If you are still wondering what to do this weekend, or if you finally wanted to go on a guided walk and you have put it off for whatever reason, this weekend offers a great opportunity to get walking!

Walk London is having their annual spring weekend of free walks (there are further weekends in January and September). That’s more than 40 guided walks through all areas of London, all funded and paid for by TfL. Many of those are normally paid walks. They come in all sizes and interests – short walks, touristy walks, special topics (e.g. literary or spy walks), central location, outside, long walks….there is even one section of the Capital Ring covered!

They even created a map, showing the starting points of all walks:

All information on the walks, together with a way to search and filter the list, can be found via the Walk London website – click here. Basically, just turn up at the designated time and space (if in doubt how to get there, use the TfL Travel Planner) and enjoy the walk.

Just have a browse through all the walks – here are my recommendations for different kind of walkers and topics. Please note I have not taken all of those exact walks, but in some cases similar ones which I very much enjoyed.

Famous Areas- in a new light

Two walks showcase famous areas that are visited by tourists or are part of Londoner’s daily routine- and yet, the walks will open up a new layer that you never knew was there. The first one is the “Real West End”, exploring Soho, Chinatown and Covent garden. The other one is from St. Pauls to Chancery Lane, taking in the history of the city’s old courtyards, prisons, churches and much more

Literature and History

Bloomsbury is in central London, but has kept its quiet, sometimes eerie Character combined with the hustle and bustle from the Universities and the British Museum. Its been a literary epicentrum since the 19th Century. The Historic Bloomsbury walk will tell much more and showcase the many famous buildings and squares in the area. The Secret Diaries and Public Spaces walk examines the city of London through the eyes of two of its most famous sons – Diarist Samuel Pepys and Architect Sir Christopher Wren (St. Pauls Cathedral and countless other churches in London).

Walking along Regent’s Canal

there are two walks showcasing the different “faces” of the Regent’s Canal. The first walk goes from Little Venice to Camden, showing the first part of the canal as a green lung and picturesque river in the central area;  the second one from Angel to Hackney Wick, through the hart of East London, showcasing the industrial heritage of the canal and letting you glimpse a few hipsters along the way:)

For experienced walkers or if you want to get away from it all

The Thames Path Super Walk – for the experienced hardcore walkers that have “seen it all” and want to venture out. 17.5 miles, 8 hours, starting point Slade Green Railway station 🙂 – or if you are a  crazy newbie 😉

High Barnet to Cockfosters – is this still London?? You will surely go to places you never went before when walking from the End of the Northern Line to the End of the Picadilly line. On your way back, make sure you admire the lovely Art Deco Tube station in Cocfosters (as well as the stations of Oakwood, Southgate and Arnos Grove) ! If you ask the staff nicely, they’ll usually let you sneak in and out for free!

The Capital Ring- Section 6 – Wimbledon Park to Richmond – this is funnily enough the section that is next on my personal Capital Ring Adventure. It’s supposed to be one of the prettiest and greenest section of the Capital Ring (advertised as “the finest walk in London”) and without a doubt you’ll have a great introduction not only to this section, but get a feeling what the Ring is all about!

Happy Walking, feel free to share your experience!!