There's a bright side to gloomy winter weather in London. Without fair-weather visitors, there's much more room to explore the city's most enticing destinations.

Here are some of London's best winter time walks for those looking to stretch their legs in the capital this season.

Richmond Park

Europe's largest city park, the former royal hunting ground covers 2,500 acres and is still home to 750 odd deer.

You can stroll along the park's periphery for panoramic views of the London skyline.

Or head into its stunning parkland for the chance to spot deer hiding among the ancient trees and wild grasses

As well as impressive landscaped gardens and ponds you can grab a cup of tea at the park's 17th century Pembroke Lodge café - the former home of Prime Minister, Lord John Russell.

Richmond Park is Europe's largest city park and formerly a royal hunting ground

The park is located in Richmond and is open to vehicles from 7.30am in the winter and closes at 4pm.

You can find more information about getting to Richmond Park by car or public transport here.

St James' Park

If your staying in central London this festive season then a winter jaunt through the capital's oldest royal park is a must.

Located in the heart of Westminster, next door to Buckingham Palace, St James' is usually packed with tourists - but it's less likely to be during the Christmas holidays.

A crisp stroll along the park's lake to visit its resident pelicans is the perfect way to burn off those extra yuletide calories.

The Thames Path

The stretch of the Thames Path between Albert Bridge and Tower Bridge is the ideal winter walk for eager London sightseers.

A jaunt along the capital's river takes in the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe.

And the five miles from Tower Bridge to Greenwich include a variety of sights from Canary Wharf to the Cutty Sark ship.

You can find the full route for the Thames Path walk on the TfL website here.

The Central London stroll

The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree with its lights switched on

Take full advantage of central London emptying out over Christmas by taking a casual stroll through the capital's heart.

This two-mile walk takes you past Trafalgar Square where you can ogle its famous Christmas tree, up The Mall and past Westminster Palace - think historical sightseeing without the crowds.

The South Bank saunter

The South Bank has been used as a film location in several Christmas films, including Love Actually.

The usually buzzing banks of the Thames are the perfect place for a quiet Christmas Day or New Year's Day saunter.

At night time you can can take in the National Theatre and Tate Modern which have been lit up for the festive season.

And with unbeatable views of the Houses of Parliament and St Paul's across the river this walk is guaranteed to prolong that festive feeling.