There’s nothing quite like strapping on your hiking boots and going for a gorgeous country walk, is there? Want to go hiking near London and not sure where to start? Don’t miss this guide to the best hikes and walks near London.
Much as we love London, there’s something so enjoyable about heading out of town, bound for the great outdoors.
Call it a hangover from childhood days spent catching slow, puttering trains to Box Hill and the like, a picnic barely carried in tow, aiming to escape the concrete jungle for a little slice of rural life. We still spend many a weekend gulping lungfuls of fresh air, tramping across south-east England’s extensive network of footpaths.
Why not? There are few things better.
Luckily for all of us, London is blessed with a number of spectacular hikes and country walks in close proximity. Simply hop on a train, and you can shape your day’s adventure.
Need a few ideas? Here are our favourite spots for hiking near London.
PS, you should also check out our guide to the best walks in London too.
15 perfect routes for hiking near London
Seaford to Eastbourne
This is one of the most spectacular day hikes near London, with views of, and plenty of hiking on, the distinctive chalk cliffs that form the Seven Sisters.
Where many of the other walks in this list are all about gentle pleasures, this one is all about the dramatic views. There’s no gentle suggestion of beauty, set off on the walk and, boom, you’re looking at one of the most iconic panoramas in the UK.
You’ll pass the infamous Beachy Head and wend your way down to Birling Gap, where we’d very much recommend sitting down for a picnic with the best views of the Seven Sisters spread out before you. There aren’t really any flat sections, but who needs flat sections when you have gorgeous panoramas instead? With so many ups and downs, your legs are in for one hell of a workout too.
Distance: 13.6 miles
How to get there: trains run from London Victoria and London Bridge to Brighton, where you change for the train to Seaford, around 1 hour 30 minutes. Trains run from Eastbourne back to London Victoria, also 1 hour 30 minutes.
Approximate time to complete: 7 hours
Hampton Court to Staines
Hampton Court may be one of London’s famous historic palaces, but it’s also the starting point for this gorgeous Thameside walk.
The walk is part of the Thames Path, which runs the full length of the River Thames from its source to the Thames Barrier, we’d highly recommend taking a week and a half to walk the full path if you have the time, it’s beautiful. This is the first section of the path from London that really takes you into the countryside, you wend your way past locks, boat clubs, small Surrey towns and reservoirs and through quiet fields, there’s even a quaint ferry crossing to shuttle you from one part of the walk to the next.
Distance: 12 miles
How to get there: trains run from London Waterloo to Hampton twice an hour, taking 40 minutes. Trains from Staines run frequently, taking 30 to 40 minutes.
Approximate time to complete: 5 hours
The Oak Trail, Epping Forest
Starting from Theydon Bois, the Oak Trail leads you through parts of Epping Forest, complete with a deer sanctuary and a great pub, the Old Bull, for a pub lunch at the end.
There’s something so civilised about being able to catch the Tube to take a walk. Although it’s only 12 miles from the centre of London, the nearest you’ll get to hiking in London, there are times on the Oak Trail when you feel much further away. The walk is nicely varied, meandering between wide-open spaces and through the oak trees that give the trail its name, the perfect way to explore one of the most expansive forests near London.
Distance: 6.39 miles
How to get there: Underground to Theydon Bois (Central line)
Approximate time to complete: 2.5 hours
North Downs Way
One of the most famous and oldest known hiking routes in the country is the North Downs Way. It runs all the way from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent, and also joins part of what was once the route pilgrims would take to Canterbury Cathedral, known as the Pilgrim’s Way.
Walking the whole length would take weeks, but apart from passing through some areas of outstanding natural beauty, it also passes through places easily accessible from London. Complete the whole route and you’d encounter a whopping eight castles, three cathedrals, three archbishops’ palaces and more stately homes than your feet may allow you to visit.
Distance: 153 miles
How to get there: pick a starting point and take trains from St Pancras or Waterloo depending on where you start, all jump-off points are in the map link below.
Approximate time to complete: 12 days (if you do it all)
Ashridge Estate
The idyllic Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire, with its thousand acres of meadows and woodlands, makes for some of the best routes to stretch your legs on.
The meadows are full of bluebells (a genuine ocean of them) come spring, and the leaves turning orange in autumn offer plenty in the natural beauty department too. What it lacks in proper hiking routes, the estate more than makes up for in its many winding paths and a nice café for refreshment after your walk.
How to get there: take the train from Euston to Tring, then walk about half an hour from Tring to the Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre, where the walks begin.
Approximate time to complete: 2 hours 45 minutes
A map of the estate can be found here
Leith Hill
One of Surrey’s most popular and most beautiful walks can be reached from London with ease, making this an ideal spot for a day walk without spending the whole day in transit.
The hike can be arduous at times and involves a good stretch of uphill climbing, but the view from the top is worth the effort, and the untouched nature you’ll find on the route is quite something, to say the least. Once at the top, keep your eyes peeled for the 18th-century Leith Hill Tower, which can be visited along part of the route. It’s also got a café if you need to re-energise before heading back to the city.
Distance: 9½ miles
How to get there: take the train from Vauxhall Station to Holmwood Station, where the trail begins.
Approximate time to complete: 4 hours
The Chess Valley Walk
This 10-mile stomp through the Chilterns takes you through beautiful natural scenes, picturesque villages (with a good pub or two) and follows the River Chess.
The Chess is actually a chalk stream, meaning it’s exceptionally clear and a rather lovely sight as it pops in and out of view along your hike. Along the marked route you’ll also pass the remains of a Roman villa at Latimer, dating back to the 1st century AD, and Chenies Manor, roughly halfway along, whose beautiful gardens are open to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays between April and October, worth timing your walk around if you want to pop in.
We love the Chess Valley Walk for its accessibility. Although it does get pretty strenuous at points, the route is waymarked, so it’s hard to get lost, and the starting and end points are both linked to the Underground, making it quick and easy to get to. Both Rickmansworth and Chesham sit on the Metropolitan line too, so train ticket prices are genuinely cheaper here than for several of the other walks on this list.
Distance: 10.3 miles
How to get there: take the Metropolitan line to Chesham station. The hike ends at Rickmansworth station, also on the Metropolitan line, so you can choose which direction to walk.
Approximate time to complete: 4 hours
Box Hill
Ah, Box Hill. We have many fond memories of long hikes here as children (it still amazes us the paths our parents could tackle with a pushchair in tow), and we still think it offers some of the best walks near London today.
Box Hill and the nearby Headley Heath are managed by the National Trust, both offering the chance to see a different side to rural Surrey. What’s more, 40 of the 58 species of butterfly found in the UK can be spotted in the area.
There are plenty of hikes in and around Box Hill, check out the National Trust’s guide here, but our favourite is the Box Hill Circular from the Saturday Walkers Club. Be warned, the walk is only 9.2 miles long, but there are a few very strenuous bits, just remind yourself the views from the top are totally worth the huffing and puffing on the steepest stretches. They totally are.
Distance: 9.2 miles
How to get there: trains run from London Victoria and London Waterloo to Box Hill & Westhumble station. Journey times vary between 1 hour 20 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes.
Approximate time to complete: 4 hours
Abingdon to Oxford
This is technically another section of the Thames Path, but believe us when we say you should give it a try.
The picturesque ancient market town of Abingdon is often overshadowed by Oxford, but it’s a nice place to spend some time pottering around before setting off to walk this section of the Thames. The walk itself is surprisingly quiet, wending alongside the river and past a series of locks and charming pubs before entering Oxford from the south. Oxford is a beautiful place at the best of times, but the sight of the city of dreaming spires rising from beyond the river as you finish your walk ends the experience on the very best note.
Distance: 10 miles
How to get there: catch the train from London Paddington to Didcot Parkway, then the X2 bus to Abingdon, around 1 hour 30 minutes in total. Direct trains run frequently from Oxford to Paddington, taking around 1 hour.
Approximate time to complete: 4 hours
Berwick to Exceat Bridge
The Vanguard Way is one of the south-east’s many hidden treasures, an underrated walk leading from Croydon to Newhaven. Though the whole walk takes quite a few days, this section from Berwick to Exceat Bridge is one of our favourites.
Cute Berwick is a nice place to start, but it’s Alfriston, a small and rather twee ye-olde village you pass through later, that’s bound to steal your heart. After Alfriston and a pretty chunter along the Cuckmere River, things get tough, with a steep climb up to Friston Forest (see if you can sneak a peek out to the sea from the vantage point) before you descend to Exceat Bridge. Feeling energetic? Extend this walk to Cuckmere Haven for a glimpse of the stunning Seven Sisters, genuinely recommended.
Distance: 6.5 miles
How to get there: trains run from London Victoria to Berwick (change at Polegate), around 1 hour 40 minutes. From Exceat Bridge, catch the bus to Brighton, Eastbourne or Seaford for a return train to London.
Approximate time to complete: 4 hours
Belchamp Brook Walk
Head to a quiet part of Essex, the pretty Stour Valley, for a walk along Belchamp Brook and back through landscapes much loved and immortalised by English painters Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable.
Much of the walk is through tranquil common land, starting and finishing in the historical town of Sudbury.
Distance: 9 miles
How to get there: take the train from London Liverpool Street to Marks Tey and change for the Sudbury train, around 1 hour 45 minutes.
Approximate time to complete: 5 hours
Southease Circular
There are so many pretty villages tucked away in East Sussex, but this walk takes you to one of our favourites, Rodmell, distinguished not only for its looks but also for Monk’s House, former home of Virginia Woolf.
You start and finish at Southease Station. The walk along the River Ouse comes with views of the chalk downs and cliffs of the South Downs National Park as you head towards Rodmell, then climb up to join the South Downs Way before popping back down to Southease. At just 5 miles, it’s an easy one to do on shorter days.
Distance: 5 miles
How to get there: train to Southease Station from London Victoria and London Bridge (change at Brighton), around 1 hour 20 minutes.
Approximate time to complete: 3 hours
Alton Circular
Fans of Jane Austen will love this walk, a delightful hike through the part of Hampshire Austen called home for the last eight years of her life.
You can’t help but channel your inner Lizzy from Pride and Prejudice as you tramp along muddy footpaths and through quiet towns. You can even visit Chawton, Austen’s old home, but beware of timings, as it does tend to close quite early.
Distance: 12.7 miles
How to get there: catch the direct train from London Waterloo to Alton, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.
Approximate time to complete: 6 hours
Bodiam Castle Walk
There are so many castles dotted around London that it seems silly not to combine a visit to one with a long walk.
Bodiam Castle is one of Sussex’s most striking castles, it’s not difficult to imagine people living in the imposing moat-lined fortress, which has been remarkably well preserved. This is an easy walk, although it can get very muddy. The biggest attraction is the castle itself, otherwise the walk is just a nice chance to stretch your legs and escape the crowds.
Distance: 5 miles
How to get there: train from London Bridge to Robertsbridge (5 miles) or Battle (10 miles). Both take around 1 hour 15 minutes, but you’ll need a taxi from the station to the castle, book ahead as there’s no taxi rank at Robertsbridge.
Approximate time to complete: 2 hours
Ankerwycke Park Circular Walk
This delightful stroll is one of the easier routes in our guide. You’ll be hard-pressed to get a full afternoon of walking out of it, but you can always bring a picnic and make the most of nature while you’re there.
There are also plenty of off-the-beaten-track paths around the reservoirs that border the route. The main reason we love this walk is the little slice of history it holds about halfway along, a very old tree, two and a half thousand years old, to be precise.
How to get there: train from Waterloo station to Wraysbury, then take a bus to Magna Carta Lane.
Approximate time to complete: 2 hours
The London x London Take: if you only have time for one, make it the Seven Sisters walk, nothing else on this list matches those views for drama. But if you want somewhere you can genuinely do on a whim after work, the Chess Valley Walk is the one, cheap trains, waymarked the whole way, and a Roman villa thrown in for good measure.
Country walks near London: practical tips
- Start early. Though none of these walks are particularly long, it pays to start as early as you can, generally by 9 or 10am. This is particularly important during the short days of winter, unless you want to find yourself hiking in the dark.
- Bring a waterproof jacket. We’ve learnt the hard way that even the sunniest day can hold a surprise rain shower or two.
- Wear proper hiking boots, particularly during the muddy season. The quality of footpaths can vary hugely, and they can get very muddy when it’s wet, save yourself the soggy feet and wear proper footwear.
- Brush up on your countryside code. Close gates behind you, don’t litter, and so on. It seems so obvious, doesn’t it.
- Bring a refillable water bottle and top it up at every opportunity. Nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere with a tongue drier than sandpaper and no prospect of refreshment for hours to come.
- It’s advisable, though not necessary, to have the OS Map of the area before you set off. That way, if you do stray from the route, you can find your way back without difficulty.
