Whether you are looking for a family walk with kids, or a day hike with friends, from an easy stroll to a challenging hike, for one day or for the weekend, here is a selection of walks you can do near London this Easter. Hunting eggs or bluebells, working on your bushcraft skills or your sword skills at a medieval festival, here is just a hint of all the activities you can find on route when hiking this Easter weekend.
Updated: 26 March 2024
Four days off in a row and no plan? If you don’t want to spend Easter watching Netflix and eating cross buns, lace up your boots and get your bunny ears! Let’s hop into the wonderful world of Easter walks!
Easter Walks Near London
Discover a selection of 7 hikes and walks passing by or finishing at places hosting events on Easter Bank Holiday Weekend. Let’s go for walks this Easter!
1 – National Trust Easter Egg Hunt
Each year the National Trust publishes a list of Easter egg hunt trails across various sites in the UK. Here are three places organising walks around the theme of Easter that you can find on popular hiking trails. Well, a bit of hiking to shake off all that chocolate might not be a bad idea.
All the Easter egg hunts have fun nature-inspired activities and orientation games around the different sites. The admission is £3.00 per child and no pre-booking is required. Simply head to the Visitor Center on arrival. A fun day out for the whole family!
Emmett’s Garden & Chartwell House
- When: 29 March 2024 – 14 April 2024
Fancy a hike passing by these two locations? Challenge yourself not only to find hidden eggs but also to walk up hills with this circular hike around Oxted passing by Emmett’s Garden and Chartwell House:
Distance: 16.26 miles (26.16km)
Ascent: 650 m
Walking estimate: 7 hours and a half
Winkworth Arboretum
- When: 23 March 2024 to 7 April 2024
Make the egg hunting trail last the whole day with a hike from Witley to Godalming passing by the Winkworth Arboretum site:
Distance: 9.85 miles (15.85 km)
Total Ascent: 250 m
Highest Point: 545 ft (116 m)
Lowest Point: 118 ft (36 m)
Walking Estimate: About 4 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate
Corfe Castle
- When: 29 March 2024 to 1 April 2024
Discover the ruins of Corfe Castle like never before and join an Easter Egg hunt of a lifetime!
Distance: 12 miles (19.3 km)
Total Ascent: 1640 ft (500 m)
Highest Point: 636 ft (194 m)
Lowest Point: 43 ft (13 m)
Walking Estimate: 5 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
2 – Otford to Eynsford via Lullingstone Castle
Let’s go to Kent for a day hike this Easter. Starting in the commuter town of Otford, this walk takes you from the rolling North Downs hills to the River Darrent Valley. Passing by the village of Shoreham, where you can get a pub (and toilets) stop, it is only a short walk until you reach the Lullingstone Castle and Gardens. The Castle hosts an Easter egg trail & quiz for the whole family during Easter weekend. Go for a treasure hunt in the middle of the Castle’s Gardens and win a surprise present at the end! After the hunt, make your way to Eynsford and stop at the Castle Inn for lunch (or Sunday roast if you are doing this walk on a Sunday).
Note that you can shorten this walk by starting at Shoreham instead of Otford.
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Easter egg Quiz
- When: 30, 31 March 2024 and 1 April 2024 from 11.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Admission: £12.5 for adults, children under 16 go free
- Where: Lullingstone Castle and Gardens
- Website: www.lullingstonecastle.co.uk/events
Hike Details:
Distance: 9.61 miles (15.46km)
Ascent: 449 ft (137 m)
Walking estimate: 4 hours and a half
Difficulty: Intermediate
3 – Amberley to Arundel
Walk along the River Arun from Amberley to the medieval town of Arundel. As you enter you are welcomed by the massive Arundel Castle, often used in movies as Windsor Palace as they look alike (and it is easier to get the authorisation to film here than in Windsor). Starting in the South Downs Way, with a steep hill right from the beginning (this is the only difficult part of that walk), you then walk on a ridge with an impressive view overlooking the South Downs. You then partway from the South Downs Way to join the bank of the River Arun. From there you will be walking along the undulating river in the marshes all the way to Arundel.
On Easter weekend, the Castle hosts a medieval festival for all the family. Discover the taste of medieval food, the art of archery and axe throwing, as well as a market of handcrafted products. With animation such as birds of prey and sword fighting, what a fun way to end the hike!
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Medieval Festival
- When: 29th to 31st March 2024
- Where: Arundel Castle
- Admissions: Adults – £27 / Child between 5 to 16 – £12
- Website: www.arundelcastle.org/event/medieval-festival/
Hike Details:
Distance: 9.55 miles (15.4 km)
Total Ascent: 777 ft (236 m)
Highest Point: 630 ft (192 m)
Lowest Point: -6.5 ft (-2 m)
Walking Estimate: 4 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate due to the hill at the start. The rest of the walk is pretty flat
4 – Horsenden Hill
Don’t want to go too far and stay in London this Easter weekend? Well, that’s perfect because Horsenden Hill is accessible by tube on the Central Line, Perival Station. The hill is the highest point in Ealing, West London. Don’t be put off by the word “hill”, it is actually not very difficult to get to the top. Horsenden is the home of one of the Gruffalo trails, a hunt for children inspired by the character of the book. And if you wish to spend more time roaming around the hill and the Regent’s Canal at the bottom, I have a walk just for that; check the details below.
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Fermentation Workshop – Take 2 home and enjoy a 5-course tasting menu
- When: 30 March 2024
- Where: Horsenden Hill, Perival Station on the Central Line
- Admission: £60
- Website: www.horsenden.co.uk/events/
Walk Details:
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 the 2.7 mile (4.3km) walk I have done as a reference, but there are many more you can do
Total Ascent: 279 ft (85 m)
Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate depending on your ability to climb the hill. The climb is the only difficult part of the walk
5 – Princes Risborough
Well, if you feel like a day hike is not enough considering Easter weekend is a four-day weekend, why not extend your stay and go camping in Princes Risborough? Alex UK Bushcraft not only offers hammock camping and campfire dinner experience but you also get to learn the basics of bushcraft and you can enjoy guided walks in the area. For a bespoke Easter weekend with the family or with friends, book your camping trip with Alex! To know more about the stay, read my full review below.
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Bespoke hammock camping and bushcraft course experience
- When: Easter weekend depending on availability
- Where: Alex UK Bush Craft, Princes Risborough site
- Website:www.alexukbushcraft.com
Weekend Stay Review Details:
Where: Alex UK Bushcraft, Speen, Princes Risborough HP27 0RT
How to get there:
- By direct train from Marylebone to Princes Risborough and then a cab to the campsite
- By car. There is a car park at the entrance of the campsite
What to bring for the weekend:
- A backpack (40L minimum recommended)
- A sleeping bag (warm, very warm)
- Beanie for sleeping and when around the campfire
- Plate, bowl, mug and cutlery
- Some snacks (lunch, dinner and breakfast are included but you might want to bring some extra)
- Headlamp
- Warm and comfortable clothing
- Thermals if not for the day under your hiking outfit at least for the night
- Comfortable and waterproof pair of shoes
- Last but not least … alcohol!
Make sure you don’t forget anything and download my wild camping packing list
Additional Information: There is no running water but freshwater is available in jerry cans and there are composting toilets on site with toilet paper and hand sanitiser.
6 – Tunbridge Wells Circular
Easter is not all about bunnies and chocolate eggs, it is also the season of bluebells. So, if you are looking to get as far as possible from the kids’ eggs hunt and other festivities, here is a nice yet long bluebell hike for your Easter weekend. Head to Kent for the Tunbridge Wells circular walk, passing by High Woods, Horse Pasture Woods and Tudeley where you can admire the forest grounds carpeted in purple. For a hiking challenge and instagramable pictures, the Tunbridge Wells circular is the perfect Easter weekend hike. And before heading back to London, make a stop at the Claremont Pub for food and drinks.
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Bluebells
- Where: Tunbridge Wells
- When: Mid-April to mid-May is the blooming season
Hike Details:
Distance: 18.75 miles (30.15 km)
Total Ascent: 1735 ft (529 m)
Highest Point: 469 ft (143 m)
Lowest Point: 98 ft (30 m)
Walking estimate: 7 hours and 15 minutes
Difficulty: Challenging
7 – Kingston Loop via Hampton Court
We conclude our rundown of Easter walks near London with this Oyster-card-friendly walk. Starting and finishing in the lovely student town of Kingston upon Thames, you simply need to cross over the bridge to find yourself surrounded by deer in Bushy Park. Walk across the park, and you find yourself face to face with the impressive Hampton Court Palace. During Easter, the palace becomes the home of the Lind Gold Bunny Hunt. Learn more about the history of the palace and the people who lived there through a series of activities and win chocolate as a reward. Walk back to Kingston for a meal and drinks by the river after a busy day out.
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Easter eggs hunt
- Where: Hampton Court Palace
- When: until 14th April 2024
- Website: https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/
- Booking: Children under 5 go free, the event is included in your admission ticket, book early to avoid disappointment
Walk Details:
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)
8 – Denbies Wine Estate
Step back in time into Jane Austen’s world with this walk of the largest wine estate in England at the bottom of Box Hill, where the picnic scene of the novel “Emma” was set. The Denbies Wine Estate offer an Easter Bubble Brunch followed by a tour of the vineyard. A nice way to mix pleasure with walking! And this is without forgetting the shopping trip to their souvenir shop. It is filled with stuffed colourful stuffed bunnies and other Easter-themed items. Happy shopping!
Easter Weekend Event Details:
- What: Easter Bunny Train Ride
- Where: Denbies Wine Estate
- When: Until 12 April 2024
- Website: www.denbies.co.uk
- Booking: Adult £5.50 (incl tea and coffee)/ Children £9.50 (incl Easter Prize)
Walk Details:
- Distance: 7.4 miles (12 km)
- Ascent: 1063 ft (324 m)
- Highest Point: 587 ft (179 m)
- Lowest Point: 112 ft (34 m)
- Walking Estimate: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Difficulty: Intermediate/ Challenging
Final Thoughts on Easter Walks Near London
Whether you want to go far from London or stay close to home, you want to challenge yourself and shake off all that chocolate you ate or simply go for a stroll, with kids or with friends, I hope you found some inspiration on where you can go this Easter weekend. Have a wonderful Easter weekend walk everyone!
And you, what are your favourite Easter walks? Let me know in the comments below.
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