Are you someone who lives in Salomon trainers and Patagonia fleeces? Do you think a crunchy handful of granola sounds better than a Big Mac? Then listen up. Londoners needn’t travel as far as the Peaks, Lakes or Highlands to embark on one of Britain’s best hikes. You could wake up in the comfort of your own bed, embark on one of nation’s finest walks, and be home in time for tea.
In Time Out’s new list of the best hikes in the UK, the entry at seventh place is in the capital.
Lace up those hiking boots, because one of our top walks in Britain for 2026 is the London Outer Orbital Path (or the Loop, for short).
If hardy walkers wanted to complete the 150-mile circuit all in one go it would take them well over a week. However, the best thing about the Loop is that it’s designed to be taken leisurely, and has been split up into 24 neat and accessible sections (ranging from four to 10 miles).
All segments of the walk are accessible by public transport. It starts in Erith in east London and follows the boundaries of the capital, going all around the city.
Think a walk around the outskirts of the city sounds uneventful? Think again. The Loop traverses wartime airfields and storied forests, passes by mighty country houses and reveals awesome cityscape views. Some of the highlights along the trail include Coulsdon’s sweeping Farthing Downs, Bushy Park’s deer, Old Bexley’s medieval St Mary’s Church, the Grand Union Canal and countless excellent pubs – because all long walks should be followed by a crisp pint.
I walked the London Loop – here’s why every Londoner should do it once.
🥾 The 10 best hikes in the UK 2026.
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