wellness
Hidden nature walks locals love but tourists miss in Greenwich
Residents in the Royal Borough are turning to lesser-known trails for daily fitness amid rising demand for outdoor wellness options.
How we reported this
More than 180 Greenwich residents signed up last month for self-guided walks on the unmarked paths that skirt the eastern edge of Greenwich Park and continue into the adjacent meadows near Maze Hill station.
Interest in these routes has grown this summer as local wellness groups promote low-cost alternatives to crowded tourist spots, with residents citing easier access to fresh air and fewer interruptions from visitors.
Routes through Greenwich Park and Oxleas Wood
The eastern perimeter trail in Greenwich Park starts near the park entrance on Maze Hill and winds through tree cover before linking to open grassland that avoids the main pathways around the Royal Observatory. Further east, the network of tracks inside Oxleas Wood offers shaded loops that connect to the nearby Eltham Palace grounds, where locals combine the walk with short strength sessions using benches along the route.
The Greenwich Active Living programme, run through the borough council, added these two locations to its July schedule after feedback from members who wanted options away from the riverfront crowds.
Participation numbers and access details
A borough health report released in March 2026 recorded a 28 percent increase in recorded park visits for fitness purposes between 2024 and 2025, with Oxleas Wood seeing the largest share of new users on weekdays. Entry to both sites remains free, though the council charges £8 for optional group orientation sessions held on the first Saturday of each month.
Walkers can download the borough’s free trail map from the council website or join the next Greenwich Active Living session at 8am on 12 July at the Maze Hill gate to learn the unmarked connections.