London 2026

My fifth consecutive summer trip to the UK capital was destined to be a hot one. All the temperature records were being broken and I had a full programme of walks planned. I decided to approach with a degree of caution and rework the plan if necessary. Getting down there has become something of a well-oiled machine. I opted for the West Coast Main Line both ways and had to use the side entrance at Glasgow Central as the main gateway was still cordoned off following a serious fire in Gordon Street. A terrier sculpture stood on the concourse, part of an art trail called Scotties in the City. The dogs were recently auctioned off and collectively raised almost half a million pounds for charity. I arrived at Euston early evening on a Monday and the heat was palpable. I had booked my usual berth at the Walrus Hostel near Waterloo for five nights and I strolled leisurely towards the River Thames, pulling in for a quick pint at the Montagu Pyke - a large Wetherspoons pub on Charing Cross Road. I didn't realise it at the time, but I was sitting in a former London rock music institution.

The Marquee Club ran from 1958 to 1995 in three different venues. The final seven years worth of shows were held in the former cinema where I sipped my beer. A huge number of well-known acts played the Marquee at some point in their career. My first planned activity the following day was a wander round to the Imperial War Museum. I had done the full gallery circuit a couple of years ago and today's intention was to browse Beauty and Destruction - the special art exhibition depicting London life during WW2. Entry was free and the 50 assembled paintings featured wartime themes such as loss, displacement, overcrowding and shortages. Artists were commissioned by the government to document how the conflict transformed the city and its inhabitants. A large proportion of the works included in the exhibition came directly from this scheme. Bombs rained down on London and the aggressive campaign between September 1940 and May 1941 became known as the Blitz. It was regarded as essential to keep the city moving in order to show the world that Britain was not broken. Tethered barrage balloons forced enemy aircraft to fly at higher altitudes, thereby reducing the accuracy of the firepower. The blue ribbon of the Thames provided a handy wander source for extinguishing fires but the river also acted as a navigational aid to incoming fighters, offering a clear moonlit path through central parts of the city when the blackout was in force. Flying bombs were a major hazard in 1944, with around 100 of these missiles arriving every day. A national fire-fighting force had been founded three years earlier. Despite all the defensive efforts, entire streets were reduced to rubble and over a million homes severely damaged or destroyed. The deep tube tunnels provided vital overnight protection for citizens, while unfinished extensions to the underground network housed factories producing vital communications equipment. It was a thought-provoking display of artwork and I walked back to Waterloo Station to catch a train to Brentford - a West London suburban town on the River Thames. A six-mile saunter along the Grand Union Canal was scheduled for the afternoon, but first I wanted to call at Syon Park - a riverside estate that is the London residence of the Duke of Northumberland. A ticket to visit the grounds cost £8 and I figured it would be an excellent place to enjoy an alfresco lunch. I picked up a meal deal on Brentford High Street and wandered down.

The path to the gardens skirted a vast expanse of lawn in front of Syon House - a Grad listed mansion. The vastly wealthy Northumberland dynasty (family name Percy) has owned the property since 1594 and the current interior was designed by Robert Adam in 1762. Alnwick Castle is the Percy ancestral seat up north. Public viewing of the house has been available since 1951 but today I was content to visit the grounds. My admission included access to the Great Conservatory (pictured above). The parkland was laid out by Capability Brown in the 18th century. Exotic trees and shrubs began to arrive from North America and many of these introductions still flourish today. New discoveries from the Himalayas and China were subsequently added to the collection. The third duke commissioned the construction of the Great Conservatory to house his exotic range of plants. Completed in 1830, it was the first building of its type to be constructed from metal and glass on a large scale. Unsurprisingly, a Grade-1 listing applies here as well. After a relaxing lunch on a shaded bench, I made my way inside the spectacular structure. Flooded with natural light, the interior contains water features and a variety of flora, including giant cacti. I gazed up at the glass dome, some 40 feet in diameter. The conservatory can be hired for weddings and corporate events, with space for 160 seated guests. The working estate has a restaurant, café, garden centre and farm shop. Syon had been a lovely stopover but it was time to commence my main walk. Brentford is the place where the Grand Union Canal meets the tidal River Thames, with sea access beyond. An industrial dock complex existed here until 1964 and the site is now occupied by a pleasure marina and housing development. I picked up the towpath and my trek was underway. Navigation would be straightforward enough; follow the watercourse for six and a half miles to the town of Hayes, where I could catch a train back to the middle of London on the showpiece Elizabeth Line. The Grand Union Canal has existed in its current form since 1929. It forks to serve the major cities of Birmingham and Leicester in the Midlands. Numerous arms branch off to other settlements along the way. I walked at a modest pace, taking care not to overdo things in the heat. I passed under the roaring M4 and then met the "Three Bridges" transport crossing (and now a Scheduled Monument), designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel no less! It was the great man's final engineering project and involves a road bridge over the canal, which itself straddles a railway cutting containing the old branch line to Brentford Docks. The track is still used to carry material to a waste management facility. Another notable landmark was the high-security southern boundary wall of St Bernard's Hospital - which originally opened in 1831 as the first Middlesex County Asylum. The massive compound contained market gardens and any excess produce was shipped out by barge. Modern medical facilities are still provided on site. The Hanwell Locks stand by the wall and seven consecutive chambers form a staircase. It is a picturesque area with vintage lock keepers cottages and cobbled stone ramps to help horses climb out of the canal if they accidentally fell in (which occasionally did happen).

I pushed on in stifling conditions and sipped on warm water from my flask. Completely unappetising but it keeps you going. Eventually I reached the intersection with the Paddington Arm. This 13-mile branch runs into Central London and joins the Regent's Canal at Little Venice Basin. The town of Hayes was in sight and I was soon walking along the bustling main street. I was still within the political boundaries of Greater London but Hayes has a distinct character of its own, as a historic settlement within Middlesex. The local canal and railway links ensured that Hayes grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution. The current population is just short of 100,000. I sought out the Botwell Inn - a Wetherspoon pub situated within a former furniture showroom. I cooled off with a couple of large Pepsis and had a couple of ales once my hydration levels had been restored. There was excitement brewing among sports fans as Egypt were on the brink of knocking the mighty Argentina out of the World Cup, until two late goals changed the course of the game. Hayes & Harrington Station sits on the newly-styled Elizabeth Line, a project known as Crossrail during its development. As the name suggests, Crossrail facilitates efficient travel through London, which was a long-standing issue in the past. The Victorian main lines built to serve the capital terminated at a ring of stations around the central core. The key to the new infrastructure is a 13-mile tunnelled section fed by existing (and improved) tracks from the west and east. I was whisked back to Tottenham Court Road for less than four quid, as standard London tariffs apply. Off-peak in my case. Ten completely new stations were constructed for Crossrail and the spacious Tottenham Court Road facility is completely integrated with the traditional underground routes. I was hugely impressed with my maiden trip on the Elizabeth Line and hope to use it again as part of my walking programme. On the way back to the hostel, I noticed a monument on Whitehall, dedicated to the women who contributed in various ways to the WW2 effort. I found it hard to believe I hadn't noticed the sculpture before, proving that London always has a surprise up its sleeve. I paused at the security fencing on Downing Street, hoping to catch a glimpse of Larry the Cat, but he was nowhere to be seen. Now a national legend, Larry is aged 19 and still carrying out his pest control duties.

I started the next day with a visit to the Tate Modern. An easy stroll along the south bank of the Thames, I arrived just after 10am for the Tracey Emin exhibition. I had done all the free galleries last year and today I proceeded directly to the ticketed event. A Second Life traces 40 years of Emin’s ground-breaking practice, showcasing career defining sensations alongside works never exhibited before. Through painting, video, textiles, writing, sculpture, and installation, Emin continues to challenge boundaries, using the female body as a powerful tool to explore passion, pain, and healing. A sign at the entrance reminded visitors that themes such as abortion, self-harm and rape would be explored. Emin grew up in the Kent seaside town of Margate, being made an honorary freewoman in 2022. A Damehood followed two years later. She is highly decorated as an artist and was elected to the Royal Academy in 2007. Her iconic 90s installation My Bed catapulted Emin into the public eye. The raw artwork would feature towards the end of today's exhibition. The first gallery featured video material and quilted blankets, detailing Emin's troubled teenage years in Margate. She dropped out of school at 13 and was raped around this time. Her mixed racial heritage often brought unwanted attention. I liked the roller coaster sculpture (pictured above), made from reclaimed wood and metal, symbolising the highs and lows of life. The paintings on display pulled no punches and were definitely on the gory side, with lashings of blood and strong hints at physical, sexual and substance abuse. Emin became seriously ill after a botched abortion and discussed this openly in another video exhibit. Artwork related to this procedure included an A to Z tapestry. A sense of hope grows as you move through the second half of the exhibition, as the material focuses on recovery and recognition - which mirrors Emin's climb to the pinnacle of the contemporary art scene, following all the early setbacks. A challenging but ultimately rewarding viewing experience. I needed a quiet seat afterwards. The best known exhibit of course had been My Bed and it was an impressively chaotic sight. Created in 1998, the artwork was shortlisted for the prestigious Turner Prize. Although it didn't win the award, Emin became widely known in the media as the public lapped up the image of messy sheets surrounded by detritus. It was allegedly inspired by a sexually intensive yet depressive phase in Emin's life, staying in bed for four days and consuming only alcohol.

As expected, the exhibit was surrounded by a trip-wire alarm. A little boy stepped over it and triggered the warning buzzer. His mum quickly bundled him out the gallery but I couldn't help thinking it would have been more fun to see the lad bounce up and down on the mattress. Back outside, I crossed the Thames on the Millennium Bridge and walked up the hill to St Paul's Cathedral, where I caught a tube train to Bethnal Green - a lively area within the East-End Borough of Tower Hamlets. I bought lunch from a bakery and wandered into Victoria Park, opened to the public in 1845 and one of London's most visited green spaces. I wanted to check out the Chinese Pagoda that stands upon an island in the lake. I crossed the connecting footbridge and ate by the oriental structure, actually a replica of the war-damaged original. The new building was erected in 2012 to the same dimensions as the old. It stands just over 12 metres tall and contains two floors. Gold-painted dragons sit at the corners of both zinc roofs. The artificial island was re-established during the renovation programme and the rustic bridge on the north side replaced. I observed a moorhen in the water take her chicks out for a swim. The park is bounded by two canals - the Regent's and Hertford Union. I proceeded along the latter towards Olympic Park. The Hertford Union is just over a mile long and was opened in 1830 to provide a link between the Regent's Canal and the navigable stretch of the River Lea (a tributary of the Thames). I wanted to explore the infrastructure and parkland created for the 2012 Olympic Games, staged here in London. The tournament was a great success and we even saw the symbolic flaming torch pass through our home village in the run-up to the event. From the outset, there was intended to be a long-term use for the sporting venues constructed as part of the Queen Elizabeth London Olympic Park. I enjoyed the short canal walk and caught glimpses of the main athletics stadium over to my right. When I reached the intersection with the navigable River Lea, I climbed up to street level and walked into the Olympic zone. My plan was to scout out a few landmarks before making my way back to the Thames via local river footpaths and the Limehouse Cut. I passed the squat form of the Copper Box Arena - used for handball and fencing during the Games. It now functions as a multi-sport with a 7000 seating capacity. The professional basketball outfit London Lions plays here, as does the Netball Super League side London Pulse.

Other sports to feature here include badminton, boxing and table tennis. I branched into a green section of parkland and found the London Blossom Garden. There are 33 trees, each representing a London Borough, plus the City of London authority. Species include plum, cherry, crab apple and hawthorn. There are areas of flower beds and open lawn. The banking is planted with daffodils, resulting in a riot of colour in springtime. The garden also serves as a memorial to the London victims of the Covid pandemic. Moving on, the sculpture of the five interlocking Olympic rings stands on a grassy mound. I could see the sweeping elliptical curves of the velodrome across the road at the northern end of Olympic Park. The indoor facility was the first new venue to be completed for the Games. It seats 6000 spectators and there is a 360-degree concourse level providing views across the surrounding green space. An outdoor BMX track also forms part of the cycling complex. A number of international events have been held in recent years, including the track cycling competitions for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. I plotted a course south, towards the Aquatics Centre - the pool where swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time. The facility has two full-sized pools and a separate diving pool. Temporary seating wings attached to the building raised the viewing capacity to 17000 during the Olympics but the venue now seats 2800 spectators. The public are able to use the facilities and admission prices are in line with regular leisure centres. Nearby is Stratford Railway Station, a major interchange with where standard overground rail intersects with tube services, the Docklands Light Railway and the Elizabeth Line. Stratford is Britain's seventh busiest station and most-patronised transport hub outside of Fare Zone 1 in the capital. Many shops and leisure outlets are to be found in this area, all part of the major Stratford City development, which was built in conjunction with the Olympic project. Large parts of the Lower Lea Valley had fallen in dereliction following industrial decline and social regeneration was always a key driver behind the proposal to bring the Games to the East End of London. I walked beside Waterworks River - an artificial channel cut from the Lea - and looked across to the hulking London Stadium. The giant bowl hosted the main athletics action and is now the home ground of West Ham Football Club, who moved here in 2016 as the anchor tenant. Championship track and field events are still scheduled and the venue also hosts major rock and pop shows.

I had planned a Wetherspoons stop in Stratford town centre and I wandered along to Goldengrove, part of the chain since 1995. I seriously considered cutting my itinerary short and heading back to Waterloo on the underground. My energy levels had been sapped by the high temperature. However, the restorative power of cold soft drinks brought me back to life and I felt ready to tackle the Limehouse Cut. I re-joined the watercourse and soon found myself admiring the architecture at Three Mills - now a pair of historic industrial buildings on a tidal section of the River Lea. Clock Mill can be seen in the foreground above. It currently houses a school. To the rear is House Mill - open periodically for heritage tours. The Grade-1 listed building also hosts exhibitions and concerts. Commercial milling ceased in 1952 and 1940 respectively. I switched to the Limehouse Cut - a dead straight canal built to provide easier access between the Lea and the Thames. Opened in 1770, the polluting industry of old has given way to pleasure boating in modern times. The Cut forms part of a 6-mile loop encompassing the Lea Navigation along with the Regent's and Hertford Union canals. I closed this particular circle today, having done the Regent's Canal leg two years previously. I arrived at Limehouse Basin - formerly a trans-shipment dock that closed in 1969, but was redeveloped as the Millennium approached. The Docklands Light Railway station was just a few streets away and I travelled to Bank, where I hopped on the curious Waterloo & City Line - an underground shuttle between the financial district and the Waterloo interchange with no intermediate stops. Day Three was dedicated to the River Thames. My upstream exploration over the years had taken me as far as Windsor. I returned to Berkshire on a regional service from Waterloo and I had six miles ahead of me on the Thames Path. Today's destination was Maidenhead - a large market town with a population of over 60,000. After alighting at Windsor Riverside, I crossed the Thames on the historic iron arched bridge which brought me into Eton, Buckinghamshire. Today's walk would take place along the north bank and I began at The Brocas - a large public meadow with numerous footpaths.

I passed under the 1849 Brunel drawstring wrought iron bridge that brings the other railway line into Windsor, terminating at Central Station. The brick arches of the lengthy approach viaduct blend in fabulously with the surrounding landscape. Once again, the weather was very sunny and I was delighted to find a good amount of tree shade on the rural sections of the path. The official walking route ran through a 160-yard stretch of private gardens. Cyclists were requests to take a detour around this stretch. Across the water, I saw the green expanse of Windsor Racecourse. Meetings have been staged here since 1866, although the local area has connections to horse racing dating back to Tudor times. On my side of the river, Dorney Lake sits at a higher level. Completed in 2006, this man-made rowing venue follows a straight course and was used in the Olympic Games. I declined the chance to go for a look, being perfectly content to follow the shaded Thames Path. Another landmark that caught my eye was Oakley Court Hotel on the far bank. It's hard to miss the striking Gothic-style architecture and the site has featured in over 200 films, mainly horror and mystery, including a teenage favourite of mine, Murder by Death. The former country pile fell into ruin in the 1970s and was converted to the present luxury hotel at the turn of the next decade. Guests can unwind in 35 acres of private grounds. I continued all the way to Maidenhead, passing under the Elizabeth line as I approached the town boundary. The low red-brick viaduct (pictured above) is another Brunel design, opening for business in 1839. I could have taken this route back to London but it made more economic sense to purchase a day return to Windsor Riverside and catch a local bus back to this point after completing my walk. The High Street was still three quarters of a mile away and I finally pitched up at Wetherspoons for a late lunch. The Bear is a former coaching inn and I rested my legs in the large cool interior. I spent a couple of hours enjoying the relaxed atmosphere before heading out to the nearest bus stop. It was now around 4.30pm and the heat smacked me in the face. The BBC Weather app informed me that 34 degrees was expected at this particular time. Regional bus fares in England are pegged at £3 per single trip (can we please have this arrangement in Scotland?) and I was back in Windsor half an hour later. Another successful (but wearying) day on foot. My final planned walk of the week was the longest of them all, and involved trekking across open marshland by the Thames estuary. I opted out of this one and instead formulated a shorter expedition in the comfort of my hostel bunk. The Greenway is a four-mile walkway in the East End of London, running mostly on top of an embankment that covers the Northern Outfall Sewer line. This vital piece of civil engineering was designed by Joseph Bazalgette in the wake of a major cholera outbreak in the 1850s. The new pipeline transported sewage beyond the downstream city limits, whereupon it was simply dumped into the widening Thames. But it meant that incidents such as the "Great Stink" of 1858 no longer plagued London dwellers. I decided this would make a nice alternative wander and one I could complete at a leisurely pace.

I travelled on the Docklands Light Railway to its eastern terminus at Beckton. A large sewage treatment plant has been situated here since 1864. The gasworks were the largest in Europe until their closure in 1976, following nationwide adoption of North Sea gas. Part of the derelict railway system was later incorporated in to the DLR. I picked up the Greenway trail and ambled along the wide tarmac path. The route is popular with both cyclists and walkers. It runs all the way to Stratford and finishes near the London Stadium. Fate was to conspire against me today as engineering works halted my progress after a couple of miles. My only option was to divert via the streets of Plaistow - a bustling district with many small businesses. You have to take these obstacles on the chin and at least I got to experience a vibrant community with a working-class feel. I navigated towards the centre of Stratford and returned to the same Wetherspoons pub for a few refreshments, followed by a bite to eat in McDonald's. My latest walking tour of London and surrounding areas was over. I had battled through the heat and largely succeeded. More loose ends to pick up next year. My train home was due around lunchtime on Saturday. I browsed a couple of bookstores and made my way to Euston Station. The journey to Glasgow was smooth but the connecting bus to Fife was routed away from my home village due to a road closure in Dunfermline. Rather than double back, I got off early in Kincardine and Nicole collected me. We took a Chinese meal back home. I had certainly earned that!