London City beautifully blends urban life with a rich natural escape. Its peaceful riverside paths offer breathtaking views, and historic places are nestled between its bustling streets and towering skyscrapers.
Whether you are looking for a relaxed stroll, an electrified jog, or a dog-friendly adventure, London’s River Walk offers much more than a walk.
The river walks take you through stunning parks, past iconic sights, and into unknown corners of London.
If you love to dive into the past with a historical foot around the city, check out the city’s popular attractions, or indulge in the area of blissful nature, there is a wide array of beautiful spots for a walk.
This post contains seven different river walks in London. Some go through central London, and others follow the quieter parts of the River Thames or the River Wandle.
Let’s dive into the article.
Table of Contents
Top 7 river walks in London
1. South Bank of the Thames Walking Tour
Discover a 2.3 km point near Southwark, London. It takes 36 minutes on any of the routes, a very popular area for road biking, walking, and running.
This trail is open all year and is beautiful to visit anytime. London’s South Bank area is the perfect place to enjoy hundreds of years of history and vibrant contemporary city culture.
Following several decades of cultural investments, the south side of the River Thames has become an arts and entertainment showpiece.
This river walk takes you to the Tower of London, the scene of many horrifying imprisonments over the centuries, and home of the crown jewels today.
It crosses the river on the fabulous feat of Victorian engineering, Tower Bridge, then skirts along the river, passing Shakespeare’s beautifully restored Globe Theatre, and finishing at the magnificent Tate Modern gallery.
Length of the river walk: 2.3 km
Estimated time: 36 minutes.
Highlights: Lambeth bridge to tower bridge.
2. Queens Walk
The Queen’s River Walk includes the South Bank, which runs over the Westminster Bridge to Blackfriars Bridge and extends over the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s Cathedral.
River walking in London is a great opportunity to see the city’s famous landmarks. The walks pass several theaters and galleries, including Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, the National Theater, the Royal Festival Hall, and the Tate Modern.
In this river walk near me, you can also get the best views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
One of the best river walks in London, the Queen’s River Walk passes by many restaurants, bars, and cafes, and venues like the Southbank Center, near Waterloo Bridge.
Length of the river walk: 2.8 km
Estimated time: around 30 mins
Highlights: Houses of Parliament. The London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral.
3. Thames Path
Thames Path is the best river walk in London, which offers the quintessential London experience, where you can see some of the finest walks and best views in the city.
The main route is almost 80 miles, but this path is divided into four sections on the north bank as well as the south bank. This is the best dog-friendly river walk in London.
The Albert Court and the Hampton Bridge section on the north bank have their unique charm. This single section is for 23 miles, starting from Hampton Court Palace.
The walk also passes London’s urban Sprawl, Teddington Lock, Eel Pie Island, Kew Gardens, London Wetland Center, and more, and it finishes at Albert Bridge.
Length of the river walk: 23 miles
Estimated time: 13 to 15 hours, usually, but better to attempt in smaller sections.
Highlights: London Wetland center, Kew Gardens, Syon Park, Teddington lock.
4. Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge
This river walk is very popular in London for running and walking, so you will likely encounter other people while exploring.
The walk is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. The walk is dog-friendly and takes you from one famous bridge to another.
The trail starts from Westminster, which is painted green, Tower Bridge, a bascule and suspension bridge, the iconic symbol of London.
Soak in history and spoiled for choice between captivating views, this walk offers you a great mix of sights along the way.
The walk reminds you of places where the age-old political and historical backdrop as you wander past Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster, with a large portion of this route following the Queen’s Walk.
Length of the river walk: 10 km
Estimated time: 2 hours 19 mins
Highlights: Westminster bridge, Southbank, Tate modern, Tower bridge.
5. Regents Canal
One of the best river walks in London is the Regents Canal, an 8 km walk, which takes an average of 2 hours and 6 minutes to complete.
This river walk is a very popular area for hiking, walking, and running. The walk is open all year round to visit at any time.
Enjoy walking along the path beside the Regent Canal from Warwick Avenue station to Camden with lovely views along the water and interesting sites along the way.
There are several places for refreshment in Camden, as well as some interesting places to explore before finishing the walk
Length of the river walk: 8 km
Estimate time: 2 hours 6 min
Highlights: Warwick avenue, Camden station.
6. Capital Ring walk section 6
Capital Ring walk section 6 is one of the best river walks in London, and it is also a popular area for running, walking, and roaming around.
This trail is the long-distance circular route around London. This walk is amazing to discover the city’s unknown areas, from bridges to parks, residential areas to ponds.
The trail starts at Wimbledon Park and passes by the 460 hectares of woodlands, scrub heathland, some ponds, some bridges, various wildflowers, bird species, and many more to explore.
Length of the river walk: 11.9 km
Estimated time: 3 hours and 11 minutes
Highlights: Richmond Park, Wimbledon, and Putney.
7. Battersea Park and River Walk
This trail is a 3 to 4 km loop near Wandsworth, it is considered the easiest river walk in London. This river walk is popular for biking, running and walking, and the dogs are welcome here on this trail.
This walk passes a river promenade, a lake, several significant trees, a children’s play area, a zoo, and the Pump House gallery. This path offers a wide array of outdoor activities for people of all ages.
Length of the river walk: 3.4 km
Estimated time: 44 min
Highlights: A river promenade, a lake, a zoo, and an outdoor play area.
Conclusion
In conclusion, no matter what your walking preferences, London’s top 7 river walk offers the perfect escape from the rush of daily life.
Whether you want to see the historical landmarks, the vibrant culture of the city, or the peaceful nature, or a dog-friendly walk, these river walks serve everyone.
This route offers you to experience London in a different way, which offers you the breathtaking views and hidden gems along your walking route. So, explore the list before you put on your walking shoes.
If you have visited any of these before, share your experience in the comments.
