Free Guided Walks With London Autumn Ambles


Book your free walking tour and get strolling

This autumn, Transport for London (TfL) is encouraging people to explore the capital with 40 free guided walks.

Autumn Ambles, on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 September, covers a variety of fun themes, with walks varying in length from one to 10 miles and stretching across London.

They include a 9-mile walk along the Wandle Trail on September 23, which runs through SW19 and stops at Morden Hall Park for a lunch break.

New walks for 2017 include a specially designed dementia-friendly stroll around the flora and fauna of Southwark Park and a rock ’n’ roll themed tour of the famous sights of Camden. The walks are very popular, you are advised to reserve your free place via walklondon.org.uk

The walks are taking place a month after Public Health England released statistics showing how millions of people across the UK still don’t walk the recommended amount each month. GLA analysis also shows that if every Londoner walked or cycled for 20 minutes a day, it would save the NHS £1.7bn in treatment costs over the next 25 years.

New walks on offer this autumnm with each led by an experienced Walk London guide, include:

Saturday 23 September:

·         Sensory Walk – dementia-friendly stroll at 11am - exploring the history, flora and fauna of Southwark Park. On the walk, learn how to support people living with dementia to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the outdoors.

Southwark Park walk

·         Animal I-Spy in the City at 10.30am – a family-friendly walk, exploring the city and discovering where animals are hiding. This walk is perfect for children between the ages of four  and  seven

·         Camden Rock ’n’ Roll at 2.30pm – enjoy a walking tour of the famous and infamous sights of Camden's rock ’n’ roll history and discover the area and the musical roots that grew out of north London.

Sunday 24 September:

·         The Piccadilly line at 10am – ever wondered why there are no flower beds in Green Park? Join this walk to learn more as the route follows the Piccadilly line above ground from Green Park to Covent Garden station. Hear the history of the Tube line and the Underground in general

·         The Spooky City – ghosts, body snatchers and public executions at 11am and 14:00 – a walk exploring London’s sinister secrets, visiting the Old Bailey, the site of the former Newgate Prison, and many other creepy locations

·         Shoreditch Tour of London’s coolest streets at 1,30pm - discover hidden areas and lesser-known streets around Shoreditch and see work by some of the world’s greatest street artists. A perfect walk to learn about the area’s rich historical sites including William Blake’s grave and Shakespeare’s first London theatre

·         Family Favourites – the walk that's also a quiz at 4pm – see the Tube station that Harry Potter and Mr Weasley use and learn how it could have made Big Ben fall over, and see a location visited by Paddington Bear and its clever trick for staying lucky.

September 7, 2017