Hikes to Remember

This is part of my series of leisurely London walks aimed at exploring and getting to know the city better. They are easy, largely flat and shorter in length than my countryside hikes.

As we leave Mile End tube station, we enter Mile End Park, created on land devastated by bombing during World War II. It is a 90-acre linear park that runs along the edge of Regent’s Canal.

Walk along Regent’s Canal taking in the sights. We eventually reach Limehouse Basin, a quiet location sprinkled with residential accommodation and boats - the River Thames, Regent’s Canal, and Limehouse Cut all meet here, each providing a green highway along which wildlife can move around the built-up area.

As we follow the Thames Path in the Isle of Dogs, have your camera ready for stunning views of the waterfront and the city’s skyline (the Shard, Walkie Talkie, etc). Also soak in the views of the glass skyscrapers of Canary Wharf.

We will continue along to the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. The tunnel sits 15 metres beneath the River Thames and is 370 metres long. It was opened in 1902 and connects Island Gardens in Tower Hamlets in the north to Greenwich in the south.

On exiting the tunnel in Greenwich, we immediately come across the Cutty Sark, the state-of-the-art Victorian tea clipper. It was built in 1869 and designed to carry tea from China to England as fast as possible. A fashion developed among Victorians for consuming the first tea to be unloaded in London – this spurred the ‘great tea races’ and intense competition to get home first where you could command huge prices. The Cutty Sark was designed to be fast!

Explore the grounds of the Old Royal Navy College – a cultural destination in the heart of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an award-winning visitor attraction and one of the UKs most sought-after film locations due to the iconic architecture of its 18th century buildings, expansive grounds and views of London. It has appeared in Netflix’s Bridgerton and blockbusters such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Thor II, and Skyfall, among many others.

The Painted Hall here is the jewel, known as Britain’s Sistine Chapel (we will not be entering it as there’s a fee). You could also spend time in St Peter and St Paul Chapel (we may visit the Chapel if it's open).

We end up at Greenwich market with its arts and crafts and food stalls. Once the walk ends around here, feel free to explore Greenwich further on your own!

Cost: Free

Start time: 10:00am

Start location: Mile End tube station - I’ll be waiting on the pavement at the exit (main road A11). My mobile: 07951673142

End location: Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich DLR station / Greenwich market (they are 2 min apart by foot)

Length: 8km

Ascent: largely flat

Time: approx 3hrs - exact end time depends on the weather, pace of the group, and our breaks.

Pace & Difficulty: an easy, relaxed, and leisurely pace. The aim is to enjoy being outdoors and have a fun, friendly walk. It is suitable for beginners.

Transport: Mile End tube station (Central, District, and Hammersmith and City lines). Check the status of the tube before travel. Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich is a DLR station in Greenwich.

What to bring:
Check the weather and bring appropriate gear. Walkways and trails can be muddy and slippery. A comfortable backpack, waterproof jacket, sufficient food, snacks, and water along with suitable socks and footwear (sturdy shoes with good grip/waterproof hiking boots) are some essentials. Remember to carry any medication you may require. If it’s sunny, don’t forget a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER / TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Cost: £4 organiser fee payable on RSVP
(Meetup charges me to maintain this group!)

Transport and cost (train):
The 8:39am direct train from London Euston reaches Tring station at 9:21am. The journey takes 42min.
The 8:54am direct train from London Euston reaches Tring station at 9:32am. The journey takes 38min.
As of 11 January 2026, an Off-Peak Day Return costs £22.20.

Please do your own research.
You can reduce the train cost by one third with a Network Railcard, where applicable.
You could also coordinate with other participants and buy a group saver ticket.

Transport (car): If you're driving, there is limited free parking on Beggars Lane, just a few minutes by foot from the station. There is also limited free parking on the main road outside the station. The station has a chargeable car park (check the Terms and Conditions).

Transport (car share): I'll be driving from Ealing, West London and have space for 3 passengers. Please contact me directly if you'd like to car share.

Hike description:
We'll start the hike from Tring and make our way through Aldbury Nowers Nature Reserve and onto the Ridgeway National Trail - this is an ancient route that begins at the World Heritage Site of Avebury and passes through the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Chilterns AONB.

The trail runs across a ridge of chalk hills for 87 miles to reach Ivinghoe Beacon, a prominent viewpoint at 233m. It is popularly known as ‘Britain’s oldest road’ and was used in prehistoric times by travellers, herdsmen and soldiers. We will be hiking a small undulating stretch of the Ridgeway National Trail, from Tring to Ivinghoe Beacon.

We'll journey onwards through woods to reach the Bridgewater Monument (part of the Ashridge Estate). At a height of 33m, the Monument (tower) was built in 1832 to commemorate the achievements of Sir Francis Egerton, the third Duke of Bridgewater. Sir Francis was also known as the 'Canal Duke' and the 'father of British inland navigation' as he commissioned the construction of the first canal in Britain.

At the Ashridge Estate, we should hopefully see bluebells everywhere. They are around at this time of the year for only a few short weeks - admire the beautiful, stunning, magnificent carpet of blue stretching through the woods. It's a sight to behold!! While the bluebells growing wild through the woods is free to admire, there is one specific location on the estate that is one of the best places to view bluebells where the National Trust charges a small fee, typically £3.50 - this is optional.

There’s a café at the estate where we have the option to obtain refreshments before continuing back to Tring station.

Start time: 9:35am

Start location: Tring station - I'll be waiting at the station car park. My mobile: 07951673142.

End location: Tring station

Length: 15km

Ascent: 260m

Time: approx 6.5 hrs. It’s not possible to guarantee an exact end time as it depends on the weather, pace of the group, and our breaks along the way.

Pace & Difficulty: a reasonable and moderate pace - we will not be zooming along in a mad rush. The aim is to enjoy being outdoors in nature and have a fun, friendly day. While there are some hills and you need to be reasonably fit, the hike is not overly strenuous - it's suitable for beginners.

What to bring:
Check the weather and bring appropriate gear. A comfortable backpack, waterproof jacket, sufficient food, snacks, and water along with suitable socks and footwear (waterproof hiking boots) are some essentials. Walkways and trails can be steep, muddy, and slippery and boots with ankle support will be useful, as well as hiking poles. Gaitors are handy when its muddy and wet. Carrying waterproof socks in your backpack is a good idea in case your boots get wet from the inside. Don't wear inappropriate clothing such as jeans and sneakers. Remember to carry any medication you may require. If it’s sunny, don’t forget a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen!

Cost: £4 organiser fee payable on RSVP
(Meetup charges me to maintain this group!)

Transport and cost (train):
The 9:09am direct train from London Waterloo reaches Virginia Water station at 9:55am. The journey takes 46min. As of 11 January 2026, an Off-Peak Day Single costs £8.90.
There are several trains for the return from Windsor & Eton Central station or Windsor & Eton Riverside station to either London Paddington and London Waterloo. As of 11 January 2026 the cost for a single varies from £8.90 to £13.40.

Please do your own research.
You can reduce the train cost by one third with a Network Railcard, where applicable.
You could also coordinate with other participants and buy a group saver ticket.

Hike description:
This is a beautiful and peaceful hike through Virginia Water with its popular lake and Windsor Great Park to Windsor. Virginia Water is at the southern edge of Windsor Great Park. It was originally conceived as a Royal pleasure ground and its 2 mile long lake is a tranquil haven and very popular.

The Cascade is a 30ft high waterfall close to the tree-lined shores of the lake and is fed directly by it. The Leptis Magna Ruins is close by and showcases columns and pedestals from the ancient Roman city of Leptis Magna. The stones were in the British Museum for a while before finding a home in the park. Interestingly, some of the Harry Potter movies were filmed along the shores of Virginia Water.

On the northern shores of the lake, you will find delightful woods and trails. The Valley Gardens here cover 250 acres of undulating valleys with all kinds of flowers - every season offers a surprise. We should hopefully see the gardens in bloom with a riot of colours that will take your breath away!

As we leave Virginia Water, we make our way into the heart of Windsor Great Park, which has hosted royalty for centuries. It is a beautiful and ancient Royal Park with a landscape of forests, grasslands, lakes and gardens. The Park is home to a large population of ancient oak trees and its 5,000 acres of parkland includes a Deer Park - it is a great place to see deer in their natural environment.

Soak up the iconic view of the Long Walk from the famous Copper Horse statue of King George III – this tree-lined avenue stretches almost 2.5 miles to ancient Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. We will walk this path to Windsor, where you will be able to see magnificent Windsor Castle in all its grandeur. The hike ends at Windsor Promenade along the banks of the river Thames (close to two train stations).

Start time: 10:00am

Start location: Virginia Water station. My mobile: 07951673142.

End location: Windsor Promenade SL4 1QT (along the banks of the River Thames and close to Windsor Eton Bridge). This is a convenient location as Windsor and Eton Central station and Windsor and Eton Riverside station are both around a 5-6 minute walk away so you can choose whichever one is suitable for your return journey.

Length: 19km

Ascent: 223m

Time: approx 7 hrs. It’s not possible to guarantee what time we'll finish as it depends on the weather, pace of the group and our breaks along the way.

Pace & Difficulty: a reasonable and moderate pace; we will not be zooming along in a mad rush. The aim is to enjoy the park and lake and have a fun, friendly day. You need to be reasonably fit; there is a moderate level of ascent and the hike is a bit on the long side but nothing overly strenuous - it's suitable for beginners.

Transport (car share): I'll be driving from Ealing, West London and have space for 3 passengers. Contact me directly if you'd like to car share.

What to bring:
Check the weather and bring appropriate gear. A comfortable backpack, waterproof jacket, sufficient food, snacks, and water along with suitable socks and footwear (waterproof hiking boots) are some essentials. Walkways and trails can be steep, muddy, and slippery and boots with ankle support will be useful, as well as hiking poles. Gaitors are handy when its muddy and wet. Carrying waterproof socks in your backpack is a good idea in case your boots get wet from the inside. Don't wear inappropriate clothing such as jeans and sneakers. Remember to carry any medication you may require. If it’s sunny, don’t forget a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen!

Cost: £4 organiser fee payable on RSVP
(Meetup charges me to maintain this group!)

Hike description:
Spend a relaxing day in Richmond by the banks of the River Thames and exploring Richmond Park.

Richmond Park is one of London's eight Royal Parks - with its 2,500 acres of woods, rolling hills and grasslands it is London’s largest Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. It is home to ancient trees and herds of deer.

The Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park is a beautiful 40 acre woodland garden set within a Victorian plantation. Here you will find evergreen azaleas and collections of rhododendron, magnolia and camellia, plus many other trees, shrubs and plantings.