London calling.
London Walks connecting.
This… is London.
This is London Walks.
Streets ahead.
Story time. History time.
—————————————
And a very good evening to you, London Walkers. Wherever you are.
It’s Easter Monday, April 21st, 2025. Earmarked for the history books because the Pope died just a few hours ago.
But that’s Rome, that’s the Vatican. This is London. And London Walks in particular.
And, yes, I’ve been AWOL for what, a good three weeks now. Stuff happens. But I’m back now. And it’s off to the races again.
Going to ease back into this with some bread-and-butter London Walks news. In short, get in a word – and a plug – for the four specials that we’re running on St George’s Day,
That is to say, this coming Wednesday, April 23rd.
First one up on the catwalk is a cracking new walk that’s been created by Dr Ann. The good Dr – the medical school professor – just joined us a few months ago. And Dr Ann’s the real deal. A hot favourite to win Rookie of the Year honours.
The walk’s called Nooks & Crannies – Unseen Covent Garden. If that doesn’t sound inviting I don’t know what does.
It goes at 10 am on Wednesday, April 23rd. To see “unseen” Covent Garden – dwell for a couple of hours in untrodden ways (thank you William Wordsworth) – go nooks and crannying with a distinguished faculty member of one of London’s great teaching hospitals – meet Dr Ann just outside of exit 4 of Tottenham Court Road Underground. And in the best tradition of the Royal Navy, let’s repeat that order: meet Dr Ann at 10 am on Wednesday, April 23rd.
Moving on – guide-wise here we take leave of the medical profession and sign up for a distinguished, first class Legal mind. Yes, that’s Ian, the now-retired senior partner of a leading City of London International Law firm.
April 23rd is St George’s Day. But it’s a lot more than St. George’s Day. It’s also Shakespeare’s birthday. And the anniversary of his death. How brilliantly, thrillingly appropriate is that: England’s national day – the day of its patron saint – is also the double anniversary of the great national poet and dramatist. You’ve heard of the music of the spheres. Well, that Shakespeare’s birthday and the anniversary of his death should fall on the same day as the holy day of the patron saint of this sceptred isle, this green and pleasant land, this England…that’s music of the spheres stuff. That’s cosmic harmony.
And so, yes, right on cue Ian’s conducting his Shakespeare Anniversary/St George’s Day Charity Walk. Ian’s been guiding for a couple of years now. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in his first year. Won it going away. Now I don’t how many walks Ian’s done since he joined us – it’ll be well into three figures – but here’s the amazing, the wonderful thing. He’s never pocketed a single penny that he’s earned. His guide’s fees – every single one of them, every single penny of them – has gone to charity. And this walk, London Walks is getting in on the act. We’re joining him, donating our commission to the Teenage Cancer Trust. So it’s got all sorts of feelgood that walk, every single penny it brings in will go to that wonderful charity. To go on the walk meet Ian at 3.30 pm just outside of exit 1 of St Paul’s Underground Station. On St George’s Day. April 23rd.
And here’s a third ace for you. Professional photographer – love her specialty, she shoots black and white – professional photographer Catriona Grey will be conducting her Lens on Camden: A Photography Walk on that special day, Wednesday, April 23rd. I love how Catriona describes the walk: “guaranteed small group, lots of individual attention – and if you want we can get seriously geeky about the art of black and white photography.” Lens on Camden – Catriona Grey’s Photography Walk goes at 10.45 am from Camden Town Underground Station. On St George’s Day, Wednesday, April 23rd.
And last but certainly not least, veteran, ace, award-winning Blue Badge Guide Alison will running her St Albans Day Explorer Day on St George’s Day.
Alison wrote in earlier today. She said, “It is some years since the St Albans trip has been offered and I think that you might have a few enquiries about what the day involves, buying tickets etc, There is lots of info on the website but I thought you might find the welcome letter that I plan to send out the evening before, useful to have as a reference.”
Oh, yes, indeed, Alison. More than a reference. I’m going to read it out here. It’s a classic example of the legendary London Walks white glove service.
Here’s what Alison says:
Good Evening,
This is your guide Alison for tomorrow’s walk. Happy Saint George’s Day . Thank you for booking the Saint Albans Day Trip for tomorrow. I just wanted to introduce myself and give you some further information. As you know, the walk meets at West Hampstead tube which is on the Jubilee Line at 10.45 am. When we are gathered, we will walk a few minutes to West Hampstead Thameslink where we will catch a train to Saint Albans (You will need a Day Return to St Albans which you can buy at West Hampstead or from Central London. You will need to select the best ticket for yourself, depending on whether or not you have an oyster card or a travel card and what time you would like to return. The tour will have finished by 4 pm at the latest and the station is a ten-minute walk from the city centre. On average, a day return will be between £15 and £20. Please be aware that your train ticket is not included in the price of the tour). If you arrive early there are numerous coffee shops which have comfort stops.
After purchasing our tickets and a 20-minute enjoyable train journey through the Hertfordshire countryside, we arrive in Victorian Saint Albans and make our way up the hill to the medieval town where the market will be in full swing. Walking through the High Street we will learn how the town not only changed its name but also moved up the hill to its present-day site. When we break for lunch there are lots of places to eat, from a snack in the marketplace, a traditional pub meal in one of Saint Albans’ many hostelries (more per square mile than any other city in England) or a leisurely meal in one of the varied and excellent restaurants. You might even want to use your time to explore the cathedral, the city’s museum or the vibrant marketplace. Our lunch break will last one hour and fifteen minutes.
In the afternoon we regroup and our journey takes us further back into the mists of time. Cobbled streets and a plethora of independent shops lead us to the Cathedral Quarter and here we hear the story of the martyrdom of Saint Alban and learn how a small Saxon church became the magnificent cathedral it is today. You will be able to explore the cathedral when the tour finishes and you might want to attend Evensong, beautiful music in a beautiful setting. A short stroll down the hill takes us to the site of the original Roman settlement that was one of the largest cities in Roman Britain. When we finish the walk, the time is your own and you will be able to return to West Hampstead or Central London at your leisure.
There is so much to see and do!
I am really looking forward to meeting you. I will be holding a London Walks sign but you are looking for a small, long-haired woman called Alison. If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me on this email and if you are running late on the day, phone London Walks or contact me directly on ——–. Cash is always welcome but I do have a card reader.
Sending best wishes.
Alison
You’ve been listening to This… is London, the London Walks podcast. Emanating from www.walks.com –
home of London Walks,
London’s signature walking tour company.
London’s local, time-honoured, fiercely independent, family-owned, just-the-right-size walking tour company.
And as long as we’re at it, London’s multi-award-winning walking tour company. Indeed, London’s only award-winning walking tour company.
And here’s the secret: London Walks is essentially run as a guides’ cooperative.
That’s the key to everything.
It’s the reason we’re able to attract and keep the best guides in London. You can get schlubbers to do this for £20 a walk. But you cannot get world-class guides – let alone accomplished professionals.
It’s not rocket science: you get what you pay for.
And just as surely, you also get what you don’t pay for.
Back in 1968 when we got started we quickly came to a fork in the road. We had to answer a searching question: Do we want to make the most money? Or do we want to be the best walking tour company in the world?
You want to make the most money you go the schlubbers route. You want to be the best walking tour company in the world you do whatever you have to do
to attract and keep the best guides in London –
you want them guiding for you, not for somebody else.
Bears repeating:
the way we’re structured – a guides’ cooperative –
is the key to the whole thing.
It’s the reason for all those awards, it’s the reason people who know go with London Walks, it’s the reason we’ve got a big following, a lively, loyal, discerning following – quality attracts quality.
It’s the reason we’re able – uniquely – to front our walks with accomplished, in many cases distinguished professionals:
By way of example, Stewart Purvis, the former Editor
(and subsequently CEO) of Independent Television News.
And Lisa Honan, who had a distinguished career as a diplomat (Lisa was the Governor of St Helena, the island where Napoleon breathed his last and, some say, had his penis amputated – Napoleon didn’t feel a thing – if thing’s the mot juste – he was dead.)
Stewart and Lisa – both of them CBEs – are just a couple of our headline acts.
Or take our Ripper Walk. It’s the creation of the world’s leading expert on Jack the Ripper, Donald Rumbelow, the author of the definitive book on the subject. Britain’s most distinguished crime historian, Donald is, in the words of The Jack the Ripper A to Z, “internationally recognised as the leading authority on Jack the Ripper.” Donald’s emeritus now but he’s still the guiding light on our Ripper Walk. He curates the walk. He trains up and mentors our Ripper Walk guides. Fields any and all questions they throw at him.
The London Walks Aristocracy of Talent – its All-Star Team of Guides – includes a former London Mayor. It includes the former Chief Music Critic for the Evening Standard. It includes the Chair of the Association of Professional Tour Guides. And the former chair of the Guild of Guides.
It includes barristers, doctors, geologists, museum curators, a former London Museum archaeologist, historians,
university professors (one of them a distinguished Cambridge University paleontologist); it includes a criminal defence lawyer, Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre actors, a bevy of MVPs, Oscar winners (people who’ve won the big one, the Guide of the Year Award)…
well, you get the idea.
As that travel writer famously put it, “if this were a golf tournament, every name on the Leader Board would be a London Walks guide.”
And as we put it: London Walks Guides make the new familiar
and the familiar new.
And on that agreeable note…
come then, let us go forward together on some great London Walks.
And that’s by way of saying, Good walking and Good Londoning one and all. See ya next time.