Where to Run in London: Street Art and Iconic Routes

Apr 12

By Marnie Kunz

If you’re wondering where to run in London, this guide will give you a complete rundown. I was lucky enough to travel to London a couple times in the past year, and it’s been a pleasure to run around the city and take in beautiful murals and sites, from Shoreditch street art to Big Ben and the Tower of London. Read on to get the best running routes and tips for London.

Where to Run in London for Street Art: Shoreditch

Shoreditch is the Bushwick of street art for London but feels more like the original graffiti mecca than the Brooklyn version. This East End London neighborhood is conveniently located between the London boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets, with lots of public transit access, trendy bars and restaurants and street art, graffiti, stickers, and more.

For my latest London trip, I stayed at Point A Hotel Shoreditch, which offered a convenient location for running to see the amazing Shoreditch street art (within a few blocks) as well as running to see more traditional tourist sites such as London Bridge and beautiful Tower Bridge (1.5 miles away). Other scenic runs in London such as Hyde Park are within reach, as it is just 2.6 miles to run to Hyde Park from Point A Hotel Shoreditch.

Shoreditch Street Art

The street art in Shoreditch is so pervasive, it is too much to list. If you love street art or even just kind of like murals, you should definitely run through Shoreditch, it will blow your mind. Beginning at Shoreditch High Street Overground Station, you are engulfed in street art as soon as you come out of the station. Check out this Shoreditch Street Art Map for where to find all the major murals in Shoreditch. Some main street art roads to hit in your run include Brick Lane, Old Street, New Inn Yard, and the small triangle formed by New Inn Yard, King John Court and Holywell Lane, which is packed with graffiti and street art.

London Running Routes

London is a perfect city for running as there are so many parks, scenic river views, stunning landmarks and not many hills. If you want to know where to run in London, here is an overview of some iconic London routes to check out:

Thames River Running - Best for Iconic Sites

The Thames River provides a perfect running route that is easy to follow, with running paths along the river and iconic London sites such as London Bridge and Tower Bridge. A picturesque London run that includes lots of London sights is just under 6 miles/10K and follows the River Thames. Begin your run at Big Ben and then run over Westminster Bridge. Follow the Thames River going north, past London Eye and past London Bridge. Turn left onto Tower Bridge and run toward London Tower. Then turn down the other side of the River Thames and follow the river path to return to Westminster Bridge and Big Ben.

Start/Stop Point: Big Ben, at the foot of Westminster Bridge
Route Distance: 6 Miles/almost 10K
Insider’s Tip: The tourist areas can get crowded so run in the early morning or evening.

Check out the map on my Google Maps and bookmark it to pull it up easily as you run if needed.

East London Running

The canals and streets of East London are covered in street art and graffiti, and without the heavy foot traffic of more central London locations. Discover a different side of East London by heading out along the towpaths. You can start at Limehouse Cut and run past London Stadium and Victoria Park until you get to Broadway Market. This point-to-point route is 5 miles/8 kilometers.

Start/Stop Point: Limehouse Cut / Broadway Market
Route Distance: 5 miles/8 kilometers
Insider’s Tip: For more distance and natural views, run around Victoria Park.

Check out the route map here and bookmark it on your Google Maps to access easily on the run.

London Royal Parks Running Route

If you’re looking for where to run in London that has beautiful green spaces, you’re in luck - the city has many beautiful parks. This scenic park run begins in historic St. James’s Park, passes by Buckingham Palace, through Green Park, and ends in famous Hyde Park. You’ll run in three Royal Parks and also see the Mall, Buckingham Palace, and Kensington Palace on this royal run. The run is about 3 miles or 5K and you can always add more distance by running through the parks more.

Start/Stop Point: St. James’s Park / Hyde Park
Route Distance: 3 miles/5 kilometers
Insider’s Tip: Watch for traffic between Green Park and Hyde Park.

You can get the Google map of the route here.

When you’re running in London, remember to observe traffic signals (for Americans, this means looking carefully in both directions before crossing streets since we are used to drivers on the other side of the street). Also, let someone know where you’ll be running as a safety precaution. Check out our article on Running Safety Tips for more urban running tips and resources.

Where are your favorite places to run in London? What London street art do you love most? Comment below and tag @Runstreet on Instagram to get cheered on and share your runs.😊👋

Recommended Shoreditch Lodging: Point A Hotel Shoreditch for a budget-friendly hotel in a convenient location with a modern, hip vibe.

Recommended Shoreditch Eats: Dishoom Shoreditch serves up incredible Indian cuisine straight from Bombay, Boxpark Shoreditch offers a hip hangout place for drinks, shopping and a variety of street food options right in the heart of all the street art.

Resources: Ultimate Shoreditch Street Art Guide + Map

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.