A magical London stroll filled with golden leaves, royal ghosts, and hidden corners.

September and October are great time months to visit London as it is peak Autumn. The weather will always be mixed but it is usually mild so you can layer up. You should see warm sunny days with soft golden light and also misty days with soft showers as we move towards Halloween.

For this autumn walk, I wore my pink tulle skirt with trainers and had my pastel pink witch hat (click here for tutorial) for the haunted ghost stories! Today we’ll stroll through the elegant streets of Kensington and Holland Park, where history, beauty, and a few spooky stories intertwine.

📍 Start: High Street Kensington Tube
📍 End: Notting Hill or Holland Park Tube
☕ Recommended time: Morning to early afternoon (around 4 hours with café stops)

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🥐 Coffee, Croissants & Cosy Beginnings

From High Street Kensington Station, turn right past Whole Foods and into Kensington Square Gardens, one of the city’s oldest garden squares. Around the corner on Thackeray Street, you’ll find some of my favourite local cafés.

We started our morning at Entrée Bakery, where flaky pain au chocolat and salmon rolls fuelled us for the walk ahead. (Last year’s stop was the lovely Montparnasse Café, if you prefer more of a sit-down brunch vibe.)

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🎃 Ghosts, Gables & Halloween Decorations

The leafy streets off Victoria Road are among the prettiest in West London and at Halloween, they come alive with creativity. Think oversized spiders climbing townhouses, floating ghosts, pumpkins spilling down stairways, and the occasional creepy clown.

Even without decorations, these streets are quintessential Kensington: white stucco houses, glossy black doors, and hidden garden squares. They’re perfect for photos and just quietly, they look even better under autumn’s golden leaves.

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👑 Royal Albert Hall & the Resident Ghost

A 15-minute walk along Queen’s Gate Terrace brings you to one of London’s most iconic buildings. The Royal Albert Hall. It’s stunning in every season, but especially in autumn when the red brick glows beneath golden trees.

Rumour has it, the hall isn’t just famous for music. According to official reports, staff and visitors have spotted a ghostly Victorian figure roaming the corridors and empty boxes, and heard mysterious footsteps echoing long after everyone’s gone home. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there’s something quietly magical about this building at dusk.

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👻 The Haunted History of Kensington Palace

From the Albert Memorial, cross into Kensington Gardens, one of London’s most beautiful royal parks. It’s home to Kensington Palace, where generations of royals have lived… and where a few have never quite left.

Stories tell of King George II, who died here in 1760, still waiting for news from his homeland. To this day, visitors report glimpses of his face at the palace windows, murmuring, “Why don’t they come?”
You might also hear whispers of Princess Sophia and her spinning wheel, or Queen Mary II, whose ghostly figure is said to wander the Queen’s Apartments.

Beyond the hauntings, the gardens are breathtaking in autumn and fiery red trees, elegant fountains, the serene Round Pond, and the Sunken Garden, once a favourite of Princess Diana.

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🍂 From Royal Gardens to Holland Park

From Kensington Palace, we wandered west through Phillimore Gardens which one of the city’s most exclusive (and Halloween-obsessed) streets before arriving at Holland Park.

This peaceful pocket of green is a world away from the bustle of Kensington High Street. You’ll pass sculpture lawns, peacocks, and the enchanting Kyoto Garden, a Japanese-style haven of waterfalls and koi carp. It’s also home to one of London’s oldest ghost stories and that of Lord Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, who was beheaded in 1649 and is said to roam the ruins of Holland House at midnight, carrying his head beneath his arm.

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🌸 Ending in Notting Hill

If you exit via the north side of Holland Park, you’ll find yourself among grand West London houses. Wander up Clarendon Road, dotted with cute cafés and boutiques, before ending at Stanley Crescent — famous for its pink and gold autumn leaves and springtime blossoms.

It’s the perfect finale to a walk that blends London’s prettiest corners with just a touch of Halloween magic.

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🎥 Read next

If you’re planning your own London adventure, check out:

• 🍁 Most Instagrammable Places in London This Autumn

• 🎃 Best Halloween Displays in London

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🧭 Quick Route Summary

Route: High Street Kensington → Kensington Square Gardens → Victoria Road & Phillimore Gardens → Royal Albert Hall → Kensington Palace Gardens → Holland Park → Clarendon Road → Stanley Crescent
Distance: ~22,000 steps (4–5 miles)
Best for: Autumn colours, Halloween displays, historic ghost stories, cosy cafés