Transport for LondonGo further with Oyster pay as you go this weekend
As well as being a practical and cost-effective option for commuters who live outside the capital, Oyster now gives Londoners an opportunity to explore new places.
And there's no shortage of venues to choose from - here are MetroTravel's top spots:
Free-range fun
Head south to Blackheath to enjoy the village atmosphere of Montpelier Row and Old Dover Street. On Saturdays, from 10am to 2pm, there's the bonus of a farmer's market held in the railway station car park.
Produce comes from farms within 100 miles of the capital and includes unusual salad greens, cheeses, free-range meat and eggs, bread and cakes.
Travel onwards to Bexleyheath to the iconic Red House, built for artist and writer William Morris in 1859.
It features original Morris furniture designs and stained glass, plus wall paintings by artist Edward Burne-Jones.
Run by the National Trust, it opens from 11am to 5pm, from March 3.
Nearest stations: Blackheath, Bexleyheath
Country air
Thanks to the creation of the Green Belt, the capital is remarkably close to unspoilt countryside.
The Saturday Walkers Club (www.walkingclub.org.uk) is dedicated to revealing as much of it as possible to Londoners via free, self-guided walking routes published online and in print.
The 'Knockholt Circular' is one such walk in Kent. It passes through fields of wildflowers and bluebell woods, and includes an opportunity to visit Down House, the home of Charles Darwin.
All plans contain recommendations for where to have lunch and tea, and give approximate walking times, mileage and a difficulty rating.
There are more than 80 walks to try out in Greater London and the Home Counties.
Nearest station: Knockholt
Free as a bird
Head north to Enfield Lock and enter the meandering world of Britain's waterways and the Lea Navigation, the stretch of the River Lea that was altered in the 18th century to make it navigable.
Walk or cycle along the towpath to Rammey Marsh Lock - the fishing's good on this stretch, too.
If a spot of twitching appeals, the King George V Reservoir nearby at Lea Valley Road, is an over-wintering ground for wildfowl and wetland birds.
Nearest stations: Enfield Lock, Ponders End
A day at the park
Red and fallow deer roam freely in Bushy Park in Hampton, giving London's second largest royal park a rural edge.
Highlights to explore include the newly-restored water gardens and the Diana Memorial Fountain.
Entering through Teddington Gate brings you on to Chestnut Avenue, the 1699 state approach to Hampton Court designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
In recent history, General Eisenhower and his American army staff were based at Bushy Park while planning Operation Overlord during the Second World War, including the D-Day invasion of the Normandy beaches.
Nearest stations: Teddington, Hampton Wick, Hampton Court
