The London Circuit

London has an unusual concentration of first-class grass courts, and many of them sit in a short arc along the Thames from West Kensington to Wimbledon. This trail links seven of those clubs: the two tournament grounds that bookend the British grass season, Queen's and the All England Club, and five members' clubs whose lawns are kept to a similar standard and, in several cases, host tour level or exhibition tennis of their own.

The character of London grass tennis is private and traditional. Nearly every club here is member owned, several require predominantly white clothing, and play on the lawns usually comes through a member's invitation rather than a public booking. In return the courts are among the best kept anywhere, and the clubs carry long histories: Surbiton dates from 1881, Queen's from 1886, Hurlingham from 1869, and the All England Club from 1868.

The trail suits two kinds of visitor. Spectators can build a June itinerary around the Surbiton Trophy in early June, the HSBC Championships at Queen's in mid June, the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at Hurlingham in the week before Wimbledon, and the Championships themselves from late June into July. Players with a member contact, or a club at home that can write ahead for them, can arrange a game on grass at clubs such as Richmond and Roehampton, which publish clear guest rules; at the others, contact the club before you travel.

Use the stops in order from north to south, or pick the two or three that fit your dates. The All England Club makes a natural finish: even outside the Championships, the museum and guided grounds tour show how the courts are prepared. Allow two to three days if you want to watch an event and play once; a single day is enough to see the grounds from the outside and visit the museum.