Walking in London and the South East

Visitor on a walk in autumn at Abinger Roughs and Netley Park, Surrey — Autumn at Abinger Roughs and Netley Park, Surrey | © National Trust Images/John Miller

From sweeping landscapes to ancient woodland, there are lots of places in London and the South East where you can enjoy gentle strolls and invigorating hikes in nature. Find your next local walk here.

Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy a woodland walk. Stroll through a canopy of colour, listen as the leaves crunch beneath your feet, and watch woodland wildlife busily stock their larders and prepare for the winter slumber.

A hilltop view of a valley with low-lying mist and autumnal leaves on trees as far as the eye can see

Trail

Leith Hill woodland walk

Surrey

Enjoy some impressive views of the South Downs and the London skyline on this invigorating circular walk through woodland on Leith Hill

Two walkers on a path at Reigate Hill and Gatton Park

Trail

Margery Wood to the Yew Tree Pub walk

Surrey

Enjoy this picturesque ramble taking in a traditional pub and some of the most impressive views of the Surrey Hills towards the South Downs.

Glorious autumnal woodland with crisp brown leaves littering the narrow footpath and the tall beech trees resplendent in yellow and orange

Trail

Bradenham beech woods walk

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

Enjoy a classic Chilterns landscape and find out more about the history of this part of the world on the Bradenham beech woods walk.

The walk up to Wilmot Hill on the National Trust Ightham Mote estate in Kent

Trail

Ightham Mote circular walk to Wilmot Hill

Kent

Enjoy the Kentish countryside from the Ightham Mote estate as you walk the periphery of a large part of its 580 acres. The walk incorporates Scathes Wood, the Greensand Way, Wilmot Hill and Broadhoath Wood.

Two people walking through woodland with sunset shining through trees

Trail

Petworth ancient trees walk

Sussex

Discover more about the ancient trees that dominate the skyline of Petworth on this circular walk in Sussex.

Trail

Coleshill brown walk

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

Coleshill brown walk is a gentle woodland stroll. Perfect for wildlife spotting all year and bluebells in late spring. If you bring the kids (or the big kids), have a go at building a den.

Trail

Low Scrubs: A walk back in time

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

Explore the atmospheric woodland of Low Scrubs, encountering relics of its ancient past from as far back as the early Iron Age, on this short waymarked walk.

Discover autumn walks near you and explore coast and countryside across the South East.

A couple of people walking in the woodland at Frensham Little Pond in Surrey with orange autumn leaves surrounding them

Walking in Surrey

From hilltop hikes with some of the finest views of the Surrey Hills to gentle wanders through ancient woodlands, these are some of the best walks in Surrey.

Walking in Hampshire

From ancient farmland at Mottisfont to towering beech woods and country lanes at Hinton Ampner, discover where to go for the best walks, long and short, in Hampshire.

Walking in Sussex

Explore coastal paths, open parkland and countryside teeming with wildlife on these top walks in Sussex.

Visitors on a garden tour in Autumn at Ightham Mote, Kent

Walking in Kent

Explore woodlands, farmland, and fields with plenty of wildlife and birds on these top walks in Kent.

Ham Meadow avenue, lined by two rows of golden-leaved trees, with fallen leaves on the ground, in autumn at Ham House and Garden, London

Walking in London

From acres of parkland at Osterley Park to the meadows, wetlands and woodlands of Ham House, discover where to go for the best walks in London.

A breezy pebbly beach on a grey autumn day at Water Shoot Bay at the southern tip of the Isle of WIght

Walking on the Isle of Wight

From discovering dinosaur fossils on a walk at Compton Bay and Downs to the secluded creeks and waterways of Newtown National Nature Reserve, find out where to go for the best walks on the Isle of Wight.

Visitors walking in the grounds in autumn at Basildon Park, Berkshire

Walking in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire

From gentle strolls for little legs to longer hikes through the rolling Chiltern hills, these are some of the best walks in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

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Pooch Passports

Find out more about the Pooch Passport scheme and discover dog-friendly places to explore together. Collect stamps from participating places on your days out and your dog(s) will receive a special treat from our partners at Forthglade.

Enjoy spectacular displays of autumn colour on a walk around Winkworth Arboretum and Sheffield Park and Garden.

Red acer at Sheffield Park in the autumn

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Plan your Autumn visit to Sheffield Park and Garden

Our famed autumn colour attracts thousands of visitors at this time of year. Pre-booking is not required for visits to Sheffield Park and Garden.

A landscape view of the colour trees from the meadow winkworth arboretum

Article

Visiting Winkworth Arboretum this Autumn

When autumn arrives, Winkworth bursts into colour, its yellows, oranges and reds painting a breath-taking picture across the landscape. Learn more about Wilfrid Fox's visionary collection and find out about the best time to see the plants at the peak of their autumnal finery.

Curling up with a good book as the weather cools and the nights draw in? Before you get cosy, step outside to discover landscapes that inspired famous writers, and walks with their own stories to tell of times gone by. Walk in the footsteps of famous authors, poets and artists including Rudyard Kipling, Kenneth Grahame and Stanley Spencer, and discover historic landscapes with connections to Octavia Hill, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and historic battles that helped shape the future of England.

A village scene with bight green grass in the foreground, a path running through it and a horse chestnut tree in flower behind the path but in front of several houses.

Trail

The short Wind in the Willows walk

Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

A 3-mile circular walk around Cookham Dean in Berkshire and the woodlands that inspired author Kenneth Grahame's Wild Wood in his children's novel Wind in the Willows.

A view across summer countryside with cattle grazing at Bateman's in East Sussex

Trail

Kipling's Puck walk around the Bateman's countryside

Sussex

This 2.5-mile walk at Bateman's takes in views over the Sussex countryside, a landscape that inspired Rudyard Kipling.

A National Trust sign pointing over the hedge to the right to Sandham Memorial Chapel, Hampshire.

Trail

Walk in Stanley Spencer's footsteps around Burghclere

Hampshire

A circular walk around the village of Burghclere to explore where artist Stanley Spencer lived, loved, and was inspired to create thought-provoking art.

Spring sun through the trees at Toys Hill, Kent

Activity

Walking at Toys Hill

Discover lots of walking routes, points of historical interest and wide-ranging views at one of Octavia Hill’s favourite places. Visit to see the landscape that inspired her.

The Ionic Rotunda, a round stone structure with a domed roof supported by columns, stands on raised grassy ground, with bare-branched trees to both sides

Trail

Capability Brown's Pleasure Gardens walk

Sussex

A 1-mile (1.6km) circular stroll around Petworth's Pleasure Gardens that takes in the highlights of the naturalistic landscape created by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown.

View over fields where the Battle of Cheriton happened in 1644 in Hampshire

Trail

Battle of Cheriton walk

Hampshire

Explore the area of one of the most decisive battles in the English Civil War – the Battle of Cheriton. This trail, along footpaths and farm tracks, follows in the footsteps of soldiers who fought in a conflict that helped shape the future of England.

Trail

A Roman ramble to Gumber Farm

Sussex

This circular trail through the Slindon Estate encompasses a Roman road across open downland, plus a chalky woodland ride known as Leper's Path.

Hillsides with sheep tracks and ridges and a distant view of the hillfort, and a black building, at Devil's Dyke

Trail

Fulking archaeology walk

Sussex

Take an archaeological walk through time along the South Downs on this circular route. Follow the glorious contours of the Sussex Downs: on one side is the Weald, and on the other the sea.

Family walking through a gate, on an autumn walk on the Osterley estate in London

Article

Follow the Countryside Code

Help to look after National Trust places by observing a few simple guidelines during your visit and following the Countryside Code.

A visitor using a wheelchair takes a photo, with flower borders and Killerton house in the background

Access for everyone

The National Trust is for everyone. Our Access Guide gives helpful information about the accessibility of our sites where we welcome visitors. The guide is designed to have accessibility information for all our visited places in one location to assist with planning your visits. The Guide is up-to-date at the point of publication.

A group of four women along a path, in the background, down a hill is a reservoir

Where will you visit next?

Discover lots of gardens, historic houses, days out at the coast and more.

Plan a visit

We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.

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Visitor crossing water via stepping stones with their dog on an autumnal walk at Wallington

Walking

Explore some of the finest landscapes in our care on coastal paths, accessible trails, woodland walks and everything in between. Find the best places to walk near you.

A group of people in a hiking group are being guided on a hike by rangers at Marsden Moor, West Yorkshire

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Cotswold Outdoor: our exclusive walking partner

Find out more about the National Trust’s ongoing partnership with Cotswold Outdoor as our exclusive walking partner.

A visitor carrying a backpack and walking along a footpath at Divis and the Black Mountain with stone walls either side, the countryside visible in the background.

Article

Follow the Countryside Code

Help to look after National Trust places by observing a few simple guidelines during your visit and following the Countryside Code.

An aerial view of an adult and baby walking a dog along a path at Baggy Point, Devon

Article

Staying safe at National Trust places

The special places in National Trust care sometimes come with a few risks for visitors, be it coastline or countryside. Find out how to keep safe throughout your visits.