“I’ve been walking about London for the last thirty years, and I find something fresh in it every day” Walter Besant
Overture: History. Eccentricity. Characters. Well I never. Quirkiness. Secret places. Secrets. London today, tomorrow, yesterday, 800 years ago. The past is never dead, it isn’t even past.
Charles Dickens refrain: “Everything about London is strange.”
Short read: London is stranger than fiction.
Long read: A little something for the connoisseur. A collector’s piece of a walk. A walk that’ll change the way you see central London. A walk that teems with unexpected delights, odd places and passing strange things and people.
Item: the Watergate that appears to lead nowhere but was the river entrance to the Duke of Buckingham’s palace. If you watched that Sky series Mary and George you will know all about ‘Steenie’ and his scandalous life and loves. If you didn’t, Embankment Permutations will start you down that primrose path. How are you going to be proof against it when you discover the Duke’s reputation and the truth about his lovely legs! Item: the eccentricities of Samuel Pepys – and for good measure the story behind the fan lights in the street where he lived.
Item: the first – the grandpappy – the gold standard of ‘theme pubs’ (‘Excellent’ you’ll cry; ‘elementary’ says Alison). Item: cracking the mystery of the Trafalgar Square lions and the mysterious disappearance of the pigeons (hint: God’s assassin did for them).
Item: Benjamin Franklin (what a carry on: his carrying on with his landlady’s daughter, his narrow escape, his… well, just you wait). Item: George Washington and that portable flogging and beheading kit. Item: the grand old dame of crime fiction, Agatha Christie. And that’s just for starters.
EMBANKMENT PERMUTATIONS – THE MEETING POINT
The meeting point is just outside the river exit of Embankment Tube.
Embankment Permutations – London is Stranger than Fiction is guided by Alison.
LONDON WALKS REVIEWS
“Best Tourism Experience in London” Gold Medal Winner Visit London
“The best walking tours are organized by London Walks” USA Today
“the unfailingly fascinating London Walks… If you can’t find one [of their tours] that captures your fancy, maybe you really are tired of life.” San Francisco Chronicle
LONDON WALKS PRIVATE WALKS
If you can’t make any of the regularly scheduled, just-turn-up, public Embankment Permutations walks do think about booking one as a private tour. If you go private you can have the Embankment Permutations Walk – or any other London Walk – on a day and at a time that suits your convenience. We’ll tailor it to your requirements. And – always with private London Walks and tours – we go to great lengths to make sure the guide-walker(s) “fit” is well-nigh perfect. Ring Fiona or Peter or Niamh or Mary on 020 7624 3978 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll set it up and make it happen for you. A private London Walk – they’re good value for an individual or couple and sensational value for a group – makes an ideal group or educational or birthday party or office (team-building) or club outing. Or indeed a fab present – be it a birthday or anniversary or get-to-know-your-new neighbourhood gift or Christmas present or whatever. Merchandise schmerchandise (gift wrapped or not) – but giving someone an experience, now that’s special. Memories make us rich.
Helen Moran –
Fantastic tour by Alison who was so knowledgeable on her topic. I’m a lifelong Londoner who thought she knew area covered like back of her hand but I learnt so much! I’ll pay better attention to what’s around me from now on thanks to this great walk – thanks Alison.