No need to get out of London for a countryside feeling amazing day out. I have selected for you 7 of the best walks you can do in Greater London. Nature is at your doorsteps!
Exit busy London and concrete jungle, we want some nature in our lives! No need to book train tickets, I’ve got you covered with 7 of the best walks in Greater London. So take your Oyster card and follow me!
Best Walks in Greater London
1 – Orpington to Knockholt
We might intend to forget it yet Orpington is actually in Greater London. This means you do not require a train ticket to get there. I prefer to mention it because I made the mistake myself and bought tickets to get somewhere accessible by Oyster card (or contactless, whichever one you prefer). The walk from Orpington to Knockholt is ideal for a Sunday stroll as it ends at the Bo-Peep pub where they serve amazing Sunday roasts. The path is mainly paved so a pair of trainers is sufficient. It is a fairly easy walk with a bit of hill climbing but nothing too hard.
Logistic for the Orpington to Knockholt walk
- Distance: 10.5 miles (16.9 km)
- Ascent: 286 m
- Walking Estimate: 3 hours and 45 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- How to get there: Train from and to London Bridge
- What to pack: Comfortable clothing, pair of trainers as you would be walking on paved paths a lot, water (2 litres recommended)
Highlights of the Orpington to Knockholt walk
- Orpington
- Woodlands and valley
- Chelsfield Golf Club
- Eat at the Bo-peep
2 – Epping Forest
Accessible by tube, Epping Forest is a must-do when you live in London. Last stop on the Central Line, it is a bit far but an easy journey to get there. The forest is within walking distance of the tube station. The walk is fairly easy however the path can get really muddy if it has been raining, so I recommend that you take a pair of hiking shoes and gaiters with you. Once the walk is over, head to the High Street where you can find the George & Dragon pub which I highly recommend for their Sunday roasts.
Logistic for the Epping Forest walk
- Distance: 12.12 miles (19.5km)
- Ascent: 270m
- Walking estimate: 3 hours
- Difficulty: Easy
- How to get there: Central Line to Epping Station
- What to pack: Comfortable clothing and footwear (don’t forget the gaiters if you are going on or after a rainy day) water (2 litres recommended)
Highlights of the Epping Forest Walk
- Epping town
- Epping Forest
- Eat at the George & Dragon
3 – Epping Green
Let’s stay around Epping, but this time a bit further down. You would need to get a Uber from the station to reach Epping Green village. This beautiful countryside walk takes around open fields, farms and crops. The hike is composed of three loops so you can pick and choose how many you want to do and shorten the walk as it pleases you. It is a fairly easy hike, with some hill but not too high. As you will be mainly walking across fields, hiking shoes are highly recommended and even gaiters if it has been raining.
Logistic for the Epping circular walks
- Distance: 10.12 miles (16.3 km) – you can shorten it, depending on how many loops you want to do
- Ascent: 108 m
- Difficulty: Easy
- Walking estimate: 3 hours and a half for the three loops back-to-back
- How to get there: Central Line to Epping Station (last stop). Then you can either walk an extra 4 miles (6.43 km) or 8 miles (12.8km) if you walk it on the way back too, to get to Epping Green. Alternatively, you can order an Uber (approximately £10 each way)
- What to bring: comfortable clothing and footwear (no trainers recommended), gaiters (especially if it has been raining during the week) snack for the break, water (2 litres recommended)
4 – Belvedere to Greenwich
Belvedere is not really a well-known location, even though it is on the Thames Path. Located in fair zone 5, you can get there by train. This walk will take you from marshes in Belvedere to Greenwich Park and the Observatory, passing by the O2 Arena and the cable cars. The Thames Path is paved all the way, so a pair of trainers is sufficient. The walk is entirely flat until you reach Greenwich Park which is on a hill. You could stay at the bottom, but I highly recommend that you get to the top to enjoy the view over East London. The ideal place to get some food is the Greenwich Market where you can buy a takeaway to eat at the park.
Logistic for the Thames path: Belvedere to Greenwich walk
- Distance: 12.5 miles (20km)
- Ascent: Flat
- Walking estimate: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Difficulty: Intermediate due to the distance. However, you can shorten the walk and do Woolwich to Greenwich which is 6.94 miles (11.16km) to make it an easy walk
- How to get there: Trains from London Bridge. Belvedere is in fare zone 5 so you only need your Oyster card or contactless card.
- What to pack: Comfortable clothing, pair of trainers for walking in concrete, water (2 litres recommended)
Highlights of the Thames path: Belvedere to Greenwich walk
- Crossness Nature Reserve
- The Assembly
- Hydra and Khali
- The O2
- The cable car
- Cutty Sark
- Greenwich University
- Greenwich park
- The Royal Observatory
5 – Kingston Loop via Hampton Court Palace
This is a perfect stroll to do on a sunny day. Starting and finishing in lovely Kingston-Upon-Thames, the town is accessible by train from Central London or by bus if you live in West London. From the royal Bushy Park and its deer to stunning Hampton Court Palace and the River Thames, this walk has it all. It is entirely flat all the way and on paved paths so a pair of trainers will suffice. You can end the walk in one of the restaurants by the river in Kingston for cooling ice cream and refreshing drinks.
Logistic for the Kingston Loop walk
- Distance: 10 miles (16km)
- Ascent: Flat
- Walking estimate: 3 hours and a half
- Difficulty: Easy
- How to get there: Trains to Kingston Station from London Waterloo or by bus if, like me, you live in West London
- What to pack: Comfortable clothing, pair of trainers, water (2 litres recommended)
Highlights of the Kingston Loop walk
- Kingston Upon Thames market town and retail centre
- Toppling Telephone Boxes sculpture
- Bushy Park deer
- Diana Fountain
- Hampton Court Palace
- Hampton Court Gardens
6 – Horsenden Hill
This is a piece of countryside in London. Located within a walking distance from Perival tube station on the Central Line, Horsenden Hill is composed of a farm, open fields, woodlands and a canal. There are also many activities that you can do on Horsenden Hill such as Footgolf or Diskgolf. For kids, the hill is the home of one of the many Gruffalo trails in the country which a fun way to discover and learn about the forest wildlife. You can end the walk by the canal where you can find a playground area. This is the perfect spot for a picnic. As its name indicates Horsenden Hill is a hill meaning there will be some climbing involved. The highest point is at 85 m where you will find a trig point.
Logistic for the Horsenden Hill walk
- Distance: There are a variety of walks you can do on Horsenden Hill including a Gruffalo Trail which is ideal for kids. I have put below the map of a 2.7 miles (4.3km) walk I have done as a reference, but there are many more you can do
- Ascent: 85m
- Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate depending on your ability to climb the hill. The climb is the only difficult part of the walk
- Walking Estimate: 1 hour for the 2.7 miles reference walk
- How to get there: Central Line to Perival then it is a 10 minutes walk to the car park where the trail starts. Alternatively, you can take bus 297 which will take you much closer. Get off at Perival Community Centre stop and walk to the car park
- What do I pack: Comfortable clothing and a decent pair of shoes. You will be climbing a hill as well as walking through a forested area where the path can get muddy if it has been raining during the week. I would recommend hiking shoes or a pair of trainers you do not mind getting dirty. Bring with you a snack and a packed lunch as there is a kids playground which is perfect for a picnic. On a bright day, bring sunscreen and a headcover as you will be walking through open lands
Highlights of the Horsenden Hill walk
- Community Farm & Farm Shop
- Gruffalo Trail
- Horsenden Hill Trig point
- Horsenden Wood
- Playground
- Grand Union Canal
- Horsenden Hill Activity Center
- Sudbury Golf
- Walk part of the Capital Ring
7 – Welsh Harp
When the temperatures are rising, everybody is rushing to the main parks in London, from Hyde Park to Hampstead Heath. But there is a place which is not really famous (yet), like an Oasis in London. It is the Brent Reservoir, also called the Welsh Harp. Less crowded, with picnic tables, open fields, forested areas for a bit of shade and all around a source of water for freshness, this is the perfect sunny day out in London. You can see canoes and boats sailing on the reservoir and even take lessons yourslef. The only downside is that the path can get muddy so you need to take with you a pair of shoes you do not mind getting dirty.
Logistic for the Welsh Harp Walk
- Distance: 3.61 miles (5.81 km) for the whole tour of the Welsh Harp. Of course, you can shorten this walk depending on where you start or where you turn around
- Ascent: 61 m
- Difficulty: Easy
- Walking Estimate: 1 hour and 30 minutes at an average speed of 4km/hour
- How to get there:
- By Train: Trains to Hendon Station (Thameslink). It then takes 10 minutes on foot to get to the reservoir
- By bus: The closest stop is Hendon Broadway where you can find buses 32, 83, 142, 183
- By tube: The nearest station is Hendon Central on the Northern Line. You will then need to take bus 83 to West Hendon Broadway. Alternatively, you can take the Jubilee or Metropolitan line to Wembley Park and then bus 297 or 182 to Blackbird Hill. From there it is a short walk to the reservoir
- By car: To visit the North bank, park on Woolmead avenue. Please note that on weekdays the whole area is reserved for resident permit holders only. Additionally, there is a small free car park on Cool Oak Lane. For the South bank, park in Aboyne Road
- What to bring with you: Comfortable clothing and a pair of trainers. You cannot swim in Brent Reservoir so no need to take your swimsuit. You can bring your own food and drinks, or alternatively, there is a Co-op on Hendon Broadway where you will find what you need. I recommend you take sunscreen and headcover if you are going on a sunny day as there is no shade by the picnic tables
- Additional information:
- The paths in Welsh Harp are not suitable for prams and wheelchair users
- Public toilets are available on the North bank by the Environment Education Centre
Final Thoughts on the Best Walks in Greater London
Here ends our stroll through 7 of the best walks in Greater London. There are of course many more to discover and I will update the article as I go.
Let me know in the comments below what are your best walks in Greater London. I would love the read about your adventures.
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If you are looking for great walks to do near London, check these articles:
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