River watchman's hut by New River, Islington

You might wonder what a circular brick building resembling a giant pork pie is doing perched on the bank of the New River Park Islington. In the days when the New River was an important source for clean water, a guard occupied this watch house to ensure that nobody swam or fished in the channel. He also had to keep a look out for people throwing dead dogs etc. into the stream or stealing the stopcocks and other fittings. You can reach this oddity from central London via the Tube. For full details of the walk that includes this strange building, click here. Other interesting places to visit can be found at  Rambles from the London Tube

River walk from Kew Gardens to Richmond

There's more to Kew than the famous Royal Botanic Gardens - here are some photos of the riverside walk from Kew to Richmond - full details can be found  by clicking here.



The pink summer house is on the Duke of Northumberland's estate - the next photo shows Syon House, his main residence. The bright red building (I'm afraid it really is that colour) is Kew Palace, which is actually in the Royal Botanic Gardens.


To find other interesting places to visit, go to Rambles from the London Tube 

Rambling round Old Amersham

Old Amersham on the Metropolitan line is a small town set in rolling Buckinghamshire countryside. Its High Street and Broadway are full of 17th and 18th century houses, with even older ones hidden behind later facades or tucked away in little side streets. Several of the inns have archways large enough for stagecoaches to pass through - a reminder of Amersham's past importance as a coaching town. (If any of the inns seems vaguely familiar, it might be because some scenes in Four Weddings and a Funeral were shot here.) Yes - you really can reach all this from central London via the Tube! For details of this walk click here.  Other interesting place to visit can be found at  Rambles from the London Tube

Photos: Town Mill, High Street

Chimney Cottage, The Platt/Three Gables, Rectory Way

Turpins Cottages, High Street/King's Arms inn

King's Church, off The Platt/Market Hall.