Walking in London. Peter Aylmer

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      Flood markers in Isleworth (Walk 18)

      Although London’s reputation for rain is largely undeserved – it has less than Rome, Sydney or New York – it is true that drizzle, a fine curtain of rain which falls from leaden skies sometimes for hours on end, can come at any time of year. It poses no danger, other than to the spirit. But another marked result of climate change is the downpour. Short, intense periods of heavy rain, perhaps with thunderstorms, are increasingly common in the London area, again at any time of year. They can overwhelm drainage systems and rivers alike, and lead to flash flooding. They can affect London walking even if the rain has fallen many miles away, as the Thames carries flood waters to the sea – see the flood markers at Isleworth (Walk 18), for example.

      While many of the walks in this book are on gravelled or metalled paths, many are not, and after heavy rain – or any time between late autumn and early spring – some paths can become very muddy, a by-product of the London Clay beneath the surface. Nothing is likely to be impassable, but it could affect your footwear choice (see What to take below). Natural paths on chalk surfaces may be drier, but very slippery.

Safety in London

      In preparing this book, the author walked all of these routes several times, in all seasons, usually alone, with rucksack on his back and expensive camera equipment around his neck. And not once did he feel his safety threatened.

      While vigilance is a good quality to bring to city walking anywhere, these walks are for the main part away from the areas in which crime is most commonplace. The rules to follow are those which you would follow in any city: be aware of pickpocketing in tourist areas, Walk 10 the most obvious; cross a road, enter a shop or hop on a bus if you feel you are being followed; use mobile phones carefully.

      You are more at risk crossing the road, especially if you are an overseas visitor, and from a nation that does not drive on the left. Use a zebra or pelican crossing if there is one nearby. A zebra crossing is marked by black-and-white stripes across the road, a flashing orange Belisha beacon on each pavement. London drivers are remarkably courteous in stopping for pedestrians on these, but it is wise to look the driver in the eye as they approach, before stepping out.

      Pelican crossings (and three other types, pegasus, puffin and toucan – they are similar, and in this book the term ‘pelican’ is used for all) have traffic lights with separate phases for road traffic and pedestrians. Always wait for the pedestrian phase to turn green. Most have a button to encourage this to happen, although you may be forgiven for thinking that it does not always work. Wait, all the same. And keep an eye out for cyclists.

      Some heaths, parks and commons around London harbour ticks, which can spread the very unpleasant Lyme disease. Check your skin carefully after a walk – not just exposed areas, as they can crawl to the groin and armpits. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers or a specialist tool, and over the next few weeks keep an eye out for inflammation around the site, which must be treated with antibiotics. Other insects can bite, but are no more than a nuisance unless you have a specific allergy. Britain’s one poisonous snake, the adder, might be encountered, particularly on heaths, but prefers to scurry away rather than confront.

Getting around London

      Every single one of these walks is designed for public transport. Almost wherever you are in the capital, you will find it is the best way to get around. Car parking can be very expensive and road congestion horrendous. Even residential areas can have very restricted parking, although things might be easier on Sundays.

      Most of the time, London’s public transport works fantastically well. There are some excellent smartphone apps, such as Citymapper, which give real-time information, as do the websites www.tfl.gov.uk (tube and bus services) or www.nationalrail.co.uk (National Rail services).

      Off-peak services are rarely more than 15 minutes apart; the few exceptions are mentioned on each walk. Sunday services are generally less frequent, and in some cases may not run at all, and engineering works on both tube and rail can lead to bus replacements that take far longer. Check before you go.