Walking by water
Featured in the Future Transport London Newsletter October 2026
London benefits from around 400 miles of signed walking routes, ranging from the 15-mile Lea Valley Walk to the 150-mile London Outer Orbital Path (LOOP) encircling London. Transport for London lists them and provides links to detailed maps here.
The self-explanatory Thames Path follows the Thames within London for around 35 miles (56 kilometres) from the Surrey border at Hampton Court to the Thames Barrier, from where it is possible to walk a further 11 miles (17 kilometres) to the Kent border at the river Darent.
In June 2026, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the path, a Thames Path Relay walked the entire 185 miles from the source in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier, carrying a baton. The walk ended with 65 walkers on the final stage from Cutty Sark to the Thames Barrier on Sunday 28th June, where there was a reception with the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillor David Gardner.
Long-distance walking routes are not conceived primarily as transport infrastructure, but are of great value for exercise, leisure and local travel. The Thames Path in London has sections in Hampton Court, Richmond, Kew Gardens, Barnes, Putney, Wandsworth, Battersea, the South Bank and Greenwich, all suitable for travel on foot or, with some restrictions, bicycle.
Dick Dunmore
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