Best walks near London by train
Middlesex · South East England | Walks by foot
Stations: Kings Cross · London King's Cross · London St. Pancras International · Euston · Charing Cross · Victoria · Waterloo · Waterloo East · Marylebone · Paddington · Moorgate · Liverpool Street · Cannon Street · Fenchurch Street · Blackfriars · London Bridge
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations in South East England and plan your next day of green.
Guildford Station Circular via Watt’s Chapel (Surrey)
30m direct from Waterloo.
13km. Moderate ascents. 3h30–6h.
Beginner-friendly: No coast or river to follow, but pretty straightforward long lines nonetheless, and Watt’s Chapel provides a lovely reward for reaching the midpoint of the circuit. The lunch stop is a simple café in the vicinity of Watt’s Chapel, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
A rambler favourite!
Highlights: Watts Chapel, Watts Gallery, St Catherine's Chapel Ruins, and Guildford.
Lunch stop: Watts Gallery café (1h30–2h30 in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot.
Aspley Guise Station Circular via the Woburn Estate (Bedfordshire)
1h from Euston, with one change.
13km. Moderate ascents. 3h–5h.
Beginner-friendly: A shortish but satisfying walk. It’s hard to go wrong and, if you do, it’s easy to recover. Lunch is in the pleasant village of Woburn, where there are many choices, so no faffing with making reservations needed. Plus it goes through a safari park and you’ll likely spot some of the beasts.
A rambler favourite!
Highlights: Woburn Safari Park.
Lunch stops in Woburn (1h–2h in): the Black Horse, Lussmanns, or the Woburn Hotel.
End-of-walk reward: the Anchor.
Cambridge Station Circular via Grantchester (Cambridgeshire)
45m direct from London King's Cross.
Easy: 12km, flat terrain. 3h30–5h30.
Beginner-friendly: A straightforward walk along the River Cam with many lunch options in Granchester. Within Cambridge itself, feel free to wander about randomly rather than following the route — there’s plenty to appreciate.
Highlights: King's College Chapel, Fitzwilliam Museum, Hobson's Conduit Monument, Cambridge, and Cambridge itself.
Lunch stops in Grantchester (1h30–2h30 in): the Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester, the Red Lion, the Rupert Brooke, or the Blue Ball Inn.
End-of-walk reward: the Panton Arms.
Tring Station Circular via Ashridge Estate (Hertfordshire)
45m direct from Euston.
13km. Moderate ascents. 3h30–6h.
Beginner-friendly: It’s nearly all in a big National Trust estate that’s extremely well sign-posted. It’s completely fine to deviate from the route — explore and shorten as you like! The lunch options are simple cafés, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
An essential walk! The Ashridge Estate is very beautiful if you appreciate woodland, and covers more then enough ground to cover a day of hiking in itself. There are paths everywhere and you can wander freely. Ancient trees, rolling chalk downlands, and lush meadows. Relatively busy. Take the minor paths to avoid the crowds. Can be muddy.
Highlights: Ashridge Estate and Ashridge House.
Lunch stops: the Ashridge Estate Café (1h–1h30 in), or Ashridge House café (2h–3h30 in).
End-of-walk reward: the Valiant Trooper.
East Grinstead Station Circular via Standen House (Sussex)
1h from London Bridge, with one change.
Easy: 8km, moderate ascents. 2h30–4h.
Beginner-friendly: This short walk is nearly all National Trust territory and signposted. If you want to make it even shorter and simpler, just skip the detour through the woods. The lunch stop is a simple café, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
An essential walk! Mostly secluded.
Highlights: Standen House.
Lunch stop: Standen House café (1h–2h in).
Windsor and Eton Riverside Station Circular via Windsor Great Park (Berkshire)
1h direct from Waterloo.
18km. Gentle ascents. 5h–8h.
Beginner-friendly: A gigantic well-signposted park. It’s completely fine to deviate from the suggested route — explore as you like! The lunch stop is a simple café, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.
Highlights: Windsor Great Park, Windsor Castle, and Windsor.
Lunch stops in Windsor Great Park (2h30–4h30 in): the King And Castle, or Savill Garden Visitor Centre Cafe. Other lunch stop: Water Lilies at Windsor Great Park (3h–5h in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Two Brewers Pub, the Prince Harry, or the Royal Windsor.
Pangbourne Station to Goring & Streatley Station (Berkshire)
45m from Paddington, with one change.
Easy: 8km, gentle ascents. 2h30–4h.
Beginner-friendly: Just keep the River Thames on your left and follow it up to Goring.
Lunch: A walk so short that you don’t need lunch — just eat at one of the many options in Goring & Streatley.
End-of-walk rewards: the Swan at Streatley and the Coppa Club, Pierreponts, the Miller of Mansfield, or the Catherine Wheel.
Buying train tickets: Buy a return ticket to Goring & Streatley (it’s fine to disembark at Pangbourne, because Pangbourne is en route to Goring & Streatley) (that’s assuming you’re coming from the east or south (aka London/Reading) — if you’re coming from the north or west you need to buy return ticket to Pangbourne instead).
Henley-on-Thames Station to Marlow Station (Oxfordshire)
45m from Paddington, with one change.
16km. Flat terrain. 3h30–5h30.
Beginner-friendly: Cross the river, make sure it’s on your left, and keep walking all the way to Marlow! You can't go wrong.
Very popular and busy. Be warned that the river bank is prone to flooding, making sections of the route impassible — if that happens there will be many other ramblers who you can follow for the alternative route.
Lunch: There’s nowhere to eat en route so either pack a lunch or eat in Marlow at the end — there are many cafés, pubs and restaurants there.
End-of-walk rewards: the Bull Inn, the Old Brewery, the Prince of Wales, or the Marlow Donkey.
Buying train tickets: Henley and Marlow are on different train lines, so unfortunately you can't buy a return ticket. Instead buy an Anytime Day Single to get to Henley-on-Thames and another Anytime Day Single to depart from Marlow.
Borough Green & Wrotham Station to Sevenoaks Station (Kent)
30m direct from London Bridge.
16km. Moderate ascents. 4h30–7h30.
An essential walk! Greensand hills, apple orchards, woodland paths, streams, deer park, open parkland, and historic manor grounds. Mostly secluded. Can be muddy.
Highlights: Ightham Mote (14th century manor; a visit easily fits into a walk schedule), Knole House (enormous aristocratic estate, associated with the Bloomsbury Group; well worth a visit but consumes a day in itself), and Knole Park.
Lunch stops: the Plough (2h–3h in), or Ightham Mote café (2h–3h30 in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Chequers, the Restoration, or the Sennockian.
Otford Station Circular via the Darent Valley (Kent)
30m direct from London Bridge.
Tough: steep ascents. 13km. 4h–6h30.
A rambler favourite! North Downs hills, chalk woodland, bluebell woods, open commons, grassy fields, disused golf course, Darent Valley riverbank, and quaint village. Can be muddy.
Lunch stops in Shoreham (1h30–2h in): the Samuel Palmer, the Kings Arms, or the Mount Vineyard.
End-of-walk rewards: the Crown, the Bull, or the Woodman.
Farnham Station to Godalming Station (Surrey)
45m direct from Waterloo.
Tough: 22km. Moderate ascents. 6h–10h.
A rambler favourite! River valley, forest tracks, sandy bridleways, open parkland, country houses, and wooded valleys. Can be muddy.
Lunch stop: the Barley Mow, Tilford Green (2h30–4h in).
End-of-walk rewards: the Cyder House Inn, the Rose and Crown, the Richmond Arms, the Fox & Finch, or the Star.
Balcombe Station Circular via Nymans (Sussex)
45m direct from London Bridge.
15km. Moderate ascents. 4h30–7h30.
A rambler favourite! Fields, woods, stream valleys, grassy hillsides, estate parkland, a fine old village, and stately home. Mostly secluded. Can be muddy.
Highlights: Nymans and the Ruins of Slaugham Place.
Lunch stops in Handcross (2h–3h in): Nymans café, the Red Lion, or JO.CO cafe.
End-of-walk reward: the Victory.