Isle of Dogs / Greenwich
Mudchute Park and Farm · Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK
Start with the goats and pigs at one of Europe's biggest city farms, picnic-gaze at the Greenwich skyline from Island Gardens, then walk under the river through the Victorian foot tunnel and come up beside the Cutty Sark. An afternoon in Greenwich Park rounds it off without spending anything.
Farm · 10:00–12:45 (2h45m)
Free farm with more than 100 animals under the Canary Wharf towers. Lunch at Mudchute Kitchen in the courtyard (Tue-Sun) or bring a picnic for the park.
An outdoor farm in Isle of Dogs, aimed at ages 0–12.
Photo: Ewan Munro from London, UK
Nature & gardens · 12:55–13:25 (30m)
Small riverside garden with the best head-on view of Greenwich; good for a pudding stop.
A small riverside garden at the southern tip of the Isle of Dogs with the best head-on view of Greenwich's riverfront buildings. It makes a quiet picnic spot at the north end of the foot tunnel, a short walk from Mudchute.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor
Landmark · 13:35–13:55 (20m)
Walk the tiled tunnel under the Thames, about ten minutes end to end. Children love the echo.
A Victorian tiled tunnel under the Thames that you can walk through in about ten minutes, coming up by the Cutty Sark on one side and Island Gardens on the other. Kids love the echo and the idea of walking under a river.
Photo: C. G. P. Grey
Park · 14:10–15:45 (1h35m)
Climb the hill or stay on the lower lawns. Cutty Sark DLR is a short walk back down.
An indoor and outdoor park in Greenwich.
Photo: Mx. Granger
LondonEaling / Gunnersbury
A big parkland morning at Gunnersbury with a free local history museum in the old Rothschild mansion and restored Victorian kitchens, then on to Walpole Park in Ealing for its playground, walled kitchen garden and lake. Free entry everywhere and a museum to duck into if it rains.
Gunnersbury Park & Museum → Walpole Park
LondonHighgate / Hampstead
Ancient woodland with a big fenced playground in the morning, lunch at a 16th-century house overlooking a hillside park, and an afternoon at Kenwood among Rembrandts and sweeping lawns that run down to the Heath. Free from start to finish.
Highgate Wood → Waterlow Park → Lauderdale House → Kenwood
LondonWalthamstow / Tottenham
Reservoir paths, bird hides and herons in the morning, lunch in the cafe inside an old engine house, then a short walk to Markfield Park where volunteers fire up a huge Victorian beam engine on steaming days. Free all day, and built around the engine's open Sundays.
Walthamstow Wetlands → Markfield Beam Engine and Museum
