Freedom Pass London : 26 Special Days Out in and Around the Capital

The new, thoroughly updated second edition of Bradt’s Freedom Pass London brings to life the UK capital through 26 carefully curated walks that reveal historical landmarks, wildlife hotspots and quiet corners with fascinating pasts. Although this travel guidebook is primarily designed for the 1.1 million people who can enjoy free travel in central and Greater London (thanks to the ‘Freedom Pass’), its focus on walking destinations accessible by public transport makes it a must for anyone 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 covered encompasses parts of Essex, Kent, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Hertfordshire, extending from Amersham, northwest of London, to Epping in the northeast, Orpington in the southeast and Epsom in the southwest.

With Bradt’s Freedom Pass London, you can discover where Charles Darwin lived and the local area where he studied flora and fauna. You can meet Keats, Shakespeare, Pepys, Dr Johnson, Dorothy L Sayers and Vera Brittain on a literary tour. Or visit the home of William Penn, jailed in the Tower of London before emigrating and founding Pennsylvania. Or walk through ancient woodland covered with trees since Neolithic times – or another old forest where scenes from Star Wars films were shot. Or venture into murder and mayhem as you find locations from the TV series Midsomer Murders in the deceptively peaceful-looking Chilterns. Or 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, cafés and museums en route. So lace up your walking shoes and let Bradt’s Freedom Pass London bring the capital to life.

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.