Exploring the countryside and scenic trails near London is a delightful way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Whether you're a seasoned hiker or just looking for a leisurely stroll, the surrounding areas offer a variety of walking routes that cater to all levels of fitness and interest.
Want to stay within London boundaries? Here are the best walks in London city
Best walks near London
From nature reserves to woodlands, coastal walks to riverside rambles here are some of the best walks near London.
Frays Farm Meadows
Frays Farm Meadows is an SSSI managed by the London Wildlife Trust, with its wet grazing meadows bound by the Grand Union Canal to the west and the roaring A40 to the south.
Frays teems with bird life including red kites, kestrels and buzzards.
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is only a short overground journey from the centre of London.
With more than 2,400 hectares of historic woodland to explore, there's also more than 100 bodies of water, some of which have formed in the remains of Second World War bomb craters.
Chilworth to Guildford, Surrey
An eight mile walk from Chilworth station that starts off across wild heathland, before reaching gentle pastures, small woods and cosy commuter villages on the way to Guildford.
If it's hot look out for beautiful swimming places along the Wey Navigation – there are several.
Goring and Streatley to Cholsey, Berkshire
A glorious walk north from Goring along the Thames to Streatley Station, taking in open meadows, woody paths and a beautiful Brunel railway bridge.
Look out for good swimming spots at Streatley, before Moulsford and just before Cholsey.
Box Hill
Today Box Hill is popular with walkers for its ravishing views of the Weald. On a clear day, you can even see Devil’s Dyke, 25 miles away on the South Downs.
This circular walk takes in the choicest viewpoints and passes through woodland in which beech, box, yew and holly predominate, giving all-year-round colour. Come in summer and enjoy a wide range of butterflies too.
Upnor and Medway River walk
Just one and a half hours from Central London, Upnor and Medway River walk is one of the best walks in Kent.
Boat yards and warehouses flank the waterside, and the cube of the decommissioned Kingsnorth power station looms on the horizon near Hoo St Werburgh.
Nevertheless, with its shipwrecks, forts and secret beach, this part of the Kent coast feels fantastically off the beaten track.
London may be a stone’s throw away, yet sometimes the only sound here is the river on the shore.
The Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire
A designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, (AONBs), the Chiltern Hills feature rolling hills, beech woodlands, and charming villages.
The Ridgeway National Trail, one of the oldest roads in Britain, runs through the Chilterns and offers various walks of differing lengths and difficulties.
The South Downs, West Sussex
The South Downs National Park boasts rolling hills, chalk cliffs, and stunning coastal views.
The Seven Sisters walk, a 13.8-mile route from Seaford to Eastbourne, is renowned for its dramatic white cliffs and is one of the most beautiful coastal walks in England.
Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest in East Sussex is perhaps best known as The Hundred Acre Wood, the beloved setting of arguably the most famous children’s books ever written, Winnie-the-Pooh.
Here, just from 36 miles from London, you can explore the locations that inspired AA Milne, from Poohsticks Bridge to The Enchanted Place.
Today, the 6,500-acre heathland and woodland 36 miles south of London, is a rare and protected area, providing habitat for endangered flora and fauna. In this gentle, ancient landscape, we can enjoy its literary, cultural and environmental history
