It's not all about Thermos flasks and hiking boots, a long walk through your nearest town or city can be as invigorating and enlightening as a country ramble.

Turn to page 66 of October's The Simple Things for a closer look at discovering neighbourhood secrets on a good long urban walk, and read on for how to spot a lost river.

How to spot a lost river

In many large cities, rivers have been diverted and hidden underground to make way
for growing cities. You can still see traces of their path on the ground, if you know what to look for:

Stink pipes

Tall, thin poles with no wires attached. When Victorian sewers were built, often incorporating rivers, these allowed the release of potentially explosive gases.

Gushing water sounds

If you hear this beneath drains and manhole covers it’s a giveaway.

Roads that slope

They may echo the course of a river towards its outlet.

Confusing boundaries

Rivers were once used as natural delineations between one borough or district and the next.