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Hiking around London

Hiking

Photo: Claudia 🚶🏼‍♀️🚴‍♀️

London is one of the world’s greatest cities and a fascinating place to explore. During walks around London, historic landmarks are visible from every bridge crossing and around every street corner. The virtues of the city’s sights, smells, sounds and tastes have been extolled for centuries.

However, there’s more to London than iconic bridges, red buses and big clock towers. In 2019 London became the world’s first National Park City in recognition of its outdoor spaces. There are almost as many trees in the city as there are people, whilst almost half of its area is taken up by green or blue spaces.

It is therefore no surprise that there are limitless possibilities for incredible hikes around London. There are open heaths to roam, canalside gems to unearth, wildlife-rich marshes to experience and ancient woodland to explore. For magnificent cityscape vistas there are plenty of vantages to discover, whilst a walk along the Thames rewards with ever-changing views. A heady mixture of ancient history, industrial splendour, modern design and green space awaits you.

Intermediate
03:39
8.53 mi
Intermediate
02:42
6.14 mi
Easy
01:48
4.27 mi
Intermediate
02:16
5.25 mi
Intermediate
03:33
8.44 mi
Intermediate
02:16
5.47 mi
Easy
01:17
3.07 mi
Intermediate
02:37
6.14 mi
Intermediate
02:38
6.18 mi
Easy
01:56
4.73 mi
Expert
06:27
15.4 mi
Easy
01:18
3.12 mi
Intermediate
02:35
6.18 mi
Easy
01:46
4.35 mi
Easy
00:58
2.07 mi
Easy
00:56
2.29 mi
Easy
01:01
2.47 mi
Easy
01:44
4.22 mi
Intermediate
03:33
8.41 mi
Intermediate
04:26
10.5 mi

Top 20 best walks and hikes around London

  1. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
    1
    1
    03:39
    8.53 mi
    2.3 mph
    450 ft
    450 ft
    Intermediate

    5.0

    (12)

    54

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  2. 2
    02:42
    6.14 mi
    2.3 mph
    475 ft
    475 ft
    Intermediate

    4.3

    (15)

    49

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
    View
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  4. 3
    01:48
    4.27 mi
    2.4 mph
    175 ft
    175 ft
    Easy

    4.6

    (5)

    38

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  5. 4
    02:16
    5.25 mi
    2.3 mph
    350 ft
    350 ft
    Intermediate

    4.5

    (4)

    23

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  6. 5
    03:33
    8.44 mi
    2.4 mph
    350 ft
    350 ft
    Intermediate

    4.8

    (9)

    19

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
    View
  7. 6
    02:16
    5.47 mi
    2.4 mph
    150 ft
    150 ft
    Intermediate

    4.3

    (3)

    13

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  8. 7
    01:17
    3.07 mi
    2.4 mph
    100 ft
    100 ft
    Easy

    5.0

    (5)

    19

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  9. 8
    02:37
    6.14 mi
    2.3 mph
    325 ft
    325 ft
    Intermediate

    5.0

    (3)

    13

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  10. 9
    02:38
    6.18 mi
    2.4 mph
    300 ft
    300 ft
    Intermediate

    4.6

    (5)

    16

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
    View
  11. 10
    01:56
    4.73 mi
    2.5 mph
    50 ft
    50 ft
    Easy

    5.0

    (1)

    5

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  12. 11
    06:27
    15.4 mi
    2.4 mph
    600 ft
    600 ft
    Expert

    5.0

    (1)

    4

    Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  13. 12
    01:18
    3.12 mi
    2.4 mph
    100 ft
    100 ft
    Easy

    5.0

    (2)

    7

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  14. 13
    02:35
    6.18 mi
    2.4 mph
    200 ft
    200 ft
    Intermediate

    3.0

    (1)

    6

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  15. 14
    01:46
    4.35 mi
    2.5 mph
    50 ft
    50 ft
    Easy

    5.0

    (1)

    5

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  16. 15
    00:58
    2.07 mi
    2.2 mph
    275 ft
    275 ft
    Easy

    5.0

    (1)

    4

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  17. 16
    00:56
    2.29 mi
    2.4 mph
    25 ft
    50 ft
    Easy

    19

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  18. 17
    01:01
    2.47 mi
    2.4 mph
    25 ft
    25 ft
    Easy

    5

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  19. 18
    01:44
    4.22 mi
    2.4 mph
    75 ft
    75 ft
    Easy

    1

    Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  20. 19
    03:33
    8.41 mi
    2.4 mph
    350 ft
    350 ft
    Intermediate

    4.6

    (25)

    132

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View
  21. 20
    04:26
    10.5 mi
    2.4 mph
    450 ft
    450 ft
    Intermediate

    4.9

    (18)

    277

    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
    View

Discover More Tours around London

More Information

Exploring London’s parks

The buzz of the city bubbles over into London’s many parks, making them vibrant places to explore. These are the lungs of the city, where Londoners come to unwind, exercise and socialise away from the hustle and bustle of the streets. Its parks offer some of the finest walks around London.

For classic landmarks of regal London, St James’s Park is a pleasant place to stroll, with its lake and majestic pelicans. You can easily rack up the miles in Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, both set amongst affluent surroundings and the latter boasting classic city views from Primrose Hill. Victoria Park and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park offer great walking around London’s more bohemian spots.

Seeking cityscape viewpoints

London is a bustling metropolis that continues to evolve and grow. Its modern skyline expands year-on-year, just as its use of the River Thames develops. Following the river is a superb way to experience and observe the changing face of the city, from the industry of the Docklands to opulent areas such as Chelsea and Fulham.

Many hikes around London seek high viewpoints from which to take in the stupendous urban sprawl of the capital. An island of beautiful countryside that offers sweeping city panoramas, Hampstead Heath and the many trails that criss-cross it are a pleasure to explore. Big skies also await on Blackheath, a large open heathland that connects to beautiful Greenwich Park. One Tree Hill and Observatory Hill both reward you with magnificent views of the Greenwich Peninsula, Canary Wharf and the wider city.

Natural beauty within the M25

Some of the best hiking trails around London take you into areas of such natural beauty, you will forget you are in one of the world’s busiest cities. Epping Forest is home to over 50,000 ancient pollard trees and 100 lakes and ponds, ideal for a woodland escape on the edge of the city limits. Get closer to nature as you explore the marshes of the River Lea, important habitats for wintering birds and the nationally endangered marsh warbler.

London's best walks and hikes on the map

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Last updated:
November 20, 2023

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