Secret walking tours to Hackney City Farm: Five outdoor events in London to beat the January blues

With the Christmas holidays well and truly over, it’s back to work and back to school for most Londoners this week.

For those experiencing a case of the January blues, there are plenty of fun low cost activities to enjoy in the capital this month.

With the threat of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, many people are avoiding meeting indoors, which is why we’ve rounded up some of the best outdoor events the city has to offer.

From secret walking tours to Hackney City Farm, here are five outdoors events in the city, we think you should check out.

Secret walking tour of central London

Meet at Trafalgar Square Every Saturday at 1.30pm Tickets £16

For those of you keen to learn less well known facts about London this secret walking tour is one to add to your calendar.

Venture off the tourist trail and discover the stories, secrets and superstitions that make London so unique on this small-group walking tour.

Unforgettable sights include the world’s smallest police station, an ancient watergate and the Duke of Wellington’s nose, revealing a side to London that you never knew existed.

Visit Hackney City Farm

1a Goldsmiths Row, E2 8QA Open Tuesdays to Sundays 10am to 4.30pm Free Entry

One of the best ways to boost our mental health is to escape to nature and luckily London is home to many city farms.

Hackney’s is located just off Hackney Road, conveniently in between Broadway Market and Columbia Road, and next to Haggerston Park.

It’s home to lots of very cute farmyard animals – ducks, pigs, goats, donkeys, chickens, geese and sheep.

Visitors can also plant vegetables, take a stroll around the sensory garden and marvel at the blooms and the herbs.

Kids and teenagers can also join the Mini and Maxi Farmers Clubs at the weekend and for adults wanting to get involved there are plenty of volunteering opportunities available year round.

Take a bicycle tour of London

74 Kennington Road, SE11 6NL Adults £27.95 Children £24.95

Ever wanted to explore the capital by bicycle - London Bicycle Tour Company offer a range of fun tours covering the most notable sights that light up the capital’s skyline from Westminster to the City of London.

The tours cater for beginner up to seasoned cyclists so everyone can join in on the fun.

Choose from a traditional or mountain bike and experience a tour of London attractions with an expert guide stopping at intervals to speak about the history of your surroundings and its landmarks.

Visit Highgate Cemetery

Swain’s Ln, N6 6PJ Tickets West Cemetery Adults £10 Children £6, East Cemetery Adults £8.50 Children £2.50

If you’re looking for a historical day out, Highgate Cemetery is the perfect choice.

Originally run by a private company, the cemetery fell into disrepair in 1970 which led to its new carers ‘The Friends of Highgate Cemetery’ taking over the day-to-day running of things, from 1975 up to the present day.

Visitors can walk through a trail of famous graves and catacombs, which contain the remains of a number of notable figures including Karl Marx, poet Christina Rossetti, writer George Eliot and architect Sir Lawrence Weaver.

The West Cemetery is only accessible by guided tour, which must be booked in advance.

Take an Uber boat trip along the Thames

Tickets start at £4.60

In 2020, Uber teamed up with Thames Clippers to extend its London transport network to the water.

The boats stop at 23 piers along the Thames between Woolwich (Royal Arsenal) Pier in the East and Putney Pier in the West, and users are able to book journeys on the Uber app.

Enjoy the sights and views from the water while getting from A to B.