If you’ve never been
to London
before then it stands to reason that one thing you might worry about is how to
get around the city with ease. But one
of the great and quite unique things about London is that, despite being a capital city,
it is pretty walkable. In fact, choosing
to walk around London
can often mean that you get to discover fascinating little pockets and hidden
gems which you might otherwise have missed if you chose instead to navigate
your way around via the tube or bus.
It’s also a fantastic way to get to know and understand the city so that
on future visits you will already have a basic grasp of places to go and places
to skip.
To that end, we have
put together just a few walks around the city which will allow you to take in
some of the brilliant attractions, soak up the atmosphere and appreciate the
fresh air and picturesque places which exist in London.
Little Venice
to Camden
This is a wonderful
walk which takes you alongside Regent’s Canal and should be approximately an
hour at a slow and steady pace. You
might even be forgiven for thinking that you have left the bustling city of London behind and instead
been transported to a canal in the countryside.
You could start at either Little Venice or Camden, although Little Venice is a great
place to end up as there are a number of waterside cafes and pubs which are
ideal for grabbing something to eat after your walk. During the warmer months the canal also comes
alive with barges and boats; if you fancied a break from walking it is also
possible to venture onto a barge and coast up the canal that way instead. This particular route is also known as part
of the Jubilee Greenway Walk; a 60km route which was created to link the 2012
Olympic and Paralympic venues in London.
The South Bank
One of the most
popular places to walk is undoubtedly the South Bank. It’s one of the most culturally rich parts of
the city and often, as evening falls, you can discover all kinds of street
performers and entertainers taking to the streets. It’s also a great walk if you want to take in
some of London’s
best known landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the London
Eye and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Start at Westminster Bridge and walk towards the Houses of Parliament
(which should be visible in the distance) and you can keep going until you end
up at Borough Market; one of London’s best food markets. This is a great morning walk to take as you
can stop off at the Market to pick up some small treats for lunchtime. Or try winding down the day as you stroll
along the River Thames; if you time it right you can watch the sun setting over
the water which is a truly beautiful sight to see.
South Kensington
Both South
Kensington is a very affluent area in the city, meaning there is a
lot worth seeing if you choose to complete this particular walk. You will be just a short distance from South
Kensington if you choose to stay at the Shaftesbury
Hyde Park International hotel and as it is situated in Central
London, you will get to take in a lot of famous landmarks at the
same time. South Kensington is home to
some of the city’s biggest museums: the Natural
History Museum,
the V&A and the Science
Museum are all located
here. If you head towards Soho you will also pass by some of the more luxurious
stores in the city including Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Soho is one of the trendiest areas in London so end your walk
by rewarding yourself with a visit to one of the trendy wine bars which are
located here.
The Thames
Path
The Thames Path is a
huge trail (184 miles) which runs from the start of the River Thames in the
Cotswolds all the way through the city and out towards Greenwich.
You could pick any part of the Thames Path and be sure to have an
enjoyable experience. One of the most
interesting sections is located around Hampton Court
Palace. The Palace itself makes for a pretty great
day out with its Tudor architecture, world class maze and sculptured gardens
but if you are short on time then a quick walk around the gardens would work
just fine. You could then set off towards
the city although it’s a long walk so unless you are willing to spend a good
portion of your day walking you might want to plot a route ahead of time using
a map of London. You can pick up maps of the city from any
newsagents in London
or there are several electronic versions and apps available for download as
well.
Hampstead Heath
You could choose any
of London’s
parks and be impressed with the open space and your surroundings. For a capital city London has a surprising number of parks and
open spaces for residents and visitors to take advantage of. However, for great views of the city
alongside woodland, meadows and rolling countryside try Hampstead Heath. The Heath consists of 791 acres of space and
is a true example of an English countryside set within a city. You can see all kinds of plants, trees and
wildlife here and, in addition, Hampstead Heath offers stunning views of London’s skyline and
there is even a zoo, three swimming ponds and an outdoor lido as well for those
who are feeling especially brave. Lose
yourself for a few hours just wandering around this beautiful space or pack up
a picnic and find a quiet spot from which to enjoy the tranquillity and views.
Comments