filming it. Then I’ll get a good idea of what the walk is like.
Sometimes I might filter the results by view count and or rating; this might bring up the more popular (better?) videos.
Now you know where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, what you’re going to do when you get there: what your preferred plan A routes are.
Here’s what I do next.
First of all I check what I call my Three Es!
First plan out your bad weather / Plan B alternative routes.
I call this my ‘EQUALLY EXCITING ALTERNATIVE‘ route to ensure my weekend is not a waste.
For all my Walk Your Weekends itineraries I have added in alternative bad weather or low level walks which will still keep you happy even if you can’t do your preferred Plan A route.
Next plan your ESCAPE ROUTES. For each route you need to know ahead of time at what points you can ‘escape’ – in other words, get off the mountain, cut your walk short, turn back or find help.
For every route, I will plan out at least one or usually two ways to escape if necessary.
In other words, check the routes you’ve planned against your walking speed, and work out when you’ll most likely finish the walk (your ETA) – then check these against the bus times you worked out earlier.
Always UNDERESTIMATE your speed!
I use a rough rule of thumb of 2 miles per hour (including any breaks, rest stops etc).
You’ll need enough time to walk your route before it gets dark!
I look at bus times, I check my train times, I ask can I actually finish the walk and get back by sunset, by the bus time to get my train back. I don’t like riding on the seat of my pants or whatever that phrase is. I like to know exactly what I’m doing and know that I’ve got plenty of time and it’s all going to be fine because I hate getting stressed out about transport.
You can find a really simple sunset times list at sunsettimes.co.uk (be aware this one is general for the UK).
Or you can easily Google for sunset times + your location and this will tell you what you need to know.
I mentioned Google Images a few times already, for finding bus route maps . I also use it for finding use this for finding street maps.
You can obviously use the standard Google Maps to find a street map of a town, but what I like to do is have a large scale image showing the named streets in black & white, rather than one that’s designed for car drivers.
I usually find that the large scale ones are more useful than the Google Maps for finding your way around a town or a village.
I often use Google Images to try and find street maps of the town, because if you use the web text search, it can take you forever. With Google Images, I can immediately see a few promising looking maps and click into them.
When I’m writing my Walk Your Weekends itineraries I will also convert all distances from miles into kilometres so that both are listed; because I know that some people prefer one to the other. I usually use a simple website for converting them, where I can just plug in the numbers.
Actually, if you type ‘miles to kilometres’ into Google, it will provide you with a simple calculator:
Another thing I always put in my Walk Your Weekends itineraries is where there are toilets (and even if there ARE any). Always useful to know!
Some places are excellent at providing information about where public toilets are. This for example, from the Isle of Wight is fantastically useful:
Otherwise, you can search the brilliant public toilet interactive map!
Here I am enjoying Table Mountain above Crickhowell with my son:
Having a fantastic day on Pen Y Fan:
And ticking off the Sugar Loaf.
From there, I can make adjustments and minor tweaks, adding in any personal insights from my visit.
You can join Walk Your Weekends here.
Please share this post if you found it useful! Cheers!
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What are the BEST scenic views in or around London?
Where are the ultimate, absolutely unmissable viewpoints on London walks?
To find out, I asked 24 London aficionados a simple question:
I asked each person for 3 suggestions, specifying only two criteria:
a) the view must be on a walk WITHIN London or accessible on a day walk FROM London (i.e. in London itself or in surrounding countryside).
b) it must appeal to outdoorsy London types who like nature/walking.
The results surprised me.
I had a few ideas of what I thought were the best viewpoints, and I expected these to be mentioned over and over.
Apart from two places which were mentioned several times – and one outright ‘winner’ – the rest were a wonderfully diverse and interesting collection which is guaranteed to give you a ton of ideas for your next walk.
There was one common thread, though:
Turns out what you REALLY love is looking back at the city from a long way away!
I guess seeing your city from an unexpected perspective is something that can never fail to delight; and makes you fall in love with London just a little bit more.
If you are going to walk in ONE place in London, which should it be?
Well, this location is a run away winner; it was mentioned the more frequently than any other place.
…specifically, folks mentioned the views from King Henry’s Mound (particularly the protected view to St Paul’s Cathedral), describing it as ‘breath taking’, ‘a perfectly framed treasure’, ‘uplifting’ and ‘fab’.
The Park also provides wonderful views of the Thames from Richmond Hill:
This was the second most frequently mentioned location for fantastic views, described as ‘stunning’, ‘beautiful’ and ‘inspiring’.
The main viewpoint is from the Royal Observatory:
I’m really grateful to everyone who took the time to send me their recommendations (and of course, I couldn’t resist giving my two pennies worth at the end!)
All together, this page has over 50 suggestions of great London walking viewpoints; enough to keep you busy for a while.
It just goes to show that there are so many beautiful places in or around London and always something new to discover.
Read on to discover each expert’s top viewpoints.
Top 5 UK travel blogger. Social media lecturer & speaker.; @aladyinlondon
1) Parliament Hill – I love Parliament Hill both for its great views of the London skyline and for its location in Hampstead Heath. The heath is a great place to walk and explore nature right in London.
2) Greenwich Park – Not only does Greenwich Park offer stunning views of the surrounding area and Canary Wharf, but it’s also in a great green space that’s good for walking and exploring.
3) The top of the Terrace Gardens in Richmond – Right before you get to Richmond Park, there’s a great view of the Thames from the top of the Terrace Gardens. It’s particularly lovely in summer when the leaves are bright green on the trees!
Author of ‘Tired of London’, ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’ & ‘London, The Weekends Start Here’; @tiredoflondon
1) One Tree Hill in Greenwich is my favourite view of all in London. (You can see my pics here)
…but that’s fairly tried-and-tested so I recommend:
2) Stanmore Country Park for a ‘hidden’ London view (here’s my photo). You can find out more here. Stanmore is also on the London Loop.
Adventurer, Microadventurer, Motivational Speaker; @Al_Humphreys
1) The view of St Pauls from Richmond Park. I find it really uplifting and reassuring that such a thing as a ‘view’ along a line of sight can be protected by law. Here’s some more information about it.
2) Leith Hill, Surrey. The view south is perfect England – hills and trees as far as you can see. Views from hilltops are always better because you have earned them.
3) Canary Wharf from Greenwich park. This view always makes me see London as a positive ‘thing’ on the landscape rather than the unfortunate blight which is how I normally perceive man-made things to be. The city looks beautiful, inspiring and enticing from the top of that green hill.
Editor-at-Large of Londonist; All round London obsessive.; @mattfromlondon
1) The Old Orchard, Harefield. If you’re walking north out of London along the Grand Junction Canal, be sure to seek out this hilltop pub. The view west is quite possibly unique for London, in that you cannot see a single building among the rolling fields and hills. As a bonus, the pub has one of the best ranges of cask ale in Greater London, with a beautiful beer garden to boot.
2) Addington Hills viewpoint. A lofty perch to the south of London, near Shirley windmill on the London LOOP. The far-off City and Canary Wharf stick up like goofy teeth, while the growing skyline of Croydon looms large in the middle-distance.
3) Westow Hill. One of the best streets in south London for pubs, Westow Hill also commands surprising views of central London. Gaps between the tightly packed buildings offer framed glimpses of the City and Shard.
Hiker, walker, rambler, outdoor enthusiast, backpacker, blogger.; @HikingMadness
1) Richmond Hill at the top of Terrace Gardens: fantastic view over the bending river Thames and onto Twickenham and St. Margarets.
2) King Henry’s Mound, Richmond: finishing a lovely walk around Richmond Park on King Henry’s Mound with a view onto St. Pauls Cathedral and a café nearby to have cream tea.
3) Box hill: a short train journey from London, fantastic view over the heart of Surrey.
Stanfords Travel: The UK’s famous travel specialists – mapping your travels since 1853.; @StanfordsTravel
1) King Henry’s Mound, Richmond Park. Richmond Park is not only a beautiful place to reach walking along the Thames Path westward, but hides a truly remarkable treasure in the view from King Henry’s Mound, where Henry VIII apparently watched a rocket being fired from the Tower of London in 1536. What makes this otherwise unremarkable little mound of earth worth the detour however is the unbroken sightline it offers all the way into the City – with a break in the hedgerow perfectly framing the dome of St Paul’s in the distance. It’s a sight which serves to remind you that London isn’t really that big after all.
2) Ranelagh Gardens, Royal Hospital Chelsea. I’m always surprised how few people know that the Royal Hospital Chelsea exists, despite knowing who the Chelsea Pensioners are. Fewer still it seems know that it’s open, for free, to the public and a tiny fraction of those more well-informed visitors discover Ranelagh Gardens. Tucked away in the South East of the Hospital’s grounds, this is a place for quiet reflection, and even perhaps a picnic. But what’s the view here? Well, there isn’t really one as such, and that’s what makes it rather special. Surrounded by trees, you can glimpse Wren’s magnificent Hospital building, and also Battersea Park off over the river to the South, but Ranelagh Gardens feels cut off from the hustle of London, and as such the view is of itself and acts as a reminder of the not so distant past when this part of London was more like a country estate than shopping high street.
3) The Dove, Hammersmith – There’s many a beautiful view to be found anywhere along the Thames Bank up from Hammersmith to Chiswick’s beautiful Strand-on-the-Green area, but after an enjoyable walk from Fulham or Barnes it’s worth rewarding yourself by raising a glass on the balcony of this seventeenth century watering hole, once favoured by everyone from Graham Greene to Charles II. In fact, though the pub itself is a joy to behold – complete with its award for the ‘Smallest Bar on the Thames’ – the view back to the elegance of the Victorian Hammersmith suspension bridge, illuminated as the night creeps in and the south bank of the river ebbs into darkness, makes it one of the more magical places to round of a day’s exploring.
Walking Girls Guide; @walking_girl
1) The view into the city from Richmond park is fab. I love this because the park feels distant from the city when you’re walking through it, but it’s actually so near.
2) The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve in Barnes. I really loved this! Again, it was actually pretty much central London, and yet it feels like it’s in the countryside.
3) The Thames: there are so many great views along the Thames, it’s hard to pick one. Walking along the Thames path gives you such fantastic variety. You could be walking on a muddy path near Chiswick one minute which feels quite countrified, and then another time you’ll be walking right past the Houses of Parliament. I’m pretty sure anyone would enjoy this view.
Qualified Clerkenwell and Islington Guide and London walking enthusiast, guide with Footprints of London; @rob_s_smith
I love a good view – it’s the reward for all the hard work of climbing up the hill, and I’ve sought out lots of good views in London. Viewpoints in London can be a bit enigmatic – there’s an old music hall song with the chorus
Now it really is a very pretty garden.
And Chingford on the Eastward can be seen.
With a ladder and some glasses
You can see to Hackney Marshes,
If it wasn’t for the houses in between.
And that often happens in London – you think you’ve found a promising hill but there’s a house in the way of a really good view. Still here’s three of my favourites.
1) The Runnymede Air Forces Memorial on Cooper’s Hill near Egham: now on a clear day you’ll get a view where you can see Canary Wharf and Windsor Castle on the same day – which is a great way to realise just how huge London is. A nice walk across meadows and through woodland from Egham station
2) The trig point near Monkhams Hall north of Waltham Abbey: For a totally different view of London, climb up the hill to the trig point near Monkhams Hall north of Waltham Abbey. From there you can look South down the Lea Valley. OK its not a glacial valley in Snowdonia but the Lea Valley looks pretty impressive from here, with Alexandra Palace seeming tower over the valley below.
3) The Peachy Tomb at St Mary’s Church Harrow: Now I love the view from Primrose Hill, but its always so crowded, so my third nomination is the view from the Peachy Tomb at St Mary’s Church Harrow where you can get a great view of Central London all to yourself (usually). You’ll be in good company though – this is where Lord Byron sat and enjoyed the view as a Harrow schoolboy. If you’ve walked the Capital Ring you’ll have got near to here but annoyingly the path doesn’t take you through the churchyard – a shame not to get a reward of a view after that hard climb up Harrow Hill. Of course you can enjoy lots of London Literary locations in the annual Literary Footprints Festival.
First person to walk the new Tube Map (Tube, Overground, DLR, TFL Rail and Cable Car).; @randomlylondon
1) Parliament Hill: I used to be able to run up here at lunch hour and was (almost) always rewarded with an amazing view over all of central London with far fewer people around than you’d find on nearby Primrose Hill.
2) The view from the top of Greenwich Park: Although often filled with tourists it gives you a great view of the Old Royal Naval College along with Canary Wharf and the City.
3) The Thames Barrier from Thames Barrier Park: The Thames Barrier is London’s unsung engineering marvel that happens to look great too. And there’s no better place to see it than Thames Barrier Park.
City of London guide, Greenwich tour guide: My London Walks; @mylondontours
1) Island Gardens looking across towards Greenwich
2) From Shooters Hill: from the viewing gallery at Severndroog Castle
3) Thames Barrier seen from South bank in Woolwich
Hiker, wildcamper and landscape artist; @hillplodder
My three are all highlights from the London LOOP, so are on the periphery of London:
1) Five Arch Bridge on the River Cray
2) Buttercup fields near Botany Bay farm, Enfield.
3) Havering Country Park: the view towards distant central London from the western end.
These aren’t necessarily the most stunning or dramatic views but they are the ones that I remembered and cherished the most.
No. 2 some would consider a bit tame, but was actually the highlight of the entire LOOP for me.
Nature and animals lover,outdoors addict. Blogger: The Healthy Veggie; @ElenaManighetti
1) Richmond Park: the deer in the sunset
2) Hampstead Heath: the view of the park from the hills and the wood walks
3) Epping Forest: the walk in the woods
Walking across Britain, one long distance footpath at a time; @ramblingmanuk
1) Cuckmere Meanderings. Rather over-shadowed by the nearby Seven Sisters, because the best vantage point is a little off the beaten track, it’s very worth checking out. There is something absolutely stunning about standing on top of a small hill and looking down on the river slowly twist and turn around on its way to Cuckmere Haven. For a day walk, try Glynde to Seaford from the Time Out Book of Country Walks. It’s also on the South Downs Way.
2) The view towards St Paul’s from Waterloo Bridge. Many years ago I used to work on the Aldwych and for part of that time, commuted into Waterloo and walked over the bridge to work. Twice a day I’d enjoy the wonderful view from Waterloo Bridge. Even in the pouring rain, it is glorious. But for the best views, go after dark. In fact if you want a great Thames Path walk, do the whole section from Tower Bridge to Westminster once the sun has gone in. It’s just brilliant.
3) Whiteleaf Hill, near Princess Risborough. It’s on the Ridgeway and on the Time Out Book of Country Walks walk, the Wendover Circular. The high vantage point gives a cracking view of the town below, and of nearby hills. So popular is it, that there’s an absolutely massive bench there where you can sit and while-away the hours.
Freelance nature and wildlife journalist, Woodland Trust super campaigner & communications for The Tree Council; @charlotterixon
1) Waterlow Park, Highate, looking south east towards the City. This is one of my favourite North London parks and I like reach it via the Parkland Walk old railway line that goes from Finsbury Park to Highgate. The view is similar to the one from Parliament Hill but I prefer this version because it is framed by a dense, treescape through which you can just see the City spires poking through.
2) Hornimam Gardens, Forest Hill, looking south. On a clear day, from this peaceful spot, you can see across Kent and the South Downs, making it the perfect place from which to plan your next escape out of London. The views in the other direction, looking across London, aren’t bad either.
3) Lordship Recreation Ground, Tottenham, looking east. The views from Alexandra Palace are quite impressive but the brow of the hill in Lordship Recreation Ground is the best place from which to get a view of Ally Pally itself. I love gazing upon such a green horizon from within such an urban area.
1) Ranmore Common, near Dorking
2) Box Hill, near Dorking
3) Newlands Corner, near Clandon or Guildford.
All these are on the North Downs Way, and on a clear day you can see across the rolling greensand country, as far as the South Downs ridge. If I ever need to lift my spirits, these are the places I’d head for! Box Hill even has a viewpoint with markers to tell you what you can see in each direction.
Outdooraholics: Hiking day trips and weekends around the UK for Londoners in their 20s to mid 40s; @outdooraholics
1) Seven Sisters coastal hike: The most dramatic and breath taking views in the South East of England
2) King Henry’s Mound, Richmond: Famous as being the viewpoint from which King Henry observed the signal at the Tower of London when he had his wife Anne Boleyn executed, it boasts breath taking views of St Pauls with a direct line of sight and a telescope trained on the cathedral. Being on the edge of Richmond Park it’s also the ideal base from which to explore the park or maybe just enjoy a drink in Pembroke Lodge Café a few minutes away.
A glimpse of London in images a little bit quirky and a little bit trad; @aglimpselondon
1) The roof garden at the top of John Lewis, Oxford Street: a welcome break when walking around Oxford St.
2) The park around the art pavilion at Mile End ( E3 4QY) (see my blog post here)
3) The Connaught Bridge in Docklands. From here you can see Silvertown, London airport and the city.
Life After London: connecting London leavers with locals; @lifeafterlondon
1) Painshill park. The view looking back from the hill top over the park land.
2) Wimbledon common, the view through the woods looking at the lake .
3) Kew Gardens: view down the avenue, especially in Autumn but so stunning as it changes throughout the seasons.
Public speaker, Fundraiser, World record holder, Writer, Advisor; @LouisBedwell
1) Primrose hill. I’m sure that has already been said!
2) King Henry’s Mound, Richmond Park.
3) Greenwich Park- Royal Observatory
I’d also suggest walking across the top of the 02. It’s an attraction but still a walk and the views are amazing!
1) Northala Fields, Northolt. A recently revamped local park, but notable for having four huge cones, built from rubble from the demolition of the original Wembley Stadium. The cones are each laid out differently and reward the climb with vast views across West London as far as the City.
2) The Point, Greenwich. While most will head over to Greenwich Observatory for the views, one of the best lesser known views can be found a few hundred yards away in a little park which is well known to locals, but not to tourists.
3) The Copper Horse, Windsor. One of the highest spots in the area, it is a well known landmark with the famous Long Walk offering a manicured vista direct to Windsor Castle. The final few hundred yards are at a steep angle, and the final scramble to the top is worth resisting the temptation to turn around half way up.
Award-winning travel and outdoor journalist; @sianannalewis
1) Epping Forest – it’s hard to believe you’re still in London. Perfect for trail running amongst beautiful woods.
2) Regents Park canal – the perfect walk past brightly painted canal boats on a sunny winter afternoon
3) Hampstead Heath – for a view over the city and a swim in the ponds if you feel really brave!
Blogging about the cool London things!; @TaniaBunic
Sorry if this isn’t very original but they are really great viewpoints!
1. Greenwich Park
2. Primrose Hill
London walking guide; @Jennibguide
I do have a favourite walk which contains some of the best views in Central London – a Stroll through time along the Thames, from Tower Hill to Blackfriars.
1) From the sundial on the mound behind Tower Hill tube station – fabulous view of the Tower of London and the sundial itself is worth a few minutes as engravings around the base tell the story of 2000 years in London.
2) From the river walk at Billingsgate: one of my favourite places in the City. From here you see Tower Bridge, City Hall, HMS Belfast and London Bridge – the whole Pool of London with the added bonus of Customs House and Old Billingsgate. Fabulous!
3) The view from the platforms of Blackfriars station (to cheat slightly!). Built across the river, the view at night is especially wonderful. With no Oystercard, stand on the riverbank underneath the bridge.
If I can sneak in an extra stop, it would have to be the view of Shakespeare’s Globe and Tate Modern from the north end of the Millennium Bridge!
1) Seven Sisters, South Downs: incredible chalky undulating cliffs provide an outstanding walk along the South Downs towards Eastbourne. I love the view from Hope Gap, as you approach Cuckmere Haven from Seaford.
2) Devil’s Punch Bowl, South Downs: John Constable described the panorama from Devil’s Dyke as ‘the grandest view in the world’! It’s a popular beauty spot for residents of Brighton & Hove; this is accessible on a day hike from London and it’s definitely worth visiting. The views north towards are glorious and you have the added bonus of the impressive scoop of the Dyke itself to contemplate too.
3) Devil’s Punchbowl, Surrey: Brilliant views north from the head of the punchbowl, a large natural amphitheatre crossed with a myriad of winding sandy footpaths and heather. Combine with a walk along nearby Hindhead Commons and you could be on the North York moors.
When you need to escape the city, where do you head to?
You want to walk somewhere REALLY beautiful.
Somewhere that really makes you feel like you’re in the heart of a unique landscape.
The answer?
Try an official ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB).
There are eight close to London, possible to visit within a day. Wouldn’t it make a great challenge to visit each of them?
Over an occasional series of blog posts, I’ll be showcasing each one!
Today we are looking at:
Here’s a taster of what to expect from this AONB, and some ‘must do’ walks to experience the best of the area.
1. The High Weald AONB is situated between the North and South Downs.
2. The area is a patchwork of small, irregular shaped fields and ancient woodland.
It’s considered one of the best surviving medieval landscapes in Northern Europe.
3. Narrow, sunken lanes are a feature of the area; resulting from centuries of droving animals to graze
4. Ashdown Forest is one of the largest free public access spaces in the South East.
It’s stunningly beautiful healthland:
‘Forest’ in this case means a Royal hunting park – not a area covered with trees.
Ashdown Forest is famous for inspiring Winnie-the-Pooh!
5. The High Weald landscape trail is a 90 mile route that covers some of the major features of this AONB.
Some of the route, with a bit of tweaking, is accessible via train stations, from London.
The Vanguard Way also passes through the High Weald and the best of Ashdown Forest on its way from Croydon to the Sea.
6. The Weald includes many natural wildflower meadows:
7. And at the coast, the nature reserve at Rye Harbour is a superb place for bird spotting:
8. Eridge rocks are an interesting cluster of sandstone rock outcrops:
Best walks recap!
When you need to escape the city, where do you head to?
You want to walk somewhere REALLY beautiful.
Somewhere that really makes you feel like you’re in the heart of a unique landscape.
The answer?
Try an official ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB).
There are eight close to London, possible to visit within a day. Wouldn’t it make a great challenge to visit each of them?
Over an occasional series of blog posts, I’ll be showcasing each one!
Today we are looking at:
Here’s a taster of what to expect from this AONB, and six ‘must do’ walks to experience the best of the area.
1. You’ll definitely be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life here.
These lovely green fields are on a section of the North Downs Way; which of course is a fantastic way to explore this AONB.
2. If you’re lucky, the fields might be yellow:
3. The Wye Downs give beautiful views over Kent; the Wye Crown memorial is a major viewpoint:
4. The Wye National Nature Reserve includes such beauty spots as the Devil’s kneading trough:
[Devil’s Kneading Trough by Alex (licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)]
5. Kemsing Down also provides fantastic views:
[View from the North Downs Way Over Kemsing, Kent by Glen (licensed under CC BY 2.0)]
6. You’ll find yourself passing through many orchards and vineyards:
[Fragrant by ACK 1974 (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)]
7. Bluebell Hill is a place that’s loved by many:
[Bluebell Hill,Kent by simon*** (licensed under CC BY 2.0)]
[Bluebell Hill by Ben Allen (licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)]
8. Knole Park is a stunning deer park on the outskirts of Sevenoaks:
[Bluebell Hill by Garry Knight (licensed under CC BY 2.0)]
9. Just walking out on the Downs is a great experience in any weather:
[Storm over the Downs by David Hewson (licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)]
10.And of course, we can’t forget the white cliffs of Dover:
[Thie White Cliffs of Dover by Tobias van der Haar (licensed under CC BY 2.0)]
Best six walks recap!
The Parkland Walk is a 4.5 mile (7.2 km) walk, following a disused railway line from Finsbury Park, through Highgate to Alexandra Palace. You can easily reach it from Finsbury Park station (Victoria Line) or Highgate (Northern Line).
Here is a lovely documentary showing some of the sights and the importance of the route to dog walkers, cyclists, walkers and locals.
The route is maintained by the Friends of The Parkland Walk.
In fact, it’s a linear nature reserve; “a wilderness gem right in the middle of London”, as the presenter in this clip describes it:
Although the walk finishes abruptly at Muswell Hill road, you can extend the walk by crossing and heading through Alexandra Park (just below the famous Palace) and finishing at Alexandra Palace train station, or heading a little further to Wood Green (Piccadilly Line).
(Walking to Wood Green would be along busy streets; it’s only worth doing if you really prefer to get to Wood Green than Alexandra Palace station).
The view from Alexandra Palace is one of the best in London and certainly not to be missed (it’s one of my ten ‘must do’s’ for London hikers).
Here is a lovely quick run through on a wintery day: