Walks you can reach from Elephant & Castle by train

Highly recommended: Secluded valleys, chalk downland ridges, ancient woodland, golf course, chalk grassland nature reserves, riverside paths and farmland.

Shoreham

Otford

Time: 3h–6h

3 lunch spots: Shoreham (1h–2h in) — the Samuel Palmer, the Honey Pot, or the Kings Arms

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Castle Hotel, the Five Bells, or the Malt Shovel

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Linear middle Darent Valley Path beside the tranquil River Darent, Lullingstone Roman Villa, Eynsford Castle and valley views.

Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).

River valley, open fields, orchards, beech woods, golf course, ridge path and historic villages.

Time: 4h

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Reverse direction: Kent Downs National Landscape.

Linear walk into the Darent Valley countryside, with breathtaking views, Lullingstone Roman Villa, the Eynsford Viaduct and the village's humpback bridge and ford.

Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).

Urban streets, open common, wooded paths, golf fairways, parkland and quiet roads.

Time: 2h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Darent Valley circular around the riverside villages of Shoreham and Otford, with panoramic valley views, Polhill Bank Nature Reserve and a section of the Darent Valley Path.

Otford

Walk details: Kent Downs National Landscape (tips, photos and local insights).

South London green-chain walk from Streatham's Rookery through Dulwich Woods, Horniman Gardens and Nunhead Cemetery to East Dulwich.

Time: 3h–6h30

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Walk through surviving fragments of the ancient Great North Wood, from Streatham Common via Crystal Palace Park to One Tree Hill.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Time: 3h–6h

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Flat urban riverside parks, nature reserves, chalk stream, industrial heritage and south London commons and green corridors.

Time: 3h30

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Suburban streets, open common, landscaped park, woodland riverside path, Royal Park grassland, suburban roads and riverside Thames path.

Time: 3h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Reverse direction: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Common heathland, woodland, royal deer park, formal gardens, Thames riverside path and open grassland.

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Reverse direction: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

A wonderful and very varied walk, lots of surprises, lots to see. A wonderfully varied route following the Grand Union Canal, then quiet lanes, holloways, woodland, open fields and farmyards. Terrain ranges from wide rocky holloways to flat concrete to narrow woodland dirt paths and field-side tracks and with several uphill stretches. Muddy in places even in summer and likely a wet walk in winter; stiles and narrow paths. Passes Munden House on the Munden Estate and crosses the River Colne. Apsley marina near the canal has cafes, a pub and shops; Bedmond village has shops and a pub.

Time: 4h30–9h30

Lunch: Shops and a pub in Bedmond village roughly midway, and cafes, a pub and shops at Apsley marina.

Warnings: Several long uphill slogs on muddy paths and lanes. A short section on Bucknalls Lane runs along a main route, though with a separate footpath. With little lighting it is not suitable for after dark.

Walk details: Slow Ways.