From Forest to Abbey
Week two brings a wonderful mix, the Capital Ring continues through south and south-west London, there are community hikes, heritage walks and 850-year-old abbey ruins to explore. This weekend The Urban Tree Festival begins.
New Chapter for Urban Tree Festival
This May, Urban Tree Festival will have a dedicated home in New Cross for the duration of the festival, creating a central space for gathering, creativity and tree-focused conversation. Alongside walks and city-wide events, the’ll be hosting a tree-themed art exhibition at the site, bringing artists together to explore London’s urban forest in new and unexpected ways.
5.30pm – 8.00pm –Â Urban Forest Opening Night – Art Hub Studios – The first ever Urban Forest exhibition at Art Hub Studios launches with a lively private view, featuring art, a bar and immersive happenings celebrating trees, creativity and community – All welcome!
Urban Tree Festival – London Walks
12 tree walks and events this weekend
Saturday 9 May
Street Trees for Living Citizen Science Workshop – 10:00–12:00, Lewisham Learn about Lewisham’s tree health programme and get involved in citizen science caring for local street trees.
Guided Walk: ‘Woody’ – London’s Most Famous Tree – 10:30–12:00, City of London The story of London’s most famous tree and its fascinating relationship with its urban surroundings.
Connect & Create Forest Bathing – 11:00–1:00, Hampstead Heath Mindful movement, meditation and creative activities among the trees.
Greenwich Park: Orchard Open Day – 11:00–3:00, Greenwich Park Explore the Queen’s Orchard with the Royal Parks team. Activities for all ages.
Sunday 10 May
Nature & Art in the Neighbourhood – 10:00–2:00, Walthamstow Renaturing, art and the veteran trees of Epping Forest.
Radicle Tree Walk: Ravenscourt Park – 10:30–1:00, Ravenscourt Park Botany, foraging, storytelling and herbal tea.
New Cross Tree Walk with Greg Packman – 11:00–1:00, New Cross A creative tree walk exploring urban trees, ecology and folklore.
Hackney Community Tree Nursery Open Day – 11:00–4:00, Hackney Join Tree Musketeers for a day of nature, learning and community at their beautiful nursery.
Lesnes Abbey Woods – Time Travelling Through Nature – 11:00–12:30, Lesnes Abbey Woods Ancient woodland from prehistoric origins to Victorian history.
Connect + Create: Women’s Nature Wellbeing Session – 2:00–4:00, City of London Forest Bathing, Qigong and creative activities. For City of London residents.
Witches & Beeches of Epping Forest – 6:00–8:00 PM, Epping Forest Ancient trees, eerie folklore and dark histories.
Bat Walk – Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens – 8:45–9:45 PM, Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens Guided evening walk with bat detectors to spot urban wildlife.
Belgravia Uncovered: Victoria Station to The Wellington Arch
Tuesday 5 May | 12:30 PM Victoria Station
A historic lunchtime walk through one of London’s most elegant districts.
TAP Trekkers
Tuesday 5 May
A community walking group session exploring local green spaces.
Pimlico Uncovered: Victoria Station to Tate Britain
Wednesday 6 May | 12:30 PM Victoria Station
A historic lunchtime walk exploring Pimlico’s Regency architecture and riverside heritage.
Sport in Mind Marching for Mothers
Wednesday 6 May Brent
Organised by Sport in Mind
A community walk for World Maternal Mental Health Day, bringing people together through movement and connection.
Belgravia Uncovered (Evening)
Thursday 7 May | 5:30 PM Victoria Station
An evening edition of this popular historic walk through Belgravia.
Capital Ring Section 4: Crystal Palace to Streatham
Thursday 7 May | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Crystal Palace Station | 4.4 miles
Organised by London National Park City
A 4.4-mile section heading west from Crystal Palace.
Capital Ring Section 5: Streatham to Wimbledon Park
Saturday 9 May | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Streatham Common Station | 5.7 miles
Organised by London National Park City
A 5.7-mile section heading towards Wimbledon.
Walking with Trees
Saturday 9 May
A guided walk exploring our relationship with trees and London’s urban canopy.
Capital Ring Section 6: Wimbledon Park to Richmond
Sunday 10 May | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Wimbledon Park Station | 7.3 miles
Organised by London National Park City
A 7.3-mile section through Wimbledon Common to Richmond.
HAG Hike to Cranford Community Garden
Sunday 10 May
Organised by Heston Action Group
Join Heston Action Group for a community hike to the beautiful Cranford Community Garden.
Lesnes Abbey Ruins and Woodland Circular Walk
Sunday 10 May | 1:45 PM – 4:00 PM Abbey Wood Station, SE2 9RH | 4 miles
Organised by Hammersmith, Fulham & Wandsworth Ramblers
A four-mile walk exploring the ruins of Lesnes Abbey, built in 1178.
The Proper Blokes Club – Walk & Talk Groups
21 free walks this week across London
The Proper Blokes Club runs free weekly walk-and-talk groups for men across London. No pressure, no sign-up – just turn up, walk, and talk if you want to. These walks run every week throughout May as part of the London Walking Festival.
Mondays
Greenwich – 7pm, meet at Cutty Sark
Harefield – 6.30pm, meet at Harefield Hospital
Romford – 7pm, meet at Lodge Farm Park
Roundshaw – 6.30pm, meet at St Paul’s Church, 183 Mollison Drive
Streatham – 7pm, meet at Streatham station
Tuesdays
City of London – 10am, meet at Duke of Wellington statue, Royal Exchange
Finchley – 7pm, meet at Finchley Central tube
Surbiton – 6.30pm, meet at Surbiton station, Glenbuck Road
Uxbridge – 7pm, meet at Uxbridge tube
Wallington – 6.30pm, meet at St Mary’s Church, Beddington Park
Wednesdays
Brent – 6.30pm, meet at Willesden Green station
Upminster – 6.30pm, meet at Upminster station
Woolwich – 7pm, meet at Woolwich Arsenal Pier
Thursdays
Croydon – 6.30pm, meet at Lloyd Park Cafe
Redbridge – 12 noon, meet at Ilford station
Southwark – 6.30pm, meet at The Angel Pub, Rotherhithe
Sutton – 7pm, meet at Sutton United FC
Sundays
Barking & Dagenham – 10am, meet at Eastbrookend Country Park
Bromley – 9am, meet at Norman Park
Hornchurch – 9am, meet at Ingrebourne Valley Nature Discovery Centre
Southwark – 8.30am, meet at The Angel Pub, Rotherhithe
Check theproperblokesclub.co.uk before attending.
Support the London Walking festival
Lace Up and Get Going
100 miles. One city. One month. Whether you are walking to work, exploring a new neighbourhood or tackling a stretch of the Capital Ring, every mile you walk this May counts towards something bigger.
The London 100 Challenge is free, flexible and open to everyone. Download Go Jauntly, sign up and let’s help London move.
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