Guidebook for San Francisco
Parks & Nature
I like to run along this old railway line, which used to connect Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace but has been turned into a footpath. It’s a long, green nature reserve lined with trees. Running from Finsbury Park to Highgate and back is one for a summer’s evening, so you catch the sun setting over London coming back down from Highgate.
A good 12 km route starts at Highbury and Islington station: Run through Highbury Fields, Gillespie Park, Finsbury Park, and join the Parkland Walk there, running all the way up to Highgate, off-road. Turn around at Kate Moss’s favourite pub, the Boogaloo, and run back.
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Parkland Walk
Parkland WalkI like to run along this old railway line, which used to connect Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace but has been turned into a footpath. It’s a long, green nature reserve lined with trees. Running from Finsbury Park to Highgate and back is one for a summer’s evening, so you catch the sun setting over London coming back down from Highgate.
A good 12 km route starts at Highbury and Islington station: Run through Highbury Fields, Gillespie Park, Finsbury Park, and join the Parkland Walk there, running all the way up to Highgate, off-road. Turn around at Kate Moss’s favourite pub, the Boogaloo, and run back.
There’s an almost perfect 10 km along the Thames Path by the river, from iconic Tower Bridge. You’ll pass the Shard, Tate Modern, the Oxo Tower, London Eye, and cross the river at Westminster Bridge. Head back on the opposite, north side, returning to the Thames Path and Tower Bridge via the Millennium Bridge. It’s the perfect run to take your camera on.
This used to be my regular lunchtime run when I worked in London Bridge, but at lunchtime the footpath is crowded and your run soon becomes an amble. The best time is early mornings. Warm up in Potter Fields Park, which overlooks Tower Bridge.
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Thames Path
Thames PathThere’s an almost perfect 10 km along the Thames Path by the river, from iconic Tower Bridge. You’ll pass the Shard, Tate Modern, the Oxo Tower, London Eye, and cross the river at Westminster Bridge. Head back on the opposite, north side, returning to the Thames Path and Tower Bridge via the Millennium Bridge. It’s the perfect run to take your camera on.
This used to be my regular lunchtime run when I worked in London Bridge, but at lunchtime the footpath is crowded and your run soon becomes an amble. The best time is early mornings. Warm up in Potter Fields Park, which overlooks Tower Bridge.
West Reservoir is used for open-water swimming during the summer, but I like to run round it on winter mornings, as the reservoir always seems to have a spooky mist covering it. Whenever I’ve been there, it’s been pan flat, so you get a great reflection of the London cityscape.
From Highbury Fields, run along Newland Walk—an old railway line—to Clissold Park, one of London’s finest, with its own woodland trail. Then head to West Reservoir; dip a toe into Finsbury Park before heading back to Highbury Fields via Gillespie Park. That’s 10.5 km.
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West Reservoir Centre
Green LanesWest Reservoir is used for open-water swimming during the summer, but I like to run round it on winter mornings, as the reservoir always seems to have a spooky mist covering it. Whenever I’ve been there, it’s been pan flat, so you get a great reflection of the London cityscape.
From Highbury Fields, run along Newland Walk—an old railway line—to Clissold Park, one of London’s finest, with its own woodland trail. Then head to West Reservoir; dip a toe into Finsbury Park before heading back to Highbury Fields via Gillespie Park. That’s 10.5 km.
The dirt tracks, wood, and heathland of Wimbledon Common (and adjoining Putney Heath), southeast of Richmond Park, take me back to childhood. Run beside low foliage, gorse and hedges, and on the fine yellow gravel you get beneath moorland. There are lots of different paths to get lost on for hours.
Spring mornings are the best, as you break the dew with your footsteps. You feel like the first person to have charted the park. Grab a coffee in the Windmill Tearooms, under the 19th century windmill, in the centre of the common, to warm up.
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Wimbledon y Putney Commons
Windmill RoadThe dirt tracks, wood, and heathland of Wimbledon Common (and adjoining Putney Heath), southeast of Richmond Park, take me back to childhood. Run beside low foliage, gorse and hedges, and on the fine yellow gravel you get beneath moorland. There are lots of different paths to get lost on for hours.
Spring mornings are the best, as you break the dew with your footsteps. You feel like the first person to have charted the park. Grab a coffee in the Windmill Tearooms, under the 19th century windmill, in the centre of the common, to warm up.
This is proper countryside right in central London. Run through woodland along snaking paths, across wide grassy sections, and past ponds, including the three famous and enormously popular swimming ponds.
A 400-metre sprint up Parliament Hill might make your legs burn, but you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view of the city at the top.
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Hampstead Heath
This is proper countryside right in central London. Run through woodland along snaking paths, across wide grassy sections, and past ponds, including the three famous and enormously popular swimming ponds.
A 400-metre sprint up Parliament Hill might make your legs burn, but you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view of the city at the top.
Hackney Marshes is a large green space, full of local footballers on Saturdays and Sundays. There are 82 football, rugby, and cricket pitches, but also lots of plants and wildlife. The River Lee Navigation canal and the River Lea, which flow alongside the park, have paths you can run along.
I like to do a 9 km run starting from Hackney Downs station, heading northeast. Cut through Millfields Park, then follow the River Lea up to Springfield Park heading northwest. Turn around and head back to Hackney Marshes.
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Centro de Hackney Marshes
Homerton RoadHackney Marshes is a large green space, full of local footballers on Saturdays and Sundays. There are 82 football, rugby, and cricket pitches, but also lots of plants and wildlife. The River Lee Navigation canal and the River Lea, which flow alongside the park, have paths you can run along.
I like to do a 9 km run starting from Hackney Downs station, heading northeast. Cut through Millfields Park, then follow the River Lea up to Springfield Park heading northwest. Turn around and head back to Hackney Marshes.
This is central London’s finest park, which comes complete with its own zoo. You can run across parkland, mature gardens, tree-lined paths and, at Primrose Hill, tackle a steep climb with a great view from the top. Make time for a visit to London Zoo and you might even see a lion on your run!
Early mornings, before 8 am, is the best time to hit Regent’s Park, as you’ll have it almost to yourself— apart from cyclists and the zoo keepers. For a longer run, after Primrose Hill keep going along the canal down to Little Venice and back.
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Parque de Regent
This is central London’s finest park, which comes complete with its own zoo. You can run across parkland, mature gardens, tree-lined paths and, at Primrose Hill, tackle a steep climb with a great view from the top. Make time for a visit to London Zoo and you might even see a lion on your run!
Early mornings, before 8 am, is the best time to hit Regent’s Park, as you’ll have it almost to yourself— apart from cyclists and the zoo keepers. For a longer run, after Primrose Hill keep going along the canal down to Little Venice and back.
Sightseeing
I like to run along the tree-lined footpath on the south bank of the Thames. During the day you have the river to yourself as everyone is busy in the city, bar the odd rower enjoying the peace and quiet. I finish up in the City Barge 14th century pub, beside the river on the north side, just east of Kew Bridge.
Start from Chiswick High Road on the north side, cross to the south over Kew Bridge, run along the river east to Chiswick Bridge. Run up the steps at Chiswick Bridge and you’ll feel like Rocky Balboa, and cross to the north again. Then run back, about 7 km in total.
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Kew Bridge station
I like to run along the tree-lined footpath on the south bank of the Thames. During the day you have the river to yourself as everyone is busy in the city, bar the odd rower enjoying the peace and quiet. I finish up in the City Barge 14th century pub, beside the river on the north side, just east of Kew Bridge.
Start from Chiswick High Road on the north side, cross to the south over Kew Bridge, run along the river east to Chiswick Bridge. Run up the steps at Chiswick Bridge and you’ll feel like Rocky Balboa, and cross to the north again. Then run back, about 7 km in total.
There are endless sections you could choose of this interesting east-west waterway, especially between Paddington and Limehouse Basin. I like running 10.5 km from Shoreditch Park to Victoria Park (to do a loop around the park), then back. Past De Beauvoir village, with canal folk out painting their barges, it feels like you’re in the countryside.
Summer evenings are really vibrant along the canal, with plenty of people making the most of the boats and pubs that line the route. Be sure to reward yourself afterwards at the Scolt Head pub in De Beauvoir village. They’ve got an awesome beer garden.
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Regent's Canal
There are endless sections you could choose of this interesting east-west waterway, especially between Paddington and Limehouse Basin. I like running 10.5 km from Shoreditch Park to Victoria Park (to do a loop around the park), then back. Past De Beauvoir village, with canal folk out painting their barges, it feels like you’re in the countryside.
Summer evenings are really vibrant along the canal, with plenty of people making the most of the boats and pubs that line the route. Be sure to reward yourself afterwards at the Scolt Head pub in De Beauvoir village. They’ve got an awesome beer garden.