Best Family Nature Walks in South London
London is the best place for a family nature walk- there are canal walks, nature walks, short city walks or long, rambling walks through parks. London is a perfect place for a family walk, it’s full of nature to spot and there’s a walk to suit any family whatever your mood! Here are some of our favourite family nature walks in London to escape the busyness of the capital and enjoy London’s views and green spaces. If you’re more in the mood for a woodland walk – you can find our favourite woodland walks in South East London here.
Princess Diana Memorial Walk
LENGTH: 7 MILES
DURATION: 4-5 HRS
This walk takes you through four of the eight Royal Parks: St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. It’s unlikely that families will do the whole walk on one day but it’s perfect to split into shorter sections. During the walk, you will see three palaces and two mansions which were special to the life of the Princess:
• Kensington Palace
• Buckingham Palace
• Clarence House
• St James’s Palace
• Spencer House
You follow over 90 plaques around the walk to guide you on your route and it passes lots of parks which are perfect for kids to have a run about – Princess Diana Memorial Playground is an amazing playground for kids of all ages and you can easily spend many hours there. The whole route is suitable for buggies and little legs too.
Short Nature Walks for Families in South London
Morden Hall Park
LENGTH: 2 MILES
DURATION: 1 HRS 30
Another brilliant place for a family walk in London is Modern Hall Park is based in south london, just in Morden as you’d have guessed from the name. It’s a favourite walk from Han-Son – the founder of DaddiLife – a parenting website for dads. Here’s his top tips for a great family day out……….
It’s a wonderful landscape of adventure for kids and adults alike and I’ve been trailing here with my son since he was little. You can see whether it’s wellie time or a spot of fishing – this place is a great adventure out.
A few of my highlights:
1. Fishing by the stream: Modern Hall Park has a wonderful stream that surrounds the trail, and there’s one spot in particular just by the large lake house that has loads of fish. You can sit there all day, picnic in hand, fishing net in the other, and catch, explore (and put back) the fish.
2. Adventure playground: In what like it’s right in the middle of the trail is a fantastic woodland adventure park for the kids…but this one also has…a ZIPLINE! Which just immediately maximises the fun by about 10 times. It’s got a brilliant wooden castle and lots and lots of games.
3. The nature trail: It’s very very large, and you and the kids will have a lot of stories to share and tell as you endlessly walk, enjoying all the fine nature in tow. There’s a spot as you cross over the bridge (away from the lake house) that takes you deep into a forest like trail which is popular with bikers in particular.
Morden Hall Park is part of the National Trust so members go free – we love our National Trust membership, there’s so many options for family days out in London and surrounding areas – find the best ones here.
Horniman Nature Trail
LENGTH: 0.5 MILES
DURATION: 30-40 min
For a dose of nature within a short afternoon walk that’s perfect for little legs, the Horniman Nature Trail is a perfect London walk! It’s short at 0.5 miles long but the are a wide variety of plants, birds, insects and other animals. It’s a great place to find stag beetles! It can get quite muddy so it isn’t that suitable for buggies and it starts with some stairs so isn’t accessible – find the trail located on the cycle path that runs parallel to the Horniman Museum and Gardens (at the bottom of Meadow Field). It is open from 9am – 4pm. You can also pop and visit the Horniman Museum which is a great day out in South London with Kids.
Pretty family walks in South London
The Wandle Trail
WANDSWORTH TO CARSHALTON
LENGTH: 14 MILES DURATION: 6 HOURS
A lovely Nature Walk in South London is ‘The Wandle Trail’ is a 20km (14 mile) walk and cycle route which follows the route of the River Wandle from Croydon to the Thames at Wandsworth. You can find the route here – some parts are wheelchair accessible and suitable for buggies. It’s a pretty walk with lots of ponds to view. This lovely trail includes more than 10 parks and green spaces. There’s lots of public transport en route so you can break up the trip if you need.
GREEN CHAIN WALK
LENGTH: 64 Miles
DURATION: 1 Hour (per section)
The Green Chain walk has separate 11 sections so you can choose different sections depending on the length of time you have. Find the Green Chain route here. Starting at the bend of the river in Thamesmead, the Green Chain walks heads through parks, lakes and woodland before winding up at the 19th-century Nunhead Cemetery. It passes through Greenwich park, one of London’s prettiest parks and Greenwich has lots of fun things to do with kids. which has an amazing view over London at The Observatory. The walk has a good mix of nature and important South London landmarks. You can view iconic buildings such as the 1930s Art Deco Eltham Palace and take some time to spot dinosaurs in Crystal Palace.
Thames Path Walk
LENGTH: 40 Miles
DURATION: 30-40 min (per section)
Thames Path is a long distance walking trail but many parts are suitable for family walks. It follows the Thames from its source in the Cotswolds through several rural counties and on into the heart of London finishing at the Thames Barrier in Woolwich just a few miles from the sea. It’s great for families as it’s mostly flat and suitable for buggies. If you’re interested in wildlife there are always a range of birds present on and around the river and if you’re keen on wildflowers or insects – there are lots to be seen during the spring and summer. Our favourite part of the Thames Path are section two and section four. Section two of the Thames Path runs along the south bank and includes hidden haunts and famous landmarks – it’s a great route for learning more about London. Section four of the Thames Path runs along the south bank and offers picturesque riverside views including Crossness Nature Reserve and Erith Salt Marsh. Find the full details here.
Richmond Park Circular Walk
LENGTH: 4.7 Miles
DURATION: 2 hours
Richmond feels like a real escape from the city – there is ample parking so it makes it an easy visit with children and it’s a stunning park where you can see deer and a range of rare species including fungi, birds, beetles, bats, grasses and wildflowers. There is a nature trail in the centre of the park – it’s about 200 acres and has a 5 km walking trail around it. However, no pets permitted so it’s not a dog walking walk but it is fully accessible for buggies and wheelchairs. Isabella Plantation is also worth a visit with a large selection of Rhododendrons and Camellias, plus many other rare and unusual trees and shrubs.
Top Tips for Family Walks with Kids
Hope you find a favourite family walk here! If you ever need any tips or tricks to keep kids walking or motivate them on a long walk and make it fun – you’ll love our post on the Best Tips and Tricks for Family hikes and walks! And if you have teens and are looking to explore London – you’ll need this great guide on the Best things to do in London with tweens. See here for more family hikes!
And if you want to turn the simplest of family walks into a real adventure – find out what the best things to pack for a Nature walk adventure here.
