“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford” Samuel Johnson
Short read: Secret places and hidden interiors…
Long read: “If you want to know London better, if you want to learn some things about the world’s most cosmopolitan city that most people who spend their lives there never learn, I can think of no better investment than London Walks.” The New York Times could have been describing this walk. It teems with quirkiness, odd places and passing strange things and people. We start with the verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways of a mini-Eden that doubles as the largest civil engineering project to ever come London’s way.
We meet the lady the early twentieth-century public would have plumped for as the first woman Prime Minister. She might be our hostess. And meeting her, well, the parade – the extravaganza – is well underway. There’s the Santa Maria, Columbus all eagle-eyed. There’s the neo-Gothic mansion built by William Waldorf Astor as a home and an office to impress. And it does. There’s a putto putzing about with a 1920s candlestick design phone.
When we part company with the Astor abode (and the Santa Maria, ships passing in a dreamscape) some fancy footwork waltzes us by a gem of an 18th-century pub, the Edgar Wallace. Yes, that Edgar Wallace, the prolific writer of crime novels. Inside, wave upon wave of… well, you’ll see.
Famed for its traditional fayre, the Wallace is well worth visiting for a pint after the walk. On your way back to the Astor palazzo! Ok, that’s how the walk starts. No end of razzmatazz. And that’s how it continues. Lives up to its name – Unexpected London – every step of the way.
Coda read: hidden palaces, the hotel where George Orwell worked, an abandoned Tube Station, a flying guinea pig, two island churches, the Great Cham, oranges and lemons, bomb damage, “the first street in Europe,” the apotheosis of black cats, an arrow shower of great history. Well, you get the idea. What’s not to like? And come cold weather– hey, all those sheltering, hidden interiors – say hello to the parfait
London Walk! Guided by Alison
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
“If this were a golf tournament every name on the Leader Board would be a London Walks guide”
UNEXPECTED LONDON – THE PRACTICALS
The meeting point is just outside the exit of TempleTube. N.B. the Unexpected London walk ends in Embankment Gardens, right next to Embankment Tube.
LONDON WALKS SOUPÇON
“The implications of this are as disturbing as Einstein’s second law of relativity. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is a quiet little late Gothic building, almost as black as it would be in Newcastle. Rearing above it is the glazed white backside of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Neither part is memorable but the tension between them is. And the tension not only comes by accident but depends on it. Only a sadist would design this kind of affront, yet the affront is the essence of the place: and the final effect is not disgust but compassion for the tired old animal down below.” Ian Nairn
Maeve OConnor –
Smashing . I’ve worked in this area of London for years now and was surprised and delighted with the tour. A really fresh and interesting look at an area I thought I knew well . Lived up to “unexpected” in spades. Heartily recommend and a really good guide
Julian Hellaby –
Alison shared many interesting and sometimes surprising facts about the area of London around the Strand and Embankment. She spoke clearly and fluently and was always able to answer questions without hesitation. Recommended!
Katherine –
Alison is a really good guide. She has a clear speaking voice, relaxed and informative, and she is considerate of all abilities. I’m a Londoner, and I have been to all the places on this tour, yet Alison told me some interesting facts I did not know. I would recommend Alison and I plan to go on other tours with her.
Ailsa Hemsley –
Alison was great. Very knowledgeable and friendly. I visit London often and she still had many unexpected things to say and share. The tour certainly lives up to its name
sarah –
Really enjoyed Alison’s tour. Lots of interesting facts and saw places I would not have known about without this tour. Alison was very knowledgeable, friendly and clear in her delivery. Thank you for a very enjoyable 2 hours.
Leticia Gathas –
Alison was a lovely tour guide. Very clear and knowledgeable about everything she showed us. This was a very unexpected tour indeed, as she talked about people, places and stories that I would never have thought about during the walk. Thank you Alison!
Lydia –
The stories of people from the past were captivating. They were delivered clearly and succinctly so it never bores you. These tours are fantastic to help me reading London. Nicely done, Alison.
Robin Harland –
Alison was an excellent guide, full of interesting and unusual facts and stories told well. We have been to London many times and taken many London Walks, and this one really showed us things we had never known or noticed in the area between Temple and Embankment. Highly recommend!
kathryn white –
Great walk with great guide. Really interesting facts and stories told. Especially fascinating going into St Clemant Danes church! Thanks Alison
Alan Andrews –
A very interesting tour and a great way to discover some less well known but fascinating history. Alison is an excellent guide, friendly, engaging and very knowlegable. We will definately be booking other walks.