Freedom Pass London 2nd Edition

The new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt's Freedom Pass London brings to life the UK capital through 26 carefully selected walks that reveal historical landmarks, wildlife hotspots and quiet corners with fascinating pasts. As the title suggests, this travel guidebook is designed for the 1.1 million people who can enjoy free travel in central and Greater London thanks to the Freedom Pass, but its focus on walking destinations accessible by public transport makes it a must for anyone living in or visiting London. One of London's unexpected glories is the way that the city meets countryside, not just in the surprisingly rural Green Belt, but also in the 'villagey' corners of suburbs, along urban rivers and amid the city's commons, parks and woodlands. The area featured extends from Amersham, northwest of London, to Epping in the northeast, Orpington in the southeast and Epsom in the southwest. Whether you are a city-dweller keen to explore parts of Essex, Kent, Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, or you live in suburbs and fancy visiting central London, Freedom Pass London proposes itineraries for you. Discover by train, tube, bus and then on foot where Charles Darwin lived and the local area where he studied flora and fauna. Meet Keats, Shakespeare, Pepys, Dr Johnson, Dorothy L. Sayers and Vera Brittain on a literary tour. Walk through ancient woodland covered with trees since Neolithic times. Venture into murder and mayhem as you find locations from the TV series Midsomer Murders in the deceptively peaceful-looking Chilterns. Wander along the Wandle for a throwback to the days of country estates, watermills and legendary textile designer William Morris. Or even stroll through Soho, Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury to discover how Karl Marx wrote, lectured and fenced with a murderer. For each walk, there are tips about the best options for using public transport, along with a detailed route description, maps, options for flexibility and suggestions for pubs, cafes and museums en route. So lace up your walking shoes and let Bradt's Freedom Pass London bring the capital to life. AUTHORS: Author of the 1st edition, Mike Pentelow was editor of Landworker (the newspaper of rural workers) for ten years and was the editor of Fitzrovia News (London's oldest community newspaper, to which he contributed for 40 years), which gave him a feel for both town and country. An author and journalist for 50 years, his previous books are Characters of Fitzrovia, Norfolk Red and A Pub Crawl Through History. He was a keen rambler having walked the entire length of the River Thames and many other waterways. A real ale enthusiast, Mike also enjoyed a game of darts and pool. Mike was a member of The Ramblers, the Woodland Trust, the Campaign for Real Ale, the Inn Sign Society, Camden History Society, Socialist History Society, St Marylebone Society, Society of Authors, National Union of Journalists and the Mecca Bingo Club. Mike lived in London for over 50 years and died in April 2020, an early victim of Covid-19. Co-author of the 1st edition Peter Arkell has been a photographer since 1970, covering news, social issues, the environment and sport. He co-wrote Unfinished Business, The Miners' Strike for Jobs, 1984 5 and took the photographs for A Pub Crawl Through History, about commoners who have had pubs named after them. A keen rambler (with Mike Pentelow and others) he has walked the Thames Path, the South West Coastal Path, the Isle of Wight Coastal Path and Peddars Way/Norfolk Coast Path. He has lived in London for more than 50 years and currently contributes photo features and writes reviews for Real Democracy Movement. The updaters of this edition, Neil and Helen Matthews are also the authors of Bradt's Slow Travel: The Chilterns & The Thames Valley and Heritage Weekends: 52 breaks exploring Britain's past. Their travel writing has also appeared in Wanderlust and various other publications. They live in the Chilterns, on G...

List of contents

Introduction

How to Use This Book

1 A Natural Selection at Downe

Kent: Downe to Bromley

2 On the Box

Surrey: Burford Bridge to Mickleham

3 In Woodland We Trust

Hertfordshire: Heartwood Forest & Sandridge, circular

4 A Grand Canal & a Great Road

Hertfordshire: Watford to Kings Langley on the Grand Union Canal/River Gade

5 Bluebell Blitz

Surrey: Banstead Woods & Chipstead Downs, circular

6 Fleet of Foot

London: Hampstead Heath to Blackfriars

7 Epic Forest Fight

London/Essex, Epping Forest: Chingford to Loughton

8 The Canal, the Old Railway & the Quaker

Hertfordshire: Rickmansworth to Bushey

9 Holly, Ivy & Chestnuts

Southeast London: Lesnes Abbey Wood, circular

10 A Racing Certainty

Surrey: Epsom Downs

11 Happy Valley

Surrey, North Downs: Coulsdon Common, circular

12 A Trail of Two Forts

Essex, River Thames: Tilbury Riverside Terminal to Coalhouse Fort Park

13 Wandering along the Wandle

Southwest London, River Wandle: Colliers Wood to Croydon

14 Picnickers’ Paradise

West London/Surrey, River Thames: Staines to Chertsey

15 Dragonflies & Gunpowder

North London/Essex, River Lea: Tottenham to Waltham Abbey

16 Death in the Churchyard, Life by the Lake

Hertfordshire: Elstree & Aldenham Reservoir, circular

17 The Nazi, the Queen & the Highwayman

Middlesex/Hertfordshire: Trent Country Park, circular

18 Midsomer Murders Trail

Buckinghamshire, River Misbourne: Amersham to Great Missenden

19 From Dickens to the Rolling Stones

Kent, River Darent: Farningham to Dartford

20 Brookside & the Big Green Space

Southwest London: New Malden to Putney Bridge

21 Colne Riverside Ramble

Hertfordshire: London Colney, circular

22 Animal World

Surrey: Chessington, circular

23 Literary London

London: London Bridge to Bloomsbury

24 Inspiring Women

London: Charing Cross to Bloomsbury

25 Karl’s Trail, On Your Marx

London: Leicester Square to Highgate

26 Saviours, Spitfires & Swans

Berkshire/Buckinghamshire: Maidenhead to Taplow

Index

About the author

Mike Pentelow was editor of Landworker (the newspaper of rural workers) for ten years and was the editor of Fitzrovia News (London's oldest community newspaper, to which he contributed for 40 years), which gave him a feel for both town and country. An author and journalist for 50 years, his previous books were Characters of Fitzrovia, Norfolk Red and A Pub Crawl Through History. Mike was a keen rambler, having walked the entire River Thames and many other waterways. A real ale enthusiast, Mike also enjoyed a game of darts and pool. He was a member of The Ramblers, the Woodland Trust, the Campaign for Real Ale, the Inn Sign Society, Camden History Society, Socialist History Society, St Marylebone Society, Society of Authors, National Union of Journalists and the Mecca Bingo Club. Having lived in London for over 50 years, Mike died in April 2020, an early victim of Covid-19.

PHOTOGRAPHER

Peter Arkell has been a photographer since 1970, covering news, social issues, the environment and sport. He co-wrote Unfinished Business: The Miners' Strike for Jobs 1984–5 and took the photographs for A Pub Crawl Through History, Mike Pentelow's book about commoners who have had pubs named after them. A keen rambler (with author Mike Pentelow and others), he has walked the Thames Path, the South West Coastal Path, the Isle of Wight Coastal Path and Peddars Way/Norfolk Coast Path. He has lived in London for more than 50 years and currently contributes photo features and writes reviews for Real Democracy Movement.

Product details

• Authors: Peter Arkell, Arkell Peter, Mike Pentelow, Mike Arkell Pentelow, Pentelow Mike
• Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 06.09.2024
• EAN: 9781804692271
• ISBN: 978-1-80469-227-1
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Travel > Travel guides; Strand, London, Greater London, Kent, Bloomsbury, Darwin, Essex, Travel & holiday guides, TRAVEL / Europe / Great Britain, Surrey, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Thames, walks, Public transport, Hampstead Heath, Travel and holiday guides, towpath walks, Bucks, Epping, Herts, Leicester Square, woodland walks, pub walks