Reviews of the Ultimate London Walk Experience

Rated 5 out of 5
Alison – 12th October 2025

Where, why, when and how exactly did London grow to fill its modern-day big boots, and who precisely decided the extent of its footprint? These were the sort of questions which our guide Charlie initially posed, and which he subsequently set out to answer over the course of fourteen sections of walks, through his incredibly informative explanations and frequently entertaining tales of the lives, vision and work of the Londoners who have shaped this great capital.

The Ultimate London Walk was far more than the exploration of a series of neighbourhoods; over seven days (fourteen half-day sections) it was a walked journey through the capital, Northwest to Southeast, each section contributing to the bigger picture of a living, breathing and evolving city. It was also a wonderfully handcrafted tale, interwoven strands recalling the city’s inhabitants, its visionaries and reformers, landowners, industrialists and investors, the wealthy and those fallen on hard times, the well-meaning and the misguided, the do-gooders and the ne’er-do-wells … all knitted into a tale of the footprints that London’s inhabitants have left behind.

Somewhat surprisingly to me, very few of the 40-odd miles we covered were along hard pavements, since Charlie’s vital green thread through the capital led us as much as possible along river paths and bridleways, through woodland, past orchards, along the edge of hayfields, through parks and gardens (sensory and walled, landscaped and local, Royal and Country), across playing fields and alongside golf courses, with many sections of the walk

offering unexpected vistas and panoramas (for yes, we did climb a fair few hills!)
We caught more than a whiff of the horsepower of former years, visiting one-time dairies, stables and coaching inns, and the sites of former horse fairs, races and steeple chases long since run, with a at tip to the might of the military as we passed by former barracks and misty morning battlefields as well as monuments to the fallen, both human and equine.

We experienced a city of contrasts: housing once opulent and then no longer affordable; villas and palaces with parkland and pergolas for those with the means; alms houses, children’s homes and public baths for those without; golf clubhouses and pleasant garden suburbs with trim front hedges; more modest affordable housing, planned to include a garden and a pleached hedge; homes for heroes; a square with a garden restricted to keyholders; a rescued neighbourhood, exotically planted out by former squatters and accessible to all; venues for sport for the ladies as well as the gentlemen; commercial enterprises from historic trades to shopping arcades, from Burlington to Brixton, everything from knicker elastic and electric lighting to questionable mineral waters and patented flush loos.
Fascinating to me was the forensic detective work evident in Charlie’s research for this walk, his unpicking of the bones of a long abandoned landscaped parkland, the deciphering of ghost writing on shop gables and disused stations, the reveal of a gem of a garden, of an unexpected gravestone, the line of a river hidden from sight, a glimpsed Google Earth footprint of a long lost villa or of a well-worn park path leading where exactly…?

Every bit as impressive was Charlie’s encyclopaedic knowledge in so many fields; ask him what you will about housing, town planning, the enclosures acts, healthcare, transport, waterways, the institutions of church, monarchy, parliament, the military… and he is a font of information and patient explanation… and all without notes. Inspirational indeed!

Along with quite a few of the other walkers, I had originally signed up to The Ultimate London Walk in order to enjoy some fresh autumn air and exercise and to complete the challenge of an extended walk, whilst also taking the opportunity to enlarge my knowledge of London. But as an unanticipated bonus, somehow and at some point along the way, out of the common purpose of the walk seemed to spontaneously emerge a social community of open and friendly walking companions, getting to know each other a little, chatting on the longer walking sections between each stop for Charlie’s explanations, and reflecting together on the sights and surroundings, created and natural, which we were privileged to encounter together. It was a remarkable and memorable experience. Thank you, Charlie!

Rated 5 out of 5
Kathryn Robins – 28th September 2025

I have now done ten legs of this brilliant walk with Charlie. I highly recommend it.
Have been to lots of areas of Greater London that I would never have seen.
Charlie’s informative talks about how London grew and spread out is really interesting and he delivers these with his vast amount of knowledge.

Rated 5 out of 5

Mark Harden – 1st October 2025

Charlie Forman has developed a terrific program, The Ultimate London Walk, which is a walk across Greater London. We have joined 4 sections of the walk and have seen parts of London that we had never seen before and certainly would not have seen the areas that we traversed. During the walks we learned the interesting history impacting each of the villages. Charlie brings the walk to life with his detailed research of the history of areas we walked and describing the pull of a growing Greater London, and the way communities were affected, have developed, and in many cases are protecting their green areas. We look forward to the remaining sections and are sure they will be just as engaging.

Rated 5 out of 5
Melanie Goodwin – 3rd October 2025

This is such a brilliant series of walks linking not only North to South but also so many themes within. History, architecture, personalities, hidden gems, secret gardens, thought-provoking facts and issues; how Charlie remembers it all I have no idea but his enthusiasm is infectious and every walk is both fascinating and entertaining – a winning combination!

Rated 5 out of 5
Mary Karacalik – 7th October 2025

I was late to the party so only did the last 6 sections. I learnt so much about South London and thoroughly enjoyed the walking. Charlie is extremely knowledgeable and gives everyone a warm welcome. I really want the series to run again so I can walk the missing sections

Rated 5 out of 5
Mary Alden – 9th October 2025

I was fortunate enough to be able to do 11 of the 14 sections of this walk. It was truly wonderful to walk through so many green spaces on the journey. Charlie is a great guide. We learned about the outward spread of the city, various developments and resistance to development, social housing issues, how property changed hands and many other interesting things. One huge unexpected plus of this journey was meeting and becoming friends with a number of people who love walking through London. We will stay in touch and look for more walks together.

Rated 5 out of 5
Jody Johnson & Steve Pearson – 9th October 2025

We didn’t know what to expect from the first Ultimate London Walk, but saw it as an exciting challenge not to be missed. We wanted to test our fitness as well as finding out more about the city we live in, The walk definitely achieved both of these aims.
We’ve done other London Walks but not with Charlie as a guide. We found his knowledge and enthusiasm about the growth of London, it’s history, buildings, housing and social reform (in particular Victorian women social reformers) to be very extensive, providing insights we wouldn’t otherwise have had.
We have also had the opportunity to meet and enjoy the company of other walkers, some of whom also completed every stage. We would highly recommend the Walk and would love to do it again!

Rated 5 out of 5
Vouty Mattar – 9th October 2025

Thank you Charlie for guiding this extraordinary walk with such an insight , your knowledge and thoughtful guidance were exceptional. Very enjoyable.