07 greater london king’s cross to clapton pond

As a youngster with a limited amount of cash, I used to spend days out in the capital enjoying delights that were totally free. These included getting lost in the maze at Hampton Court Palace, window

OUR latest adventure takes us to a tranquil setting alongside the glorious River Thames, to charismatic Cookham in Berkshire. Many enthuse that this is the most scenic stretch of the river from source

■ Distance: 7 miles/11.2km ■ Time: 4 hours ■  Grade: Moderate

THE BIG RIDE

It’s a massive circular traffic jam, isn’t it? Think again – the M25 is your road to great birding, writes Matt Merritt

The nearest station is Manningtree, on the Great Eastern Main Line, which is around 1 hour 15 minutes from London Liverpool Street and is also reachable from Colchester and Ipswich. If coming by car,