If you’re planning a trip to London in the coming months, then you’ve likely got a long and expansive list of all the landmarks you want to see, as well as large city parks, markets, and galleries. If it’s your first time in London then, of course, you need to gaze up at The Shard, peruse the national galleries, and walk along the South Bank, but there are loads to see just outside of central London too.
The benefit of traveling just outside of the capital is that you avoid some of the hustle and bustle for some of the duration of your trip. You can enjoy a more relaxed pace and take things a little easier than you can amid the crowds. If you’re not overly keen on spending your vacation being jostled about on the tube every day, then consider escaping to a greener area that can promise cleaner air, some respite, and relaxation.
Windsor
Widely recognized for its royal heritage, Windsor is a must see if you enjoy visiting places brimming with history and steeped in heritage. The most obvious reason to visit this place is to see Windsor Castle itself; however, there’s plenty more to do while you’re here.
Consider spending two or three days in Windsor, so that you have ample time to see inside of the castle, explore in search of the deer in Great Windsor Park, and walk from one end of The Long Walk to the other.
When it comes to food, there’s no shortage of great eateries to dine in Windsor – you need only take a stroll alongside the river. When you come to plan your visit in more depth, look at eating at thecornerhousepub.co.uk and decide what you’re going to choose from a delicious menu in advance.
Epping Forest
If it’s green space you’re after, then you can’t go wrong with a visit to Epping Forest just a short journey away from Walthamstow, East London. Impressively, there are some oak trees that are over 1,000 years old there, and there’s also some diverse wildlife as well. You can find voles, weasels, hedgehogs, and birds of prey such as kestrels, buzzards, and sparrow hawks.
Egham and Surrey
Although there isn’t a whole lot to do in Egham high street itself, you just need to take a short walk up the hill towards the university campus, and you’ll be astounded by areas of natural beauty and fascinating structures. The university itself boasts of The Founders Building – an enormous chateau-style red brick building that will, quite simply, take your breath away.
A further walk or short taxi ride away is Virginia Water – a large Royal park that has deer and a large picturesque lake in the center. Consider grabbing a bite to eat in the pub that rests beside the entrance to the park or take a picnic to enjoy at the lakeside.
Less than a mile away from the campus is Englefield Green, where you can find the Air Forces Memorial. The memorial is dedicated to some 20,000+ men and women lost in air operations over World War II.
To read more on topics like this, check out the travel category.