10 winter walks in London

Whether you fancy a quick stroll, a long leisurely wander or a wildlife spotting expedition, there’s a walk for you in London.

Our city boasts an array of green spaces, from canals to country parks and wetlands to woodlands, and you can find out more about them at GoParksLondon. But here are just a few spots for a wonderful winter walk across the capital.

Central

Kensington Gardens

The silhouettes of bare-branched trees and the tranquillity of still ponds and resting formal gardens add to the enchantment of Kensington Gardens at this time of year. Inextricably linked with Peter Pan, it is a magical place for a walk.

In contrast to the statue dedicated to the boy who never grew up, the Gardens have a rather formal feel. There’s the majestic Albert Memorial. The ponds and fountains of the magnificent Italian Gardens. And the centrepiece is the Round Pond bustling with swans, geese and ducks.

Southbank

A riverside walk is a feast for the eyes at any time, but on a dark night in winter Southbank really comes alive. The Thames glistens in the dazzling lights of the city and the trees play in the wind against the illuminated backdrop.

What’s more, from December there’s the added charm of the Christmas markets and the outdoor artworks of the Winter Light exhibition. Designed by a range of artists, the installations use light and colour playfully while exploring topics including identity, the environment and technology.

North

Waterlow Park

Often overshadowed by its famous neighbour, Waterlow Park is a hidden gem. This 26-acre park on a steep hillside in Highgate has spectacular views over the city, just like Hampstead Heath. Gifted to the public in 1889 by Sir Sydney Waterlow as a ‘garden for the gardenless’, it includes the historic Lauderdale House where he once lived. There are also playgrounds for the children, a café for the grown-ups and grassy slopes ideal for sledging.

Its three ponds are home to coots, moorhens, ducks, geese, gulls and herons, while you might spot grey squirrels and bats among the many trees. The highlight of the impressive collection is the evergreen strawberry tree below Lauderdale House, which flowers even in our temperate climate.

Trent Country Park

Boasting 413 acres of wonderful woodland, rolling meadows and enchanting views, you’d be forgiven for thinking Trent Country Park had transported you out of London and back in time. On a crisp winter’s day, you can almost picture King Henry VIII galloping across the historic landscape, which served for over 350 years as a royal hunting forest as part of Enfield Chase.

As well as its rich history, the park has at least nine different types of habitat. In the woodland you might find weasels, hedgehogs and a tawny owl, while the meadows attract kestrels and stoats. It has a breathtaking array of towering trees, including the uncommon black poplar, and during these winter months look out for mistletoe. You can explore it all using a map, which you can download on the Friends of Trent Country Park website or pick up in the park.

East

Canalside walk to Victoria Park

There’s nothing quite like a canal walk. Especially on a calm, bright winter’s day, when the cityscape is reflected in the glass-like water and the trees are frosted white. And with Victoria Park accessible from both the Hertford Union and the Regent’s Canal, there’s a treat at the end too.

Likened by some to New York’s Central Park, Victoria Park was one of the first parks in London created for general public use, following a public petition of Queen Victoria to relieve the squalor and pollution of the East End. Its tree-lined avenues are reminiscent of its American counterpart, as are the two large lakes, while the striking Chinese pagoda sets it apart. As does the spectacular, golden, Grade II*-listed Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain, which lies within its own gated area.

Walthamstow Wetlands

Whether you’re a an avid birdwatcher or you just fancy a stroll among nature, you’ll love Walthamstow Wetlands. This untamed oasis in the heart of north east London is both a working reservoir and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so it’s not just pretty but practical too.

At around 500 acres, it’s Europe’s largest urban wetlands with over 13 miles of trails to meander. Its varied habitats are home and shelter to a wide range of wildlife, from rare waterfowl to majestic birds of prey. With sheltered dense scrub-lined banks and wide windswept views towards Central London, a winter wetland walk offers a surprise round every corner. Just make sure you pack your binoculars – you might be lucky enough to spot a heron, kingfisher or peregrine falcon.

South

Greenwich Park

On a clear day the view from the top of the hill at Greenwich Park is spectacular. Stretching to Canary Wharf and beyond, it’s not hard to see why visitors as early as the Romans have flocked here to see it. But the vista isn’t all the park has to offer. As one of the largest green spaces in south-east London, it boasts grasslands, woodlands of historic trees and all sorts of wildlife.

Plus, there’s the history. The remains of a Roman temple in the south, the distinctive mounds of the Anglo-Saxon cemetery to the east and of course the Royal Observatory and the Greenwich Meridian Line at its centre. And don’t forget the Flower Garden either – although maybe not a riot of colour at this time, delightful to stroll round nonetheless.

Sydenham Hill Wood

For an enchanting, wildlife-filled woodland walk, head a bit further south to Sydenham Hill Wood this winter. Part of the largest remaining area of the old Great North Wood, it is a vast collection of worked coppices and wooded commons. It’s home to more than 200 species of trees and plants as well as rare fungi, insects, birds and woodland mammals. Winter sees the return of the iconic firecrest, redwing, fieldfare and siskin and an influx of robin, goldfinch and chaffinch.

You can follow the track bed of the former Nunhead to Crystal Palace railway to a closed tunnel, now a registered bat roost. And look out for the Ambrook stream which provides pretty ponds in the heart of the woods. There’s also a ruined Victorian folly hidden in the wood, and Cox’s Walk – an 18th Century oak-lined avenue that crosses the wood by an ornamental footbridge over the old railway track.

West

Richmond Park

Not much makes a walk more festive than roaming deer – and you don’t have to leave London for that. Richmond Park is home to 300 red and 300 fallow deer,  as well as a wealth of other wildlife, including 1,200 oak trees, 60 species of birds, 400 species of fungi and 9 of the 17 UK species of bat.

The Tamsin Trail is a mainly flat 7.35-mile manmade route around the park’s 2,500 acres, with guaranteed views of giant oaks, thick bracken and possibly parakeets on the way. Make sure to stop at King Henry’s Mound near Pembroke Lodge too, where you’ll have a breathtaking view down to the iconic St Paul’s Cathedral in the capital.

Horsenden Hill

Made up of ancient woodland, wetlands, ponds and meadows, with the fantastic views, Horsenden Hill in north-west London is bursting with history and wildlife. It was once the site of an Iron Age settlement, while archaeological remains from neolithic, medieval and Roman periods have also been found there. It even has links to cold war spy Michael Smith.

If it’s wildlife you’re looking for you won’t be disappointed. Horsenden Hill is home to so many birds, small mammals and invertebrates, there will be something different to spot every time you visit. Look out for Great crested newts as well as toads and frogs. And even beavers. Sparrowhawks and kestrels are regulars, while red kites, buzzards, peregrine falcons and little and tawny owls use Horsenden as their hunting ground. The colourful but elusive kingfisher is sometimes seen along the canal, while kids can even spot the Gruffalo and friends hiding in the woodland.

You can find great spots for a walk across the capital at GoParksLondon