The Flamingo Hiker

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

A French hiker based in London has climbed to the top of the Empire State Building... just to tell the world where to find the best hikes near London 🥾🇬🇧😂

Just me jumping on this AI trend and having a bit of fun on my train commute this morning 🚊✨

Now it’s your turn... if you could hang a giant banner from the top of a skyscraper, what would yours say? 👀

Looking for a countryside escape this July? 🌸🌊🥾

Here are 4 walks near London that are perfect for making the most of summer:

💜 Alton Circular via Hartley Lavender Farm – A peaceful countryside walk through woodland and rolling Hampshire landscapes, with a stop at a beautiful lavender farm.

💜 Hitchin Lavender – Wander through the UK’s largest pick-your-own lavender farm, with endless purple rows, a charming café, and plenty of photo opportunities.

🌊 Hastings to Rye – A varied coastal adventure featuring dramatic cliffs, quiet beaches, nature reserves, and the medieval streets of Rye waiting at the finish.

🏰 Dover to Folkestone – Walk beneath the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, enjoy spectacular Channel views, and finish with a stroll along Folkestone’s vibrant harbour.

📌 Save this post so you’ve got your July walks sorted!

📸 Photo dump of June’s adventures 📸

If I had to sum up June in one sentence... too hot to hike! 🥵☀️

But that wasn’t going to stop me. We just had to be a little more strategic, chasing shady woodland trails 🌳 and breezy hilltops 🌬️ to escape the worst of the heat.

Here’s a little recap of where June took me:

📍 Photos 1–4 + video: White Horse of Pewsey, Wiltshire
📍 Photos 5–9: Didcot to Culham, Oxfordshire
📍 Photos 10–12: A peaceful stroll around Ashford, Surrey 🌿

How was your June?

Random snapshots from Sunday’s walk 🥾🌿

After spending most of Saturday hiding indoors with the fan on full blast 🥵, it was so nice to finally get out and enjoy some much more comfortable hiking weather. ☀️

Does anyone know what flower this is in picture 3? 🌸

And you, how was your weekend? Did you make the most of the heat, or did you stay indoors waiting for cooler temperatures? 👇

Lavender season is here... and you don’t need a car to enjoy it. 🪻🥾🚆

Here are four of my favourite options:

💜 Shoreham to Eynsford – Follow footpaths through the Darent Valley before reaching Castle Farm, home to one of the UK’s largest lavender fields.

💜 Alton Circular – A scenic walk through Hampshire’s countryside and woodland, with Hartley Lavender Farm as the highlight of the route.

💜 Hitchin Lavender Farm – Simply walk from Hitchin station to the lavender farm. It’s an easy option if you want to spend your day exploring the fields without committing to a longer hike.

💜 Ewell to Kenley – A walk across parks and open countryside, passing through the famous Mayfield Lavender Farm before finishing at Kenley station.

📌 Save this post for lavender season, and comment LAVENDER if you’d like the full walking guides!