Walking London

If, like me, you love walking through and around London,

then below you will find some great ready planned routes to follow,

Each route takes you through a different area, from green spaces to landmarks,

from history to the recent past and much more.

As new routes are created, or I make a route of my own that I think is interesting,

I will add it to this page.

Also, whilst you are wandering through this amazing city, keep your eyes peeled for those uncommon 

pieces of history that can still be found beneath your feet.

This can include rare coal hole covers and wooden paving blocks,

 still in situ on London's streets and roads.

CAPITAL RING - (78 miles - Split into 15 sections)

1. Woolwich Foot Tunnel to Falconwood
2. Falconwood to Grove Park
3. Grove Park to Crystal Palace
4. Crystal Palace to Streatham
5. Streatham to Wimbledon Park
6. Wimbledon Park to Richmond Bridge
7. Richmond Bridge to Osterley Lock
8. Osterley Lock to Greenford
9. Greenford to South Kenton
10. South Kenton to Hendon
11. Hendon to Highgate
12. Highgate to Stoke Newington
13. Newington to Hackney Wick
14. Hackney Wick to Beckton District Park
15. Beckton District Park to Woolwich

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route. 

FLEET RIVER - Hampstead Heath to Blackfriars Bridge (6.5 miles)

This is a great walk that pretty accurately follows the route of London's most famous 'lost' river. Plus, at certain points along the route you will be able to hear, and sometimes see, the river through grates in the ground.

1. Hampstead Heath to Fleet Road
2. Southampton Road to Malden Road
3. Queens Crescent to Grafton Road
4. Inkerman Road to Willes Road
5. Castlehaven Road to Hawley Road
6. Kentish Town Road to Camden Gardens
7. Camden Street to Camden Road
8. Lyme Street* to Royal College Street
9. College Grove NW to St Pancras Way
10. Pancras Road to Euston Road
11. Birkenhead Street to St Chad's Street
12. St Chad's Place to King's Cross Road
13. Cubitt Street to Pakenham Street
14. Phoenix Place to Warner Street
15. Ray Street** to Herball Hill
16. Saffron Hill*** to Greville Street
17. Farringdon Road to Farringdon Street
18. New Bridge Street to east side of Blackfriars Bridge****

* The Prince Albert pub: A grate outside the pub allows you to hear the river Fleet flowing

** The Coach pub: A grate outside the pub allows you to hear the river Fleet flowing

*** The One Tun pub: A grate outside the pub allows you to hear the river Fleet flowing

**** At the lowest tide you can, allegedly, see the river Fleet

GREEN CHAIN - Thamesmead to Nunhead Cemetery (50 miles - Split into 11 sections)

This walking route will take you from the River Thames at Thamemead through to Nunhead Cemetery taking you through fields, parks and woodlands and visiting some historic sites along the varied route.

1. Thamesmead to Lesnes Abbey
2. Erith to Bostall Woods
3. Bostall Woods to Oxleas Meadows
4. Charlton Park to Bostall Woods
5. Thames Barrier to Oxleas Meadows
6. Oxleas Woods to Mottingham
7. Shepherdleas Wood to Middle Park
8. Mottingham to Beckenham Place Park (alternative route via Downham and Chinbrook Link to Elmstead Woods)
9. Chislehurst to Beckenham Place Park
10. Beckenham Place Park to Crystal Palace
11. Crystal Palace to Nunhead Cemetery

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route. 

JUBILEE GREENWAY - (38 miles)

This walking route will take you on a fabulous walk from Buckingham Palace to Camden and on to Woolwich and back again. On the route you will see Kensington Palace, Little Venice, Chapel Market, Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, O2 Arena, Greenwich Park, Pepys Park, HMS Belfast, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Buckingham Palace, Regents Park, Camden Market, Beckton District Park, Woolwich Foot Tunnel and the Thames Barrier.

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route. 

JUBILEE WALKWAY - (17.5 miles - Split into 5 sections)

1. The Western Loop - (6 miles)

Start and finish at Leicester Square. You will see The Mall, Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace, London Eye, Southbank and the Royal Festival Hall, Tate Modern, St Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, The John Soane's Museum, The Royal Opera House and The National Portrait Gallery.

2. The Eastern Loop - (3.5 miles)

Start and finish at Tate Modern. You will see Southwark Cathedral, HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge, The Monument, Mansion House, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and Tate Modern

3.The City Loop - (2 miles)

Start and finish at St. Paul's Cathedral. You will see St Paul's Cathedral, The Museum of London, The Barbican, Guildhall Art Gallery and Girdlers' Hall.

4. The Camden Loop - (4 miles)

Start and finish at King's College, Chancery Lane. You will see Bedford Row, The Brunswick Centre, The British Museum, Sicilian Avenue, Southampton Row, Sir John Soane's Museum and The British Library.

5. The Jubilee Loop - (2 miles)

Start and finish at Trafalgar Square. You will see Trafalgar Square, Admiralty Arch, The Mall, St James's Park, Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route. 

LEA VALLEY - Waltham Abbey to East India Dock - (15.5 miles)

This walking route follows the Lea Navigation from Waltham Abbey to Limehouse Basin.

It is split into six easy to walk routes.

1. Waltham Abbey to Ponders End
2. Ponders End to Tottenham Hale
3. Tottenham Hale to Lea Bridge
4. Lea Bridge to Three Mills
5. Three Mills to Limehouse Basin
6. Three Mills to East India Dock

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route. 

LONDON MONOPOLY GAME WALK - (50+ miles)

For anyone after a real challenge then attempting the London Monopoly Route, in order, is possibly the most arduous walk. 

You will find yourself doubling back on yourself and crisscrossing your route, multiple times. It will also take you in excess of 12 hours.

Obviously, you will have to pick which prison to visit, which water and electric company site and good luck finding 'Free Parking'. Go to Jail is also tricky, but you could just head to a police station.

LONDON OUTER ORBITAL PATH (LOOP) - (150 miles - Split into 24 sections)

This walking route is, basically, the M25 for pedestrians and will take you through some wonderful places. These include various parks, woods and historic sites and Hampton Court Palace.

1. Erith to Old Bexley
2. Old Bexley to Petts Wood
3. Petts Wood to West Wickham Common
4. West Wickham Common to Hamsey Green
5. Hamsey Green to Couldson South
6. Couldson South to Banstead Downs
7. Banstead Downs to Ewell
8. Ewell to Kingston Bridge
9. Kingston Bridge to Hatton Cross
10. Hatton Cross to Hayes & Harlington
11. Hayes & Harlington to Uxbridge
12. Uxbridge to Harefield West
13. Harefield West to Moor Park
14. Moor Park to Hatch End
15. Hatch End to Elstree
16. Elstree to Cockfosters
17. Cockfosters to Enfield Lock
18. Enfield Lock to Chingford
19. Chingford to Chigwell
20. Chigwell to Havering-atte Bower
21. Havering-atte-Bower to Harold Wood
22. Harold Wood to Upminster Bridge
23. Upminster Bridge to Rainham
24. Rainham to Purfleet

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route.  

LOW LINE - Southwark to Bermondsey - (2 miles)

This walking route will take you along the Victorian rail viaducts and the arches that have now been converted into studios, bars, food halls, markets and much more. Sights to look out for include, Old Union Yard Arches, Flat Iron Square, Borough Market, London Bridge, Vinegar Yard, Maltby Street Market and Blue Market.

LONDON WALL WALK - Tower of London to the old Museum of London - (1 3/4 miles)

This walk will take you along the line of the City Wall and has 21 markers placed along the route, so that it can be followed in either direction.

PARKLAND WALK - Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace (4.5 miles)

This walking route follows an old railway line that ran from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace, taking you through some peaceful green spaces and London's largest Nature Reserve.

Look out for Muntjac deer, foxes, butterflies, hedgehogs and much more.

REGENT'S CANAL - Paddington to Limehouse - (8.5 miles)

This walk will take you from the Paddington Basin to the Limehouse Basin, following the route of the canal. Starting at Little Venice you will pass ZSL London Zoo and on through Camden and down towards the River Thames.

THAMES PATH - Richmond to the Eastern Marshes - (80 miles)

This walking route begins at Hampton Court Palace and is split into 8 sections (4 on the north bank and 4 on the south bank).

North bank

1. Hampton Court to Albert Bridge
2. Albert Bridge to Tower Bridge
3. Tower Bridge to Greenwich
4. Greenwich to East India Dock

South bank

1. Teddington Lock to Battersea Park
2. Albert Bridge to Tower Bridge
3. Tower Bridge to Thames Barrier
4. Thames Barrier to River Darent

If you complete the route you can visit the Transport for London website and download a Certificate to say that you have completed the route.  

Obviously, you could walk from the source of the River Thames, in the Cotswolds, to Henley, but this will take you 6 days, at least.

VICTORIA PARK - (213 acres)

London's oldest public park is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. Highlights include two cafes, a lake, bandstand, a tavern, a pagoda and two alcoves that were saved from London Bridge, when it was demolished in 1831. Known locally as 'The People's Park' or 'Vicky Park' it opened in 1845.

WANDLE TRAIL - Croydon to Wandsworth - (14 miles)

This walking routes follows the course of the River Wandle from its humble beginnings near Croydon to its end at the River Thames in Wandsworth.