When you think of London you think of a huge, bustling, vibrant city with noise, traffic, people everywhere and anything but peace and quiet. But if you delve deeper into London you will find little pockets of beauty, peace and quiet which are just perfect for getting away from the craziness and taking a London walk. 1.Morden Hall Park
Morden Hall was built in the 1770’s and is now owned by the National Trust. The 125 acre park is home to beautiful, peaceful gardens with many types of birds and over 2000 roses. The river Wandle meanders through the gardens and makes for a stunning London walk.
If you have done your London walk and fancy getting crafty then they are running workshops throughout the festive period and if you’ve got little ones they can meet father christmas or browse the christmas goodies in the shop.
2.Little Venice to Camden
This London walk takes you along the canalside from Little Venice to Camden and is surely the prettiest canal walk in London. It’s a two mile route that passes through Regent’s Park and Little Venice before reaching Camden. This is a surprisingly quiet route and you could be fooled into thinking you were in the countryside at times, not central parts of London. On arrival into Camden you’ll notice things get busier (particularly if its a weekend!) and we’d advise a visit to the markets for a refresh, some food and a drink after your a stroll.
3.Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens is London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site with the largest and most diverse collection of living plants in the world. For this reason it is absolutely beautiful and a world away from the bustle of London. There is so much to do at Kew aside from the walks; visit the Hive, an incredible multi-sensory experience designed to highlight the life of bees or the treetop walkway 18 meters above the ground with breathtaking views across the gardens. Christmas also brings delights when the trails are lit with over a million twinkling lights, turning the gardens into a magical wonderland. This is a London walk not to be missed.
4.Inner Temple Garden
The Inner Temple Garden lies within one of the four Inns of Court. This three acre garden is home to wide lawns sweeping towards the river and hosts many rare and unusual trees. This place will astound you, right in the middle of London you will be overwhelmed by the peace and quiet to be found here. It is also home to a variety of wildlife including robins, thrushes, coal-tits and blue-tits. You may even catch a glimpse of a heron by the pond side. This is the perfect place to just come and stroll or even just sit and chill, eat your lunch and gather your thoughts, especially on a lovely summer’s day, but you might have to wait a little while for that!
5.Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath nature reserve is wild and untamed and offers a walking experience within London like no other. There are 30 pond’s on the heath which attract a variety of wildlife. The hidden gem of Hampstead Heath is the open space on the northwest side called the Heath Extension and was originally farmland. Head here and you’ll feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of London. The beautiful thing about the Heath though is that you can sneak glimpses of the whole of London as you look down from your peaceful spot, and that’s really quite special.
London is a magical city for its vibrant feel and buzz that you can’t quite explain, but just occasionally, especially if you live here, you feel the need for some quiet time and these little places of peace are just fabulous locations to go for a London walk.