If you live in L.A then you’ve probably heard of urban hiking, apparently it’s very de rigueur! ALL the shiny people (by that I mean the celebs) are doing it and if it’s good enough for them, well, then surely it’s good enough for us! However, we’re very new to the term in the UK so we need to learn all about it, make sure we’re doing it properly and find the best places to actually do this urban form of a hike!

When you hear the word hiking you don’t automatically think of London now do you but add the word urban and it becomes rather interesting. London is filled with beautiful parks and green spaces believe it or not and they would clearly be the obvious place to try out this new trend. But… What about if you mixed things up a bit more and took the notion of urban hiking to the full extreme? London is also full of amazing things to be seen simply in the city and to my mind, urban hiking sounds like it would go hand in hand with the streets that are meant to be paved with gold…

I realise that tourists probably look around our capital city with fresh eyes. I know that when I went to New York I took everything in with a sense of enthusiasm I would never even consider when at home and, because of that, the non tourists, like me, almost certainly never actually get to SEE any of London. But, I’m pretty sure there’s a fair amount the tourists are missing too – they might see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament but little things here and there, blue plaques, beautiful greens in the centre of a square, tiny walk ways and much, much more. Because of our tube system running so closely with a station ever couple of minutes in the centre of town I think visitors can get caught up with hopping on and off public transport rather than walking. It might seem the easiest way but being under ground means you miss SO much. In reality it’s very quick to walk from stop to stop in the city and although Londoners know this and know their way around well, what we’re not doing is the LOOKING! So, the tourist are all in the tunnels and the locals all have their heads down as they rush, rush, rush from place to place… The end result is that nobody sees anything and everything is missed.

In step urban hiking and we can change all that! A couple of week’s ago I went on an urban hike with Anja Phoenix who is the resident expert adventurer for outdoor fashion brand Regatta. Together they have launched an urban hiking adventure trail, the first ever in the UK, to unearth London’s hidden beauty and unexpected neighbourhood havens. The bespoke trail is a MUST DO activity for all this autumn and can be downloaded while you shop the look (ther’es no point in doing something if you’re not going to do it fashion properly and Regatta have some awesome pieces) from the 2^nd October 2015 here: www.regatta.com/urbanhike!

Anja has created the perfect way to explore London, keeping health and fitness in mind and allowing Regatta to add the element of style and function. The 5km illustrated trail captures the city’s rich heritage, starting and finishing at historic Covent Garden tube station. The area is steeped in culture and has bore witness to everything from Celtic history right through to modern tourism, and has settled as a world class cultural and retail site. We didn’t do the whole 5km but that’s what makes it so great, you can pick up or leave off wherever you like and because the trail is in sections it makes it super easy. Anja said that the designers used a style for the artistry that is often used for children because it’s much easier to follow. This makes is accessible for all and also, much more interesting if you ask me!

Styling and preparing Londoners for the trail, Anja has selected the best Urban Hiking wears from the current Regatta AW15 range, items of which will be highlighted for inner city adventurers within stores across the UK. Her advice while we were on the hike with her was to layer up with the more layers the better and to make sure that we choose fabrics which can dry easily and quickly. She said she prefers a fleece and I loved the one she was wearing from the range at Regatta! It looked really good and not just functional which I’d say is rather indicative of the Regatta brand.

I really enjoyed the section of the urban hike we went on and even though I consider myself a local and know Covent Garden like the back of my hand I saw so many things I didn’t know were there. It’s true that I know how to get from Holborn, to Picadilly on foot, I know which street to walk down for the quickest route to Shaftesbury Avenue and I can give the best tips on the routes that avoide the most tourists but… I was missing all this amazing architecture that we have, narrow streets I’d never even notice let alone take a trip down and interesting art installations like the tiny ears embedded into the wall on Floal Street. To be honest, even when loking for them on the day because I had been told they were there and I STILL might have missed them but I thought they were brilliantly strange and pleasing to see!

Using some of London’s hidden alleyways, the route winds through beautiful courtyards, such as Neal’s Yard, and travels onwards to Trafalgar Square. The trail explores some of the more open spaces around the area and returns to Covent Garden via slim paths and bygone lanes. This is the part we got to try and I loved it.

Anja said: “Urban Hiking is a growing trend all over the world and I’m proud to launch London’s first ever trail with Regatta. Exploring the city in this way will provide local residents and tourists with its rich history whilst helping them maintain an active healthy lifestyle. Adventures come in all shapes and sizes, so whether you are getting away from your desk at lunchtime, exploring your surroundings or getting fit, I encourage you to download the trail and unearth your secret city.”

Whether you are walking the trail to maintain an active lifestyle or for intrigue and adventure, Anja recommends one to two hours to complete the trail, depending on your pace. Personally, for Londoners especially, I’d just take the sections and do them whenever I could. Instead of walking with my head down and rushing I’d try to take it all in and use Anja’s expertise to assist me. This London leg marks the beginning of Regatta’s nationwide Urban Hiking Adventure series, with more launching across the country next year.

Jo Hawkins, Regatta’s Marketing Director, commented: “At Regatta, we believe time spent outside is good for the soul. Adventure can be found around every corner of life, whether it be a weekend away, getting away from your desk at lunchtime or taking the kids to school; all activities our customers partake in every single day. Anja has selected a number of items in our product range that are perfect for this activity and is an expert in adventure and exploration. We’re very much looking forward to hearing from our customers who are taking part and sharing their experiences!”

Top tips for your urban adventure

5km… How long will this take? Give yourself 2 hours to really enjoy this trail.

Look up, look down, look ALL around! Some of the coolest ‘WOW’ moments we have had when exploring have come from unexpected directions! Try to think of a trail vertically as well as what’s in front of you and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Map memory. There is nothing more frustrating than walking along with your head in your map, so, memorise 3-4 ‘tick off features’ to spot en route that will help your navigation and give you a break from the paperwork.

Keep your eyes open Any trail can have riskier sections whether it be on a mountain ridge or along an urban snicket (alleyway). If you assess risk as you go along it’s less likely to take you by surprise.

We all walk for different reasons and you may find it really helps to understand the purpose behind walking a trail. Whether it be for fitness, intrigue, adventure or just for fun, when we really know why we are doing something it can take on a whole new light!

State of mind The places we visit often evoke different feelings and you might find yourself amazed by the variety of environments you encounter on this trail. Ching Court was our hidden gem…a place of total calm in the city.

Regatta’s Urban Hiking: Secret Cities launched on the 2^nd October 2015 and you can download the full trail and shop the look here from that date www.regatta.com/urbanhike.