Free Audio London Walks

Spitalfields

Robert Wright — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:19:00 GMT

Spitalfields does not sound an attractive place, but the area East of the City takes its name from, a priory hospital known as St Mary's Spital founded in the late 12 th Century. Most of the area was built after the great fire of London in 1666 after the plague the previous year caused such devastation to the local population who were traders and market stall holders.

Nowadays Brick Lane is a centre of Bangladeshi culture beloved of Londoners for the hundreds of restaurants that line the street on both sides. Banglatown is the most recent incarnation of a neighbourhood that welcomed successive waves of immigrants. First it was the Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in continental Europe. They brought with them sklills in weaving, especially silk yarns. Their beautiful houses adorn Fournier St, Princelet St and Wilkes St. Our walk passes along all three of these lovely roads.

After the Huguenots came Irish weavers and Askenazy Jews. The Mosque in Brick Lane was originally a Huguenot chapel, but saw use for the Methodists, as an outreach to the Jews, and then a Synagogue.

Other sights along the walk are the churches of St Botolph - two of them dedicated to the same saint - and the famous Christ Church Spitalfields. Petticoat Lane Market occupies the streets around Wentworth St and Petticoat Lane itself (best visited during the week or on Sundays) and Old Spitalfields Market - now a trendy retail and catering venue off Bishopsgate.

The walk ends at Liverpool St Underground, after passing through Exchange Square and looking down over the mainline railway station below.

Doing the Lambeth Walk

Robert Wright — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:50:00 GMT

"The Lambeth Walk" is a song from the 1937 musical Me and My Girl (with book and lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose and music by Noel Gay). The cockney lyrics are simple:

Any time you're Lambeth Way
Any evening, any day
You'll find us all
Doing the Lambeth Walk. Oi!

Every little Lambeth pal
With her little Lambeth pal
You'll find 'em all
Doing the Lambeth Walk. Oi!

Lambeth is the area south of the River Thames around Waterloo Station where we start our walk. Waterloo is on the Northern, Bakerloo, Waterloo & City, and Jubilee lines as well as being a mainline station in zone 1. Exit the Underground from the Jubilee Line and turn into Waterloo Road towards the Old Vic Theatre. Turn into Lower Marsh and continue until you come to Archbishop's Park at the rear of Lambeth Palace, official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

After walking through the park we come to the redundant church of St Mary at Lambeth, home of the Tradescant Trust and the Museum of Garden History. From here we walk along the Albert Embankment by the River Thames with wonderful views of the North bank including the Houses of Parliament. We pass St Thomas's Hospital and Medical School named after the English martyr St Thomas a Becket, County Hall and the London Aquarium, the London Eye and the lion which used to stand by Hungerford Bridge before the demolition of the Lion Brewery.

Just before the Royal Festival Hall we cross one of the Golden Jubilee foot bridges and the walk ends at Embankment (District & Circle lines) or Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern lines) both in Zone 1.

Notorious London - a walk for adults only

Robert Wright — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:17:00 GMT

Robbery, murder, prostitution, fraud, bankruptcy - it's all here in this walk. Once again we return to the Fleet River, all but invisible today but an erstwhile open sewer flowing through the most desperate neighbourhoods of London.

The walk starts at Blackfriars Underground (Circle & District and Overground zone 1) and ends at Farringdon (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Overground zone 1). There is not much left to see of the places described, so you will have to use your imagination. Some aspects of the walk are lurid and unsavoury, so my advice is that the sound file should be heard by over 15's unless you have listened to the walk in advance. The walk is best enjoyed on a weekday, as it passes through part of the Inner Temple and the route chosen might not be open during the weekend.

We kick off with the unsolved mystery of Roberto Calvi who was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge, weighed down and with his pockets full of money. The route takes us through the site of the former Fleet Prison and the former Bridewell royal palace and prison where convicted prostitutes were publicly flogged to entertain the curious and encourage other offenders to cease and desist from their ways. Many of the prostitutes plied their trades in the prisons themselves, encouraged by the warders and governor who made a tidy sum out of the business.

Lawyers did their business in one of the inns of court (see my Legal London walk) and on this route they jostled and fought with the criminal fraternity in the Whitefriars/Alsatia area outside their gates. An early example of physicians curing themselves, or perhaps not.

We cross Holborn Viaduct and get a fine view over London towards the River Thames before descending into Shoe Lane, another notorious place where respectable people would not be seen dead, or if they were they might if you see what I mean. Here cutpurses would routinely relieve them of their money and maybe sell their cash back to them shortly afterwards. Here also was Mother Clap's Molly House, a male brothel.

Rest assured the locality is far more respectable nowadays, and the site of Farringdon - terminus of the world's first underground railway hoves into view up Greville St where the walk ends. Little more than a stroll really, and as I say it's not the most attractive part of London but stuffed full of history, much of it of the worst kind.

The Tower and St Katharine's Dock

Robert Wright — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:24:00 GMT

This walk can take 90 minutes or all day if you want to visit the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge Experience. It is a circular stroll from Tower Hill Underground on the Circle & District Lines, Zone 1.

What makes this walk special are the stunning views across the River Thames. Moving from one vantage point to another, the eye is filled with wonder as vistas open up at every turn.

Starting at Tower Hill, we walk under the road and admire the colourful enamel panels depicting the history of the Tower of London, some of it tragic and gory, little of it glorious.

Continuing around the Tower in a circuit down to the river, we pass the Traitors' Gate and Dead Men's Hole. From here we pass from the bustle of a prime tourist site to the relative quiet and calm of St Katharine's Dock. Refurbished after its original purpose was superseded, the basins now host a mixture of traditional sailing vessels and expensive motor boats, moored alongside fashionable bars, restaurants, shops, apartments and penthouses.

There is an opportunity to continue walking the Thames Path to Shadwell and Canary Wharf, but we return past the Tower Hotel to cross the river by Tower Bridge towards the Engine Room, where we descend the steps and walk along Shad Thames as far as the Design Museum.

Here we stop and admire what is arguably the best view of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, Tower 42, the Tower of London and City Hall in a broad sweep with Dixie paddle steamers in the foreground.

Unusually the bridge opened twice during the time I was recording the walk, but if you want to see the bascules raise you can consult the daily schedule for opening times.

Files for your GPS, Google Earth and Maps:
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.kmz file

Wimbledon

Robert Wright — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:51:00 GMT

A circular walk from Wimbledon Underground and Mainline Station, Zone 3. The best way of reaching the start is by taking the District Line to Wimbledon from Central London, or by changing to the District Line Wimbledon Branch at Earl's Court. The walk is 3.8 miles long.

This is a charming, picturesque, historical and interesting walk on high ground through Wimbledon Village and around the Common. There is also a chance to visit the Wimbledon All-England Club, home of the most famous lawn tennis tournament in the world.

We first climb Wimbledon Hill from the railway station, and pause at St Mary's Church. This is the fourth place of worship on this site extending back more than 1,000 years. The present church was opened in 1843. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. In the chancel are wonderful mediaeval painted beams and a memorial to Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the engineer of London's sewerage system. His mausoleum is in the church yard.

We then pass through Wimbledon Village and then along the south side of the Common with its large Georgian houses. After taking some refreshment at one of the many charming pubs around the Common and walking into the Crooked Billet, we walk up the west side where the houses are even bigger and grander. The largest is Cannizaro House (pictured) which is now a hotel. The grounds are owned by the London Borough of Merton and can be visited. Here you will find over 400 species of trees and shrubs. The collection of rhododendrons and azaleas is said to be one of the finest anywhere in England.

From a little enclave of houses built on the Common and a preparatory school associated with William Wilberforce who owned a house nearby before starting his campaign to abolish slavery, there is the chance to take a diversion to look at an iron age hill fort or the Wimbledon Windmill Museum. There are also many other rides and walks throughout the Common.

Finally the walk returns to the starting point across the Common and down several tiny alley ways, crossing the line of a prehistoric path and back to the new town centre.

Files for your GPS: GPX

Alleyways and courtyards of the mediaeval city

Robert Wright — Fri, 4 Apr 2008 12:59:00 GMT

History lovers and those who are fond of spooky alleyways and secret spaces in the mediaeval City of London will love this walk. It covers the same territory as the City walk west of St Paul's a couple of years ago, but there are only two places we visit again so this is genuinely a new delight. Mind you, it will be essential for you to have your wits about you when you do this walk - we dive in and out of tiny entrances almost invisible to tourists, and walk through part of the City you would never find without a guide.

During the walk, we see a memorial to ordinary folk who gave their lives to save others and who would be forgotten except for the good offices of the symbolist painter G F Watts. We walk underneath the Old Bailey and visit St Sepulchre where there is a stained glass window dedicated to musicians and especially the father of the Proms Sir Henry Wood. His ashes are interred in the floor. In the same church is the bell tolled the night before executions in Newgate Prison and a poem exhorting the condemned souls to repent.

After walking through run down and abandoned parts of the old Smithfield Market ripe for redevelopment, we walk into a private road of elegant houses that is technically in Cambridgeshire. Half way up the road is St Ethelreda's Roman Catholic Church and through a hidden gap the most out-of-the-way pub in the whole of London. This is the spookiest part of the entire walk and full of atmosphere.

We then pass through the old Barnard's Inn, once part of the Court of Chancery but now the home of Gresham College where free lectures are given to all comers. We revisit Gough Square where Dr Johnson's cat Hodge is set in bronze on a copy of the famous Dictionary with an opened oyster. Finally we return to St Paul's and Paternoster Square after standing right under the site of the spire which once was the centre of the Blackfriars monastery church and we see the preserved crypt of Whitefriars behind glass in the basement of the Freshfields law office building.

Files for your GPS: GPX

Playing in the Strand

Robert Wright — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:17:00 GMT

This is more of stroll through part of London's extensive Theatreland. It lasts just over 80 minutes and starts in Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross Underground - Zone 1 - Bakerloo and Northern Lines) Take the exit from the subway marked 'Trafalgar Square' and walk to the base of the Nelson Column facing towards the Tower of Big Ben.

After an extensive description of Trafalgar Square and the Nelson Column, we walk aroud the square and look at the grand buildings, including Admiralty Arch, Canada House, National Gallery, St Martin-in-the-Fields and South Africa House.

The walk then continues down to the River Thames and the Playhouse Theatre. From here, depending on the visibility and the weather, there is a choice of crossing and re-crossing the river by way of the Golden Jubilee bridges, from which there are unrivalled views of the London skyline in both directions, or walking under the Arches to Embankment Underground and thence back to Charing Cross station forecourt - the centre of London as measured from mileposts and mapping.

Most of Little Adelphi is covered on my Covent Garden walk, but we do walk along John Adam Street and look at the lovely buildings in the streets, including the home of Samuel Pepys near the old Watergate, and the Royal Society of Arts. Returning to The Strand, we admire the glass fronted Coutts Bank with its revolving full-size tree and haunted banking hall.

From this point on, it's all about the theatre. We pass the Adelphi with its fantastic Art Deco facade. Nearby is the Vaudeville. By Carting Lane we visit the old Coal Hole Tavern, once the haunt of Thames barge coal heavers. Then we enter Savoy Court with its world famous luxury hotel (now being refurbished) and the Savoy Theatre, originally showcase of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.

After that, we pass the Strand Palace Hotel, the Lyceum Theatre, Drury Lane, the Aldwych Theatre (pictured above) and Bush House, home of the BBC World Service.

The walk ends with a choice. You can either walk up Kingsway to Holborn Underground (Central Line Zone 1) or end at Covent Garden Piazza just off to the left up Drury Lane. The Covent Garden Underground station is on the Piccadilly Line, and is near all the attractions of Covent Garden, including the Royal Opera House and the newly refurbished London Transport Museum.

Islington

Robert Wright — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:12:00 GMT

This is a most enjoyable walk through Islington, starting at Angel Underground (Zone 1 - Northern Line, Bank Branch) and ending at Highbury & Islington (Zone 2 - Victoria Line and Overground).

The first part of the walk passes through the antiques market area along Camden Passage. The middle section follows the line of the New River - neither new nor a river. This man-made watercourse took fresh water from Hertfordshire to New River Head. Little of the river is visible nowadays, but the route is clearly visible and there is a charming garden were we walk alongside the water by formal gardens near Canonbury Grove. The last part of the walk passes Canonbury Tower and House. The Tower was built in the early years of the 16th century as a manor house on the site of an Augustinian Priory owned by the canons of St Bartholomew's in Clerkenwell (which we pass on the Well, Well, Well... walk).

The walk should take about an hour, and includes references to such people as Charles Lamb, Sir John Spencer, Evelyn Waugh and George Orwell. Upper Street is also the site of a restaurant in which Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are said to have discussed the timing of the transfer of the leadership of the Labour Party, and hence the office of Prime Minister.

Most of the route is quiet and free of heavy traffic. The houses are predominately 18th century terraced properties, and the area is well known not only as a smart and expensive place to live, but where the left wing intelligentsia of the capital prefer to hang out. It also reminds me of the British Monopoly board - the Angel Islington is a modestly priced light blue property on which it is much more affordable to build hotels than on places further from 'Go.'

I recommend this short walk as a very interesting way to spend an hour - more of a stroll really, past charming houses and lovely residential locales.

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Hampstead

Robert Wright — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:27:00 GMT

A lovely historic walk through the tiny roads, alleyways, and steps around the centre of Hampstead. Hampstead is about 4 miles north of the centre of London. It is easily reached from stations like Tottenham Court Road, Euston, or Embankment by taking the Edgware branch of the Northern Line. The station is in Zones 2/3.

Turning left outside the Underground station, we have only a few paces to walk on the busy Hampstead High Street before we turn into Flask Walk. The first portion of the stroll is through the area that sprung up around the spa. The water from the chalybeate spring contained dissolved iron and was considered health promoting. The practice died out in the late 19th century, but there are pubs, street names such as Well Walk, and many other associations with this period of Hampstead's history.

More importantly even today Hampstead is more likely to be associated with the rich, the famous, intellectuals, artists, and writers. The list of literati and gliterati is a long one, including nowadays stars of film and TV, but in the past such names as John Galsworthy who wrote The Forsyte Saga here, three generations of the du Mauriers, the painter John Constable, poet John Keats and many many more.

The walk passes the French and Dutch influenced houses around the William IV public house, and enters Hampstead's parish church dedicated to St John. This is a 1745 gem - a galleried interior of wood painted in two shades of grey with a beautiful plasterwork ceiling. Definitely a must-see, and in the two adjacent burial grounds there are so many famous people that the church offers a tomb walk leaflet to guide visitors around the church yard.

There are wonderful views over London, and we reach a high point of 440 ft above sea level near the Jack Straw public house. The best is kept for last, as we wind our way down a steep hill and enter a tiny enclave of small houses beside a narrow street with another wonderful view to east and west. This leads to steps that conveniently descend to the Underground station where the walk ends.

This is a lovely urban stroll through one of London's most fashionable historic places. There are some steep hills, narrow uneven streets, cars and vans labouring up the inclines, and expensive eating places and watering holes. But for free entertainment and learning about the past, it is a great walk and one especially suitable for families.

Hampton Court

Robert Wright — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:59:00 GMT

This walk starts at the Thamesside village of Hampton. You can reach Hampton by train from London (Waterloo) or by the District Line to Wimbledon and change to a train to Hampton. The station is in Zone 6 - so you can buy a Zones 1 - 6 off-peak Travelcard.

Leaving the station from the South-West train, exit towards the shops and turn left along the High Street. As we walk down the High Street, I tell you about Godaddy.com (for 10% discount use code blu74) and the powernap software Pzizz.com (affiliate number 16992). Click on the links to the right for details and to benefit London Walks.

Continue down to the River Thames and the church of St Mary, which is said to be haunted by Mistress Penn who was a nurse to Edward VI the only son of Henry VIII. Nearby there are two houses which belonged to the actor David Garrick and his eponymous nephew. Opposite Garrick's Villa is a temple which is connected to the house by a tunnel under the road, and housed a statue of William Shakespeare.

Shortly we leave the busy traffic and enter Bushey Deer Park where one should avoid approaching the deer that roam free, especially in May - July and September - October. We walk through the lovely water garden that is little known and generally very quiet, and leave the garden by a gate leading towards the Diana Fountain. This whole area was designed by Sir Christopher Wren who was employed to remodel the Tudor palace of Hampton Court.

After leaving the park we enter the formal grounds of the palace through the Lion Gate. We then walk through the gardens and around the outside of the house, admiring the wonderful facades and marveling at the fact that here we have two entirely separate ages of architecture - Tudor and Baroque. It all happened by accident, but it works well nonetheless. After walking through the gardens, there is a chance to enter the palace.

The walk ends nearby just across the bridge over the Thames at the station of Hampton Court. This is also in Zone 6 and trains run to Wimbledon and into London every 30 minutes. Lunch can be taken in Hampton Court before boarding the train, and I give a recommendation for Cottage Pie in one of the town public houses.

Harrow-on-the-Hill

Robert Wright — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:11:00 GMT

This is a lovely walk through the charming village of Harrow-on-the-Hill, home of the famous Harrow School and much more. Although Harrow is some way from the centre of London, it is easy to reach.

The best way is to buy an off-peak Travelcard covering zones 1 - 6. Take the Jubilee Line northbound to Finchley Road. Here cross the same platform and take a Metropolitan Line to Harrow-on-the-Hill. The quickest is a fast Amersham service, but any Metropolitan Line train will do: the Metropolitan LIine takes the same route as the Jubilee Line, but bypasses most of the stations where Jubilee Line trains stop.

On reaching Harrow-on-the-Hill, climb the stairs from the platform and turn left. Exit the station through the south exit leading to Lowlands Road.

This is a short walk of less than 2 miles. It's more of a stroll but there are some hills to climb and descend at the end. You are rewarded with fine views over London to the north east and the west.

Harrow-on-the-Hill is all about Harrow School - second only to Eton College in prestige amongst English public schools. It was founded in the late 16th/early 17th century. The school does not provide all the history on this walk however. We pass the site of the first fatal motor vehicle accident which occurred in 1899. We see where King Charles I watered his horses at a well, and wistfully looked back over London before riding north to surrender himself to the Scottish army. We enter the lovely old church of St Mary. Originally consecrated in the 11th century by St Anselm, the present building has some wonderful effigies, 14th and 15th century brasses, and is the burial place of the founder of Harrow School John Lyon and his wife.

Somewhere in the grounds of the church, Lord Byron's daughter Allegra is buried. All that remains is a commemorative stone by the main doorway, but nearby is a plaque by the Peachy gravestone where the young Byron as a schoolboy spent hours under the trees, gazing into the distance, and developing his muse.

Well, well well!

wrightreverend@hotmail.com (Robert Wright) — Wed, 7 Nov 2007 16:27:00 GMT

Why Well, Well, Well? Well! - because we pass a number of places where there were wells and spas. In fact, at the Clerk's Well you can see the original well behind glass. The parish of Clerkenwell was named after this source of water, which later became a pump to service the neighbourhood with clean, fresh supplies from a nearby spring. Unfortunately this tap became polluted and had to be shut down, possibly from the nearby Smithfield Meat Market. Another well is Brideswell towards the end of the walk and Bagnigge Wells comes between King's Cross and Farringdon. So - well, well, well it is.

This walk is not the most beautiful I have done, but has a great deal of historical interest. We start at King's Cross (Victoria, Northern, Piccadilly, Hammersmith & City, Circle, Metropolitan Underground lines, mainline railways, Thameslink Zone 1) and finish at Blackfriars (Circle, District, Riverboats mainline railways Zone 1).

The route follows the line of the old Fleet River, now underground. For some of the way we also follow the line of the railway tracks as far as Farringdon. We pass the big London sorting office at Mount Pleasant belonging to Royal Mail. Near the Clerk's Well we pass Clerkenwell Green and the Parish Church. This is a handy detour especially if you are hungry. The church and green is on another of my walks through Clerkenwell and the Smithfield Market. We pass over lands once the property of the Bishop of Ely, and under Holdborn Viaduct where you can climb the steps to the road over and admire the view.

Another stunning view is from the dip where Farringdon St intersects with Fleet St and Ludgate Hill. The Wren cathedral of St Paul's is visible here and earlier on in the walk, and you can also walk up Ludgate Hill and visit the tiny Wren Church of St Martin's. On the right is Fleet St once associated with the British newspaper industry and journalism.

We now pass St Bride's Church and learn about the Bridewell Palace. The walk finishes at Blackfriars near the 1931 Unilever Building, on the noisy Riverside Walk beside Blackfriars bridge, with fantastic views across the Thames as far as the London Eye and Westminster.

Highgate

Robert Wright — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:19:00 GMT

Highgate lies between Haringey, Camden and Islington. It is one of London's more expensive and fashionable neighbourhoods. It has an active conservation society, and has much to conserve.

Highgate Hill is one of the highest points in London, and the view from the beautiful Holly Lodge Estate is stunning. There are associations with Charles Dickens: his father and mother took the family here to escape their creditors, and Charles modelled Mr Jingle in Pickwick Papers on one of its well-known residents.

The walk is a hilly one. It starts from Highgate Underground on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line in Zone 3. You can use the Journey Planner at the London Walks home page to work out a route using public transport.

The highlights are Hampstead Heath, a wonderfully quiet location where traffic is inaudible, the hills are more reminiscent of the countryside, and people fish for carp in the lakes. We pass through the quaint streets and houses of Georgian Highgate. Highgate School, founded in 1565 is on the route. We see houses where Dickens, J B Priestley, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and others lived. In Highgate Cemetery Karl Marx, George Eliot, Michael Faraday, Ralph Richardson and many others were buried.

The walk is full of history and wonderful sights and a view over London unrivalled anywhere in and around the capital. There are churches, lovely pubs where you can sit out and enjoy a snack and a beer, a pub-theatre, manicured estates, grand houses, lovely parks, and the site where Dick Whittington 'turned again' with his cat when the sound of Bow bells called him back to become Lord Major of London. Or may have - as the tale is a 14th century fiction.

The walk finishes at Archway, one stop down the Northern Line in zones 2 and 3. This is a fairly strenuous walk, highly enjoyable, fairly short, and one of London's best strolls. Don't miss it. You can get to Highgate easily in just a few minutes from Tottenham Court Road, Euston or King's Cross.

Dockands

Robert Wright — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:23:00 GMT

How can you possibly beat a walk along the Thames on a fine day? Shadwell (the name probably came from Shite-well or Shit-well) might be an unauspicious start, but in a few paces from the Docklands Light Railway or East London Line Zone 2 you come across the fabulous Nicholas Hawksmoor church of St George's with its 160 ft (49m) tower. Dickens described its 'Romish' practices in the mid 19th century as 'miserable fancy dressing pantomime posturing.'

Dickens features again and again on this wonderful walk. The Mystery of Edwin Drood with its opium dens, The Uncommercial Traveller, and Our Mutual Friend are all references on this walk.

Tobacco Dock is sadly no longer the vibrant retail development it was, but you can still walk through it and see the statue to the Bengal tiger and the young boy rescued from its jaws. You can see the two full size pirate ships, and admire the fantastic brick built construction (Grade 2 listed by English Heritage).

After strolling through an area where there was a notorious workhouse, we arrive at Wapping station. From this point, the walk continues along the Thames Path affording unrivalled views of the Thames and Canary Wharf in the distance.

Joined by one of our listeners, Kim from New Jersey, on this walk, we take a break in the Prospect of Whitby public house with its full length pewter-topped bar, wood posts made from the masts of ships, hangman's noose dangling over the river, and several fine draught ales I tell the tale of the Hanging Judge Jeffreys as we quaff our beer on a bench in the open air beside the river near the old parish boundary wall. Wonderful.

There are more pubs along the way after crossing Limehouse Basin including The Grapes as well as a fine restaurant bar The Narrow (chef proprieter Gordon Ramsay). FInally we leave the Thames-side to admire another Nicholas Hawksmoor church of St Anne's with its high clock faces and strange pyramid in the graveyard originally intended to top the tower.

The walk ends at the DLR station of Limehouse (Zone 2) from where it is only a few minutes ride back to Bank or Monument (Central, Northern, District & Circle Lines Zone 1).

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Marylebone

Robert Wright — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:53:00 GMT

Marylebone is the area north of Oxford Street. It was originally the closest village to central London until developed in the 18th and 19th centuries for housing by two landlords. Now Marylebone is a mixture of housing, offices and retail.

The Marylebone walk starts at Marble Arch Underground station (Central Line Zone 1) and finishes at Baker Street (Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Circle, Bakerloo, Jubilee lines Zone 1).

We walk through a number of squares and along Upper Berkeley Street to the Wallace Collection. We then pass near the Wigmore Hall, one of London's best small concert venues and down the gem of a shopping and eating street called St Christopher's Place before emerging briefly into Oxford Street, the busiest but by no means the best shopping street in the West End. Turning up Vere Street past Maroush V, a good lunch stop, we come to the home of the LICC at St Peter's Church, built in 1724.

We then walk along New Cavendish Street through the medical area before turning up Marylebone High Street. This is a 'must see' when visiting London - not only for the shops, restaurants and general atmosphere, but also because Charles Wesley (1707 - 1788) writer of more than 150 hymns and leader of the Methodist movement is buried near St Marylebone's Church.

The final part takes us along the busy Marylebone Road past Madame Tussauds to the Tube at its junction with Baker Street.

Bayswater (East)

Robert Wright — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:42:00 GMT

This is the second part of our Bayswater walk. The first part to the west started at Notting Hill Gate Underground (Central, Circle & District Lines Zone 1/2) and finished at Lancaster Gate (Central Line Zone 1). We now continue from Lancaster Gate, and finish at Marble Arch (Central Line Zone 1).

Our first port of call is the lovely church of St James the Less in Sussex Gardens. The list of Vicars of Paddington posted on the wall goes back to the 14th Century, and our stroll through Bayswater starts inside the church which has been extensively refurbished.

Bayswater is a series of interlocking squares. We continue through Sussex Square through a small charming mews into Gloucester Square. from here we can see the church of St John the Evangelist in Hyde Park Square. We meet the clergy as we enter this church, and hear about Horseman's Sunday when the Vicar annually greets his congregation from horseback, and more than 100 other steeds follow his lead around the roads locally.

In Albion Street we pass a house once owned by the last Rajah of Sarawak, and then the home of William Makepeace Thackeray. After passing along Connaught Street - in Edwardian and Victorian times a fashionable shopping destination - we finish at the site of the Tyburn Gallows and enter the Tyburn Convent where sisters still pray for the souls of the 105 Catholic martyrs who lost their lives. The site of the Tyburn tree now stands on a roundabout by Marble Arch. It is named after the river Tyburn which now flows underground.

From here it will be possible to continue this walk through Marylebone, ending at Baker Street, Madame Tussauds and the literary site of Sherlock Holmes' appartment.

Campden Hill

Robert Wright — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:27:00 GMT

This is a circular walk through Campden Hill in Kensington starting at Notting Hill Gate Underground (Circle, District and Central Lines Zones 1 and 2). Leave the Underground through exit A and go straight ahead until you turn left into Campden Hill Square. The walk takes us up one side of the square, across the top and down the other side to Holland Park Avenue. This is a lovely sloping square developed over many years around private communal gardens. There were a number of interesting residents including Siegfried Sassoon. We look at their houses and hear a little of their history.

The walk continues along the edge of Holland Park away from traffic, and crosses beside the Open Air Theatre before emerging into Melbury Road. This is a fascinating part of town best known as an artists' colony. The land was acquired from Lady Holland on a 99-year lease when debts forced her to sell. Huge houses were erected with large north-facing windows where artists and sculpters painted and modelled the rich and famous, becoming even more rich and famous themselves in the process. Holman Hunt was one of the most notable residents. His wife continued to visit St Paul's Cathedral after he died to gaze at The Light of the World. Lord Leighton's house is open as a museum.

We then walk by the southernmost gate of Holland Park into Kensington High Street and into the Phillimore Estate. Linley Sambourne House can be visited - a perfectly Victorian town house. Open March - December. Visiting times click here. From here we swalk up and down several streets in Campden Hill, stopping at places of interest, some literary, some musical.

The walk finishes in Kensington Church St by a house where Musio Clementi once lived. From this point it is a short stroll back to Notting Hill Gate and the Underground.

Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk (East)

Robert Wright — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:59:00 GMT

This is the second the third parts of the 4 part walk. We start at Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly Line Zone 1) and cross through the Wellington Arch to stand by the Mogul-style Memorial Gate at the top of Constitution Hill. This gate, opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 2002, commemorates the soldiers from the Indian Sub Continent and from Africa and the Caribbean who served in war.

Ignore the signpost - it points in the wrong direction and follow my instructions through The Green Park and down to Buckingham Palace. From there we walk down The Mall past St James Palace and Clarence House before walking around St James Park.

There is an opportunity to visit the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War Rooms before continuing around the lake back to Buckingham Palace. Here we can visit the Royal Mews or admire the Queen's Gallery, or maybe see the Changing of the Guard (daily at 11.30am).

The walk finishes at Hyde Park Corner, where it continues back to Kensington Palace.

Here are the maps in PDF for you to download if you wish:

The Green Park
St James Park

This part of the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk starts and finishes at Hyde Park Corner Underground (Piccadilly Line Zone 1). There are also several bus routes that converge on Hyde Park Corner - check the Transport for London journey planner for details.

Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk (West)

Robert Wright — Fri, 25 May 2007 14:34:00 GMT

I find it sad that there is so little publicity for the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk. If you try searching for a map of the walk on the Net, you will not find one. I even went into the information desk at Marbe Arch and asked for one. The woman on duty who was a member of the Friends of Kensington Gardens handed me a map, which I later found to show the cycle route around Hyde Park but no sign of the walk.

The walk is about 8 miles long. It is described as a 'lopsided figure-of-eight.' The pivotal point is Hyde Park Corner. Imagine two zeros which touch there, forming the figure 8 turned through 90 degrees - the symbol for infinity â - where the left hand extent is Kensington Palace and the right hand the most easterly point in St James Park and the crossing point Hyde Park Corner. The intersecting point is at 43 mins 6 seconds. At this point, you can decide to continue with the East section of the walk (published shortly) or turn back towards the start at High Street Kensington.

Here are the maps in PDF for you to download if you wish:

Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park

The idea of the walk was originally to join up places with associations for Diana, but I think this objective was not well met and all we have is a very good walk covering four royal parks - Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park, and St James Park. Undoubtedly Kensington Palace is important - after all, that was where Diana lived with her sons. She was often seen by locals being driven in and out of the palace, but less often spotted incognito on one of her breakout shopping trips in disguise. It was from Kensington Palace that I witnessed the funeral cortege as it was prepared in the early morning and later wound its way along South Carriage Drive. My thoughts of that fateful time are documented within hours of the funeral itself on my web site, which received several hundred hits as one of the first sites on the Net where photographs were published.

I met Diana on a few occasions when I shadowed her during shopping expeditions to Peter Jones, where I was merchandise manager in the 1980's. That was before her marriage, when she was able to come accompanied by one detective, before she was hounded by the paparazzi, and before everything changed in London after the bomb at Harrods.

This is half of the Diana walk - actually parts 1 and 4. I have done because the walk is a long one and would take several hours to complete. Part 1 is from Kensington Palace to Hyde Park Corner. Part 4 follows immediately, and covers the return section to Kensington to complete the western part of the loop. This circular walk is 5 miles long, all wheelchair accessible, completely flat, and with good toilet and refreshment facilities throughout.

Parts 2 and 3 will be a separate walk to follow - from Hyde Park Corner through Green Park and St James Park and back. You can skip to the eastern part at Hyde Park Corner, and then return to where you left this walk if you want to do the whole in one day.

This walk starts and finishes at High Street Kensington Underground (Circle & District Lines Zone 1) but passes Lancaster Gate (Central Line) and Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly Line).

Bergen, Norway

Robert Wright — Thu, 10 May 2007 15:20:00 GMT

This is an indulgence I hope you will forgive. Do not worry. I have not run out of ideas for the podcast yet. This one seemed too good to miss. Does it qualify as a walk in London? Of course not, but on the other hand Bergen is only 90 minutes direct flight from London (Stansted) and the budget airline Norwegian charges very little for a ticket. If you can stand the slooooow checkin and the resultant queues that is...

So how come Bergen? Well, Vicky and I were stranded there for a few days waiting for a Hurtigruten passage up the coast of Norway. Don't ask - we reserved a cabin on a ship called the Polarlys, but Hurtigruten called to say it had been overbooked. They offered us a suite on a much bigger vessel called Finnmarken, which developed a fault in its forward thrusters and was taken out of service for repairs at Stavangar. By then the Polarlys was full and we watched it sail out of Bergen with our cabin filled by someone else. Later in the week, we left on a much older vessel called Lyngen. See my photo galley for images of the trip above the Arctic Circle to North Cape and Kirkenes near the border with Russia. See also my description of the voyage.

Anyway, the upshot was we spent 5 days in Bergen, so became experts on the sights. It's a fine place. Friendly. Everyone speaks good English. Expensive, like all of Norway. Can be wet - it rains 220 days in the year. But when we were there, the weather was good. So join Vicky and me on a lovely walk round this fine town and enjoy the sights and sounds with us. Who knows, you might just be inspired to visit Bergen for yourself and do the walk. We have done all the hard work for you.

Bayswater (West)

Robert Wright — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 13:41:00 GMT

Bayswater lies north of the Bayswater Road between Notting Hill to the west, and Mayfair to the east. To the south are Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Bayswater is more mixed than Kensington - not as chic and certainly not so well cared for. There are more multi-occupancy dwellings, small hotels, rooming houses, and large properties both in need of renovation as well as undergoing improvement. The sound of building works echoes through Bayswater even more than in neighbouring boroughs.

The size of the properties, the width of the roads, the feeling of space, and the grand if somewhat rundown squares characterises Bayswater. The triange of Lancaster Gate, Westbourne Street and Sussex Gardens forms a natural divison between West and East Bayswater, and so I have split the walk in two. This first part is the westernmost section, running from Notting Hill Gate passing Queensway and finishing at Lancaster Gate. In a later podcast I will walk from Lancaster Gate to Marble Arch, forming the eastern section of the Bayswater walk.

Notting Hill Gate is on the Central, Circle and District Lines in Zone 1. Leaving the Underground, we walk along Notting Gate and Bayswater Road, turning left at St Petersburgh Place where there is a large synagogue with a prominent rose window (1877 - 79) nearly opposite St Matthews Church (1882). Try and get to the church as the carillon clock chimes the hour.

Just round the corner is the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Moscow Road (1877 - 82). The walk continues through grand squares, emerging in the corridor of Westbourne Road full of the smells of restaurants and food shops from all over the world. The old Queens Cinema with its Egyptian facade closed in the 1980's and was for a long time occupied by TGI Fridays. This has not ceased trading and the cinema is once again empty, leanding a forlorn appearance to the junction with Queensway. The shopping centre formed from the old Whiteleys Department Store still looks good, and we walk through the centre from north to south. Here you can cut the walk short at either Bayswater or Queensway Undergroudn Stations - actually very close together, despite what you might conclude by looking at the iconic London Underground map.

We then continue along Leinster Place and Leinster Gardens past 1960's public housing and finish this section of the walk at Lancaster Gate (Central Line Zone 1).

Clerkenwell

Robert Wright — Sun, 1 Apr 2007 14:41:00 GMT

This walk starts at Angel Underground station on the Bank branch of the Northern Line in Zone 1. Angel can be reached by taking the Central Line and changing at Bank.

Clerkenwell is a former monastic settlement. The land was originally donated to the Order of St John of Jerusalem in 1140. Clerkenwell is a mixed area where ancient buildings, Georgian houses, and loft apartments occupied by media professionals jostle together with wine bars, office blocks, converted warehouses and workshops.

The area is full of history. Once a den of thieves, robbers and pickpockets, with the highest murder rate in London during the 19th century, it is now firmly on the road to 'gentrification' albeit that the mixed character of the streets will never have the cohesion and grace of Kensington, belgravia, Mayfair or Chelsea.

The Northernmost part of the walk passes the New River and reservoirs used to supply London from Hertfordshire. We then pass Sadler's Wells Theatre before passing Spa Fields where a riot of parliamentary reformers took place in 1816.

In the fascinating church of St James we see the memorials to the martyrs burned at the stake in Smithfield between 1400 and 1558. After that, we enter on Priory lands just past Clerkenwell Green. We see the headquarters of the Order of St John. The St John's Gate Museum is free, and there are guided tours of the Priory Church and the area.

The walk continues through the Smithfield Meat Market to St Bartholomew's Hospital. The gem of this walk is the oldest church in London, St Bartholomew the Great. Don't miss this - if it's not open, go back there when it is.

Finally we walk round Charterhouse Square, and finish at Barbican Underground (Zone 1 on the Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines).

Belgravia

Robert Wright — Fri, 9 Mar 2007 15:33:00 GMT

A walk from Lancaster Gate Underground (zone 1) or Paddington across Hyde Park to the Lanesborough Hotel, then through Belgravia dn Chelsea to finish at Sloane Square Underground (zone 1). Lancaster Gate is on the Central Line. Sloane Square Underground is on the District & Circle Lines.

This walk follows part of the course of the Westbourne River. Starting at Lancaster Gate we cross Bayswater Road and immediately enter the park by the Italianate gardens with five fountains and a 1730's dam and pump house.

Continuing alongside the Long Water we enjoy wonderful views of the lake, the parkland and the sights of London in the distance. At this point, the Westbourne River flows in a conduit beneath the left bank of the lake, which joins the Serpentine. We continue alongside the boating lake with its solar shuttle launch powered by the sun and numerous pedaloes and rowing craft.

At the Dell Cafe we can stop for refreshments and continue towards Rotten Row and South Carriage Drive to the pedestrian crossing opposite the Lanesborough Hotel. This hotel is one of the most expensive in London, and was formerly St George's Hospital. Knightsbridge is named after a bridge which crossed the Westbourne River at this point. After crossing the busy road beside the famed horse-crossing, we skirt the hotel and turn away from Hyde Park Corner, returning to Wilton Place and the quaint mews streets around Kinnerton Street. Here we can see a number of small cul-de-sacs that used to lead to the Westbourne River.

In Motcomb Street, the Pantechnicon stands opposite the new Waitrose Belgravia supermarket. Pantechnicon (or all-arts in Greek) was the name for a 1830's bazaar, which later became a fire-proof furniture repository - hence the old name for a furniture removal van. The so-called fireproof warehouse burnt down in 1874, despite the fact it stands immediately over the course of the Westbourne River.

One gem remains until last - the 'cathedral of the Arts & Crafts Movement' - Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street (pictured above). It's not a cathedral but a magnificent church, although by a quirk of clergy it does have its own bishop. The church is well worth a visit in its own right, and the building is open throughout the day.

One surprise remains - the final view of the Westbourne River - in Sloane Square Underground Station.

Regents Park

Robert Wright — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:12:00 GMT

A walk from Chalk Farm Underground over Primrose Hill through regents Park to Great Portland St. or Regents Park Underground stations.

For this walk, take a sandwich and a drink, and enjoy a picnic at the top of Primrose Hill sitting on a bench overlooking a panorama of London below, as I describe the character of the area and the sights from this point, which is only rivaled by Greenwich Royal Observatory as a classic view of the capital.

From Primrose Hill we walk down to Prince Albert Road and cross the Outer Circle into Regents Park near the London Zoo .

Regents Park is full of history, and is one of London's premier and best maintained open spaces. The development was originally sponsored by the Prince Regent (later George IV) who owned the land. It was intended this royal park should extend to St James's.

John Nash planned the construction of 56 grand houses, but only 8 were built within the park itself around 1827. All round the perimeter are Nash terraces however - and the photo shows Chester Terrace to the South-East with enormous arches at either end of the street.

Within the park itself, we admire a Gothic drinking fountain, a large lake populated by birds and used for boating during the warmer months, the London Mosque, a bandstand where 7 soldiers were killed by terrorist action in 1982, an open-air theatre, Queen Mary's formal gardens, and many other fascinating sights.

This is a longer walk - it may take up to 2 hours in all, depending on the number of stops. It is well worth it, both for the exercise as well as for the history, the wonderful Nash architecture, and the sheer variety of things to see and do. There are excellent facilities such as cafes and toilets throughout the park, and a short cut down Broad Walk which varies the length of the walk if you are short of time.

Chalk Farm Underground is in Zone 2. Take the Northern Line from Tottenham Court Road on the Edgware or Colindale branch. The walk ends at Great Portland Street (Zone 1) on the District & Circle Lines or Regents Park (Zone 1) on the Bakerloo Line.

Covent Garden

Robert Wright — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:02:00 GMT

Covent Garden fits snugly between the City of London on the east and the West End north of the Strand.

It is on the one hand a fashionable and vibrant quarter of London and on the other hand a busy tourist area centred on the piazza - a converted fruit and vegetable market dating back to the early part of the 19th Century and beyond.

The walk starts in Trafalgar Square beside Nelson's Column, an icon of London and a place of demonstrations and celebration. Trafagar Square can be reached from Charing Cross Underground (zone 1 - Bakerloo and Northern Line). There are many exits from this station, so follow any sign to Trafalgar Square and head for Nelson's Column.

From there, we pass beside the world famous church of St Martin in the Fields, known as much nowadays for its work with the dispossessed, addicted and homeless as for its music. We pass Charing Cross mainline station before descending towards the embankment where there is the only surviving Watergate.

After the Royal Society of Arts, we walk behind the old Shell-Mex building to the rear of the Savoy Hotel. Opposite the main entrance can be found some charming gardens full of interesting monuments, including Richard D'Oyly Carte and Sir Arthur Sullivan who, with librettist W S Gilbert collaborated on the Savoy operettas which were first performed in the Savoy Theatre beside the hotel.

After visiting the Savoy Chapel we cross the Strand and walk past theatres up Wellington Street to the Royal Opera House. Here I highly recommend visiting the superb Floral Hall - either for lunch, or even better buy an affordable ticket for the opera or ballet.

Sadly a few days after the recording was made, it was decided to close the Theatre Museum which belonged to the V&A, but the London Transport Museum has been completely refurbished and modernised. It is due to re-open shortly. This is in the Covent Garden piazza where you can also have a snack, look at craft shops, participate in street performance and arts, visit the church of St Paul, and walk around the wonderful variety of shops.

The walk ends at Covent Garden Underground (Piccadilly Line zone 1)

Kensington

Robert Wright — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 17:15:00 GMT

Kensington is my home, and so it is surprising I have not done a Kensington walk before now.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea stretches from the River Thames in the South to Notting Hill and North Kensington in the North. It is a large area.

The part we are walking through is the wealthiest. Even the smallest houses, of which there are very few, now cost in excess of Â1million (currently US $1.93 million).

The walk starts at High Street Kensington Underground station, which is on the Circle and District lines (zone 1). There are also many buses which serve this premier shopping area.

We start by walking east, and turning down Derry Street, named after one of the partners in the Derry & Toms department store that once occupied the site. Its successor Barkers of Kensington has just closed down. The building is partly occupied by one of London's evening newspapers, and the store will become an organic food shop. There is a wonderful roof garden which you can visit. It belongs to Sir Richard Branson's Virgin. For opening hours and contact details, visit the Roof Gardens web site. There are three themed gardens covering 1.5 acres 100 ft above street level.

During the walk we wander through two of Kensington's oldest squares dating from the mid 17th century and beyond.

There is a wealth of interest in this walk, which takes less than an hour. At the end, you have the option of shopping in High Street Kensington, visiting Holland Park, or eating at one of Kensington's restaurants or cafes.

Westminster to Buckingham Palace through St James's

Robert Wright — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:10:00 GMT

A short walk of less than 50 minutes from Big Ben through St James's to Buckingham Palace.

Start at Westminster Underground (Circle, District and Jubilee Lines Zone 1). From Parliament Square, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey we walk up Whitehall past the Cenotaph, Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence. The route then crosses Horse Guards Parade to The Mall with views either side towards Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square in one direction and Buckingham Palace in the other.

After walking up Duke of York steps we enter the fascinating area of St James's. Jermyn Street with its hand made shoes, bespoke tailoring, and other delightful shops is a street in which you are bound to linger. If you have not visited the church of St James Piccadilly on another of my walks, you can do so here.

We then walk down St James's Street to St James's Palace where we hear a guardsman pacing up and down, standing to attention, presenting arms and standing easy. Finally we pass Stable Yard and enter Green Park beside the quaintly named Milkmaid's Passage. Buckingham Palace then comes into view.

The walks ends at this point, but there are instructions to reach either Hyde Park Corner or Victoria Underground stations, both convenient points to catch the Tube.

This walk is a little gem. There is so much to see and do in such a short space of time. There are no points in the sound file where I pause the recording, so the actual length on your iPod is all the time you will need to complete the walk.

Welcome to all the new listeners who have joined us during the past month, when the podcast has been promoted on the Podcast home page of iTunes. I would especially like to welcome undergraduate and in-service teachers in Hangzhou China who are listening to these walks as a way of getting to know London, its sights and sounds, and the spoken language.

Help me celebrate 100,000 downloads which we passed this month!