Walk 22 -  From Elephant & Castle, at the Southern End of the Bakerloo Line, to Green Park Tube Station

Walk Distance   6 Kilometres (4 miles)

Underfoot   Good surfaces throughout

Journey Time (from Central London to Elephant & Castle)   10 minutes

Getting Back to Central London   Finishes in Central London

Points of Interest   Imperial War Museum, Archbishop's Park, Westminster Bridge, The London Eye, Houses of Parliament, St James's Park, Buckingham Palace, Green Park

Refreshments -  Grand Union Pub in Brook Drive, refreshment stalls in St James's Park, many coffee shops near end point.

Opportunities For Shortening This Walk   After emerging from Archbishop's Park there are numerous bus stops. Also, the walk passes Westminster Tube Station.

Route Description

1.   Come out of the station and cross two sets of traffic lights directly in front of you to reach the other side of the A302 St George’s Road. Turn right along the footway for a few steps and then first left into Oswin Street.  Walk to a T-junctio and turn right (into Brook Drive).  Continue for about 500m to the end of this road where it meets Kennington Road. The Imperial War Museum is now on your right and the Tankard Pub on your left.

2.   Cross Kennington Road using the pedestrian traffic lights. Go ahead through a gap between some blocks of flats and walk through a small parking area to reach a corner where a road comes in from your right and continues ahead which is your route. Continue for about 400m and turn right into Juxon Street which brings you out to a main road (Lambeth Road). 

3.   Use the conveniently placed pedestrian crossing and go ahead into a narrow entrance marked “Archbishops Park”.  Walk into the Park.  You may choose to go in either direction around the central football pitch but your exit is at the far left hand corner of the park.  If you choose the right hand path you will see a modern toilet facility on your right at the point where you need to start swinging left.

4.   Exit the park opposite St Thomas’s Hospital. Turn right.  Cross the road and continue in the same direction to go left with the footway at a major traffic roundabout  into Westminster Bridge Road with Big Ben clearly visible ahead.  When you reach the bridge, you will see the London Eye to your right.  Walk across the bridge and continue in the same direction with the Houses of Parliament on your left.  Cross to the right hand footway and continue in the same direction as before by using the traffic lights at the bottom of Whitehall. 

5.   Pass Parliament Square on your left and go ahead into Great George Street. Continue into Birdcage Walk. You will see St James’s Park on your right. Take the first available entrance to the park. Go down to the lake and turn left.  Walk with the lake on your right until you reach a bridge.  Turn right and cross the bridge from which there are good views of Buckingham Palace.

6.   At the far end of the bridge , turn left and walk with the lake on your left. Just before you reach the end of the lake (with a large wall ahead) turn right up a path.  Leave St James’s Park and cross the Mall, with Buckingham Palace on your left.  Enter Green Park and swing left around a curving wall. Turn right at the first major cossing path to walk slightly uphill for about 450m to reach Piccadilly and Green Park Tube Station.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Walk No 21 –   From Aldgate at the Eastern End of the Metropolitan Line to Greenwich Cutty Sark Via Shadwell and Canary Wharf

 

Walk Distance  10 Kilometres (6.5 miles)  

Underfoot - Paved throughout

Journey Time from Central London   Aldgate is in Central London

Getting Back to Central London   By Docklands Light Railway (DLR) from Greenwich or Jubilee Line from Canary Wharf

Points of Interest   Tower of London, St Katherine Dock,  Shadwell Basin, Thames Path, Limehouse Basin, Canary Wharf, Greenwich Foot Tunnel, Cutty Sark and other attractions in Greenwich.

Refreshments -  Cafes, pubs and restaurants at St Katherine Dock, Canary Wharf and Greenwich.  Pub near Shadwell Basin.

Opportunities for Shortening This Walk -  You can finish the walk at Canary Wharf after 6KM and return to London by DLR or Jubilee Line

Route Directions

1.  Leave Aldgate Station and cross Aldgate High Street using the pedestrian lights.  Walk down the pathway opposite at the left hand side of a bus garage. This curves to the right and you emerge on a street called Minories.  Turn left and cross to the right hand footway. Continue under a bridge to the end of the road and you will yourself facing the Tower of London. Stay on the same footway and swing right.  After 100 metres there is a pedestrian underpass on your right.  Walk down the ramp and follow it under the road.  Emerge on a walkway with the Tower of London ahead. Turn left and walk, with the tower on your right,  to the end of the walkway. Go ahead through a pedestrian tunnel under Tower Bridge Approach.

2.  At the end of the tunnel turn right and walk down a narrow walkway with an office block on your left and a large wall on your right.  At the end, turn left and enter St Katherine Docks.  Continue ahead along a boardwalk with the dock on your right and restaurants on your left.  Turn right at the corner of the dock and continue with water on your right. At the end, go through a gap under some buildings. Emerge facing another area of water. Turn left. Continue to the end of the dock and turn right over a metal bridge.  The Dickens Inn is now on your left. Turn right and walk for 25 metres across a square.  Then turn left and pass between buildings  (the one on the left is called Marble Quay) to exit St Katherine Docks.

3.  Enter St Katherine’s Way and go ahead.  After 100 metres look out for for an alleyway on the right with a “Thames Path” sign. Walk down to the Thames to reach a viewing terrace with a magnificent view back to Tower Bridge. At the end of this terrace turn left to meet St Katherine’s Way again, at the point where it joins another road. (Wapping High Street)  Turn right at this junction and walk for 40 metres across what seems like a bridge.  At this point, do not continue ahead. Instead, turn left and cross the road to a prominent street sign reading “Redmead Lane Leading to Hermitage Walk”  Walk through a large gateway and enter Hermitage Basin with an attractive lake on your left.  Continue to the end of the lake and turn left.  After a short distance lturn right and descend a wide set of steps. Go ahead and then swing right, signposted “Shadwell Basin”. Go ahead with water on your right.  This is Spirit Quay.

4.  Follow the quayside walk for a kilometre as it turns left and then right. Pass Tobacco Dock on your left where you will see two large ships in dry dock. One is called The Three Sisters.   Continue ahead under a bridge and reach a small area of grass and trees with the rather grand title of Wapping Woods. Continue straight across on a broad paved path to reach a similar walkway on the other side.  After  another150 metres reach Shadwell Basin.  Turn left and walk around three sides of the Basin,  past quayside houses,  to emerge on Glamis Road.  Look to your right iand see swing bridge which, in former times, could be raised to allow ships to enter the docks.  Beyond that, you will see the attractive Prospect of Whitby, reputedly the oldest riverside pub in London and well worth a visit.  

5. Cross Glamis Road and enter an alleyway which is signposted "Thames Path".  Walk down to the river to King Edward VII Memorial Park which (at the time of writing)  is the site for a major engineering project relating to a new London super-sewer.  Continue through the park. Rejoin the riverside and continue for 400 metres. Turn left and right around a block of flats to join Narrow Street and walk ahead for 400 metres to cross a swing bridge at the entrance to Limehouse Basin. Note the large locks which allow access to the basin at high tide. Turn left along the side of the marina and climb some steps to cross a metal bridge at the end.  At the end of the bridge turn right and walk for 50 metres to turn right again over another bridge.  The stretch of water you have just crossed and re-crossed is called Limehouse Cut.  Enter a small park called Ropemakers Fields.

6.  Go straight through the park and emerge again on Narrow Street.  Turn left for 30 metres and then turn right to cross the road and go through a gateway beneath a block of flats.  Go ahead across a curving bridge over a creek.  Continue to walk alongside the river towards Canary Wharf Pier.  25m before the pier entrance, turn left and climb the broad steps leading to street level.  Go straight ahead across a roundabout with a small park at its centre.  This is Westferry Circus.  At the far side, enter West India Avenue which is a dual carriageway leading directly towards the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf.  Walk up the right hand footway to Cabot Square with its fountains.  

7.  Turn right and walk down Cubitt Steps.  Swing left at the bottom of the steps.  Then turn left  along MacKenzie Walk past restaurants and bars with the water of Middle Dock on your right.  Go under the Dockland Light Railway and continue to ahead Reuters Plaza.  Turn right into Jubilee Plaza and pass the entrance of the Jubilee Line Tube Station.  You have walked just over 6Km and you can finish your walk here, if you wish, by taking the tube or DLR back to central London.

8.  To continue. walk past the station entrance and go straight ahead across a road towards "35 Bank Street".  This appears to be an office block but is, in fact, a pedestrian route to another part of Canary Wharf. Enter through a set of swing doors and ahead to the left of "Ubica Mozarella Bar"  to another set of swing doors on the far side of the lobby.  Exit the building, climb some steps and cross a metal bridge over South Dock. 

9.   Turn left at the end of the bridge and walk along the quayside for 200metres.  Turn right and walk out through between some low walled grassy plots to a road (Marsh Wall).  You are now standing beneath the elevated track of the Docklands Light Railway. Cross the road at the pedestrian lights and Turn left.  60m ahead of you is South Quay Station. Before reaching the station entrance, turn right and walk down the side of Millwall Inner Dock with water on your left.

9.  After 500 metres reach Pepper Street and turn left over Glengall Bridge. After the bridge, turn right and continue to walk beside the dock but, now, with the water on your right.  After 200 metres the walkway swings to the left and then resumes its original direction. The large area of water on your right is Millwall Outer Dock.  On your left is a semicircular area of grass.  Turn left on a path which goes through the centre of this grassy area.  Descend some steps and go under the DLR. Emerge on East Ferry Road.

10.  Cross the road and go through a gateway into Mudchute Park. Climb diagonally up some steps and turn right along an elevated path. Walk for 200 metres to a corner where the elevated path turns left.  Leave the path and descend to a gate. Turn left into a large playing field and walk, the length of the field, either across the grass or around the boundary track, to the far right hand corner. Pass the entrance to Island Gardens DLR Station and cross the road at the pedestrian lights.  Go ahead to reach the River Thames and the entrance to the Greenwich Foot Tunnel.  Take a moment to admire the wonderful view across the river to the Royal Naval College and the Royal Observatory perched on the hill behind it.  Walk through the foot tunnel and emerge at the Cutty Sark.

 

 

 
 
 
 

Walk 25 - From Chesham, at the Western End of the Metropolitan Line to Chalfont Latimer via Ley Hill

 

Walk Distance   11 Kilometres (7 miles)

Underfoot   Footpaths and country tracks, may be muddy in winter or after rain.

Journey Time (from Central London to Chesham)   55 minutes

Getting Back to Central London   Return by Metropolitan Line from Chalfont Latimer

Points of Interest   Chesham, Ley Hill Pubs, Chess Valley

Refreshments -  Cafes and pubs in Chesham, Pubs at Ley Hill

Opportunities For Shortening This Walk  -   Walk can be shortened by making it circular back to Chesham.  At point A turn right instead of left and walk back to the station.

Route Directions

1.  Upon leaving Chesham Station go straight ahead on a road called The Backs.  Pass some car parks and the back entrance of a supermarket.  At the first junction (Whites Hill) turn right up some steps.  Go across an entrance and continue steeply up for 50 metres.  Turn right and go through a kissing gate.  Enter a field and climb to another gate clearly in sight.  Behind you, there is a good view across Chesham. In the next field continue in the same direction to the brow of the hill (more views) and beyond to reach another gate.  Turn left towards the corner of the field.  Go through a gate, turn right and walk along an enclosed path.  At the end, turn half left and strike out diagonally across a field. Cross a farm access track and go ahead to follow the left hand edge of a field. 

2.  Enter the next field and go straight on. (If the field has recently been ploughed you can turn left and follow its margin.)  Reach the other side and go right for 30 metres. Turn left through a gap in the hedgerow and descend to a bridleway. Go straight across and climb the clear path on the other side.  Reach the corner  of a field and turn left with the hedge on your right. Go through a gate and continue in roughly in the same direction to reach Tylers Hill Road.Turn right on the road. Pass a hose called five bells and a brick built church. Upon reaching the gates of Cowcroft Grange, turn left along a track through some woods. Emerge on a road and continue for about 400m in the same direction to a junction. Turn right into Blackwell Hall Lane with no less than two pubs: the Crown and the Swan.

3.   Upon leaving the pubs continue in the same direction to pass some houses on your right. After another 100m turn right onto a concrete farm track and where the track swings right continue ahead to the right of a hedge.  Walk in the same direction through the edge of a wood. Ignore a path to the right. After passing a trig point in the hedge on your right (easily missed)  the path emerges at a field entrance with a metal gate and (possibly) a large puddle.  Go straight across and turn right through a wooden gate.

4.   Descend diagonally across a large field with many oak trees. Go through a gate at the bottom.  Turn right on a track for about 150m. Turn left on a signed footpath. Follow this footpath for 600m as it descends into the Chess Valley.  Near the end of the path, with a road clearly in sight, turn left on a signed footpath to “Blackwell”. Go along the bottom edge of a field to a gate.  Continue ahead and soon approach Blackwell Hall.  Go right and reach a small road. Turn left for a short distance before leaving the road and going ahead on a footpath signed “Chess Valley Walk”. 

5.  Keep to the left of a hedge and walk straight ahead through a series of large fields with the field-edge on your right.  At the end of the last field, go through a gate and follow the path diagonally left along the edge of a wood. Cross a stile to enter the adjacent field on your right. Turn left along the side of the field and climb the steep hill with the wood still on your left.  You may notice that there is a parallel footpath on the other side of the fence, but, don’t worry, you are meant to be in the field. Take time to admire the views behind you.  At the top of the hill continue along the perimeter of the field. Follow it where it turns right with the wood still on your left.  Turn left at a corner to resume your previous direction along the side of the valley with good views River Chess opening up below you

6.   After passing Latimer House Hotel on your left, reach a surfaced crossing track between fences.  Turn right and descend towards the river. At the bottom, you will see the damn which creates the “Great Water”.  Cross the bridge and go ahead through a field.  Go straight across a road and enter another field.  After 20m take the right hand fork and walk to the top corner of the field. Enter a wood and climb diagonally uphill on a clear path. Ignore a broad crossing track, and continue uphill in the same direction. 

7.   With the end of the climb in view take the right hand path at a fork and reach some houses at a point where there is clear road ahead At first, this is unsurfaced but it soon becomes a fully paved suburban street.  Follow this road downhill, cross a main road, and continue your descent.  Reach a T-Junction with a car park visible ahead and turn left.  After 250m look out for the entrance to Chalfont & Latimer Station on your right.

 

 

Walk 19 - From Watford, at the Western End of the Metropolitan Line to Chorleywood via Whippendel Woods and the Chess Valley

Walk Distance   11 Kilometres (7 miles)

Underfoot  Mainly woodland paths and field edges with minor mud

Journey Time (from Central London to Watford)   55 minutes

Getting Back to Central London   Return from Chorleywood Tube Station

Points of Interest   Whippendel Woods, M25, Chess Valley

Refreshments -  Cafe in Cassiobury Park, pubs at Chandlers Cross, Sarratt and Chorleywood

Opportunities For Shortening This Walk  None

 

Route Directions

1.   Turn right from Watford Tube Station and walk 150m to the traffic lights. Turn left into Shepherd Road and enter Cassiobury Park. Go ahead to a junction of paths and turn left.  Curve to the right between trees. Walk for about 400m to another junction.  Turn left and walk gently downhill along an avenue of trees.  After 300m there is a café on the left near a children’s play area.  Continue down the path and reach two bridges and some signposts.  Follow the direction "Whippendel Woods" and cross the bridges

2.  The first bridge is over the River Gade and the second crosses the Grand Union Canal.  Turn right immediately after the second bridge and follow a broad track which, at first,  runs parallel to the canal but soon swings away to the left and rises to cross the West Herts Golf Course.   A sign indicates this is Lime Avenue. Continue along this broad straight track across the golf course until you reach a junction with a sign declaring it to be “Rond Pont”. Take the broad path straight ahead which is signposted "Chandlers Cross".  Descend through woods and keep ahead on this well-walked track for the next kilometer ignoring all turnings left or right.  Reach a gate at Rousebarn Lane. 

3.  Turn right on the lane and walk for 600m to reach a junction of roads at Chandlers Cross. Turn left and ignore a road coming in from the right.  Walk to the left of a pub called Prime Steak and Grill.  After 20m, where the road takes a sharp bend to the left,  continue straight ahead on a track between hedges signposted  "Micklefield Green". Continue on this track for 1.8Km. Soon you are walking beside the M25 Motoway.  Continue to a road. Turn right and cross a bridge over the M25.  After 100m turn left on a driveway which intersects the path.  Cross the road to a stile with two signposts.  Climb the stile, turn right and follow the sign which points right towards "Sarratt".  

4.  Walk along the field edge for 250m. Cross the gateway to New Model Farm and return to the field edge for another 250m.  At the end of the second field do not go through a metal gate ahead of you. Instead, turn left and walk, with the hedge on your right, to the first corner.  Go through a gate in the hedge and walk diagonally right across a field.  At the far side, go right and then climb a stile with a sign showing that you are on Sharratt Parish Footpath. Turn right to reach the car park of the Cock Inn.

5.  Emerge on a lane and turn left.  Pass the pub on your left and Holy Cross Church on your right. Leave the road almost immediately to walk past a row of six terraced cottages with ecclesiastical doors. At the end, enter an enclosed path.  Cross a driveway and walk downhill with a hedge (later a metal fence) on your right.  You are now descending into the valley of the River Chess with good views.  At the bottom of the hill, turn left on a car-wide track. This is the Chess Valley Walk.

6.  Cross a small road and continue ahead on the path which soon swings right and crosses the river by way of wooden walkway and bridge.  After crossing the bridge turn left and walk for 300m to a point where there is a junction of paths.  The path you are on swings left. Instead turn right and walk uphill just inside an area of woodland.  At the top, leave the woods and continue straight ahead on a broad track. After 350m the track reaches a junction. Turn right and then immediately left on to a paved driveway which, first goes downhill but then rises again. There is a large green field on your right and (later) a small cemetery on your left.

7.  Reach a busy road and cross with care. On the opposite side, walk diagonally right along a broad grassy area between trees. Ahead you can see the outskirts of Chorleywood.  Reach a road coming in from the right and walk beside it along the grassy common.  Where the road swings left there is a car park. Immediately after the car park there is a green signpost pointing the way to the station.  Cross the road and descend in the direction indicated through the gates of Betjeman Gardens.  Follow the driveway as it swings right and then turn left between houses. Reach some steps which descend to Chorleywood Station.