Where to Walk Mindfully in London

The answer to the question posed in the title of this post is of course, anywhere and everywhere.  It is just that I feel some places in the city lend themselves more to Mindful walking than others. Although I enjoy walking through busy London streets, when I am wanting a  focused and Mindful walk, I tend to gravitate towards the more natural parts of London.  Parks and gardens and the river.  There are of course 100’s of places to walk mindfully in London, but I wanted to share with you some of the places I especially enjoy and maybe inspire you to try these or find your own.

Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is wild and glorious and vast.  Set in between some of the most sought after areas of London I would confidently say it is also one the most beautiful.  Its sheer size tucked into zone 2 makes it unique.  It is a mix of meadows, wild woodland, well trodden paths and of course the ponds.  It has something for everyone.  Despite its popularity and probably because of its sheer size, it is easy to find your own space here.  It is possible to take a gentle meander through, or work up a healthy glow with some energetic striding.  Whichever you choose, it is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the moment, the beauty of the ground beneath your feet and the big sky up above.

The views from Parliament Hill whether shrouded in mist or bathed in glorious sunshine are breathtaking and a reminder of how close to the city you are. Standing here, breathing in your surroundings, feeling the weather and absorbing the beauty of London is a wonderfully calming place to be.

Regents Park

I adore flowers, whether cut and in a pretty vase on my table, growing in carefully tended flow beds or hanging in swathes of blossom from trees.  The intricacy and creativity of flowers never cease to amaze me and I find it quite easy to get lost in absorbing the complexities of them wherever I might be enjoying them.

This is why Queen Mary’s Gardens in Regents Park is a perfect venue for some mindful walking. They are beautiful at any time of year, but never more so than in spring and summer.  In summer they are filled with the scent and colour of 12,000 roses.  In the spring, Tulips stand tall and heavy boughs of tufty pink cherry blossom sway in the breeze.  Wide paths lead to both.  Benches are placed along each side of the flower beds and provide perfect medative resting places.

Holland Park

Some parts of Holland Park like the Japanese inspired Kyoto Garden positively encourage quiet contemplation.  Water flows down the  three step waterfall, and the miniature trees and shrubs are immaculately tended.  This is meant to be a place for calm and thoughtfulness

In contrast are the  much wilder gardens, filled with seasonal flowers all year round. Wildlife and birds are very much in evidence too and there are logs on which to rest and sit and trees to wind your way past and through.  This less busy part of the garden is perfect for some gentle mindfulness practice.

The River Thames

My water of choice is the sea, but as London is not very close to the sea, I am very happy to substitute it with the marvellous River Thames.  There are so many parts of the river which are gorgeous to walk along.  I particularly enjoy the riverside at Hammersmith, and also the shady area from Kew Bridge to Richmond, which  passes behind Kew Gardens. Both stretches I know well.  Another lovely part of the river to walk mindfully along, is the loop from the South side of Vauxhall Bridge to Lambeth bridge, walk across the bridge and back along the North side past Tate Britain, pausing as you do to stop and sit and watch and absorb the river.  Central London but without the crowds. Bliss!

Londons Canals

I suspect many people may not even realise London has canals, but indeed it does.  These provide another stretch of waterway along which to practice enjoy mindful walking.  The Regents Canal runs from Paddington to Limehouse and are a lovely peaceful place.  Much stiller than The Thames and filled with colourful canal boats, there is an almost invisible pull to slow down, take  time and focus on the surroundings.   Step outside of busy Paddington station and immediately you are on the Regents Canal and moments from Little Venice with its smart, white houses.  This is a beautiful part of London’s canal system, a perfect place to just stop and be.

I hope this has given you some thoughts on where you might want to walk mindfully.  Spring is here, the weather is improving and its a wonderful time to be outside.

You can read my previous post on what it means to walk mindfully here.