london
Best wild swimming spots near London
Walk to a wild swimming spot – just a train ride away from central London. Here is our guide to a selection of the best wild swimming spots near London.
Day out: WWT London Wetland Centre, London
As you explore the weaving trails of this wetland reserve, it is easy to feel as though you are in the middle of a wilderness despite being in the shadow of central London.
Best birdwatching spots in London
Even in the UK’s largest urban expanses, spring birdsong can be heard rising above the humdrum of city life. Here are some of the best places in the London to see and hear birdlife.
Podcast: Looking for historical artefacts on the River Thames with the London mudlarker
Lara Maiklem spends her spare time looking for historical 'treasures' on the banks of the River Thames. Hear about her extraordinary finds and strange experiences in episode 13, series 10 of the BBC Countryfile magazine podcast
Day out: Wanstead Park, London
Embrace spring and enjoy native bluebells, baby wildfowl and lakeside walks in the romantic remains of an 18th-century garden within Epping Forest
Walk: Kew Gardens to Richmond Park, Greater London
Take in almost seven centuries of royal history on this riverside walk
Day out: South London Downs, Greater London
London’s latest national nature reserve in Coulsdon offers a wealth of delights, from ancient oak woods, yews and red berries in winter to abundant butterflies in summer
Sheep to return to Hampstead Heath for the first time in over 50 years
Sheep are set to return to graze on Hampstead Heath in London for the first time since the 1950s, as part of a new project to boost wildlife habitats naturally.
Peak bagging in the heart of London
Co-presenter of the London’s Peaks podcast, Isaac Williams, reveals what walking to the high points of each of the 12 inner London boroughs taught him about history, perspective and the need for green spaces
Blue whale arrives at Natural History Museum
The largest animal to have ever lived takes centre stage in the main entrance of London's Natural History Museum
The Great Viking Quest
1,000 years after his conquest of England, Cnut the Great is still making waves. Nigel Jones follows in the bloodsoaked footsteps of the fierce warriors who plundered and settled on these shores – the Vikings.
10 best wild gardens close to London
Gorgeous wild gardens for lovers of plants close to London for a great day trip.
Visit Richmond Park, Surrey: Places to stay, things to do
Offering a tonic to the stressful city, Richmond Park has it all, from stags to stag beetles to parakeets. Ed Jones shows you how to get lost in one of South East England’s largest National Nature Reserves
Sea horses brave the River Thames
There is hope for the Thames’ breeding group of sea horses
Best open air theatres and cinemas in Britain
Make the most of the British summer with these fantastic outdoor productions and film-showings at beautiful locations
Top 10 lost gardens
Overgrown and more beautiful for it - we reveal Britain's finest untamed plots
Green Chain, London
Walk the parks, commons, woods and backstreets of the Capital's suprisingly green South-East
