7 Great Books about London’s River Walks

Since I started this website, I’ve read several books about walking London’s waterways. This post lists my favourite books about London’s rivers, including the paths of the lost rivers (which I’ve also walked!) If you are interested in river walks in London, I hope you find this list helpful.

I hope you love the books I recommend! Just so you know, some of the links below are affiliate links, so I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you buy through the links.

7 Best Books on London’s Rivers

1. River Wandle Companion

This book has everything you need to know about the River Wandle, and was very helpful to me when I was first exploring the Wandle Trail. There are chapters on the industrial heritage of the river, houses along the river, and wildlife, as well as lots of beautiful photographs and useful maps.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2. London’s Lost Rivers: A Walker’s Guide

I first came across this book in the Wandle Industrial Museum’s library. It has walking routes of eleven different waterways. I like it because it covers some of London’s less well-known waterways, such as the Moselle River, the Black Ditch, Cock and Pye Ditch, Bollo Brook, and Counters Creek. The routes are clearly set out, along with helpful maps which are easy to follow.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

3. The Lost Rivers of London

If you are interested in London’s lost rivers, this is the best book on the subject. It covers London’s main lost rivers such as the Fleet, the Effra, the Westbourne, and the Tyburn, and goes over how the rivers were used in history. In the back cover is a very useful fold-out insert with a map showing the routes of all the rivers.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4. Walking London’s Waterways

This is a very practical book, and good for exploring the different waterways in London. It covers canals and docks, and has a range of walks of different lengths. I used this book when I was planning my walks of the Thames Path, as it includes some of the best routes along the Thames, including from Kew to Richmond.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

5. London’s Hidden Rivers

This book is a walker’s guide to the subterranean waterways of London. It covers twelve of London’s lost rivers including the Walbrook, the Fleet and the Westbourne. Each walk starts at the tube or railway station nearest to the source of the river, and then follows its course to the Thames.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

6. Walking on Water

This book focuses on seven of North London’s lost rivers: the Fleet, Walbrook, Tyburn, Westbourne, Counter’s Creek, Stamford Brook and Black Ditch. The book includes photographs of the walks, and maps showing the path of each river.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

7. London’s Waterside Walks

This book contains twenty one different river walks in London, including six on the Thames Path. It also covers routes along some of London’s canals, docks and reservoirs. The walks vary between 3-7 miles in length, and the book includes photographs and maps.

Last update on 2024-11-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you know of any other good books that are not in this list, please let me know either by leaving a comment below, or emailing me at [email protected].