Using
Our Self Guided Walking Tours
These walks are designed as an aid to exploring Central
London independently. We believe the best way of seeing London is
on foot, supplemented by the use of public transport where prudent.
The four walks here cover all the main areas of Central London a first
time visitor will want to cover. Nearly all the main sights are covered
in one of the wals, plus many other lesser known but just as enjoyable
places. If you visited every attraction on each walk you would probably
need a week. So don't view these walks as a task that must be accomplished
in full, use them as an aid to maximising the enjoyment of your visit
to London, even if its just a short section of a walk linking two
'must see' sights.
We recommend you purchase a good street map of London when you arrive,
there is a wide choice of affordable maps in all newsagents and bookstores.
Our personal favourite is the AA Street by Street map of Central London
which retails about £3.
We would encourage you to follow your nose and not adhere strictly
to the way we have mapped out walks, go down that curious alleyway,
enter that church, see what that place is over there. |
Walk
1 - The London Icons Walk
This walk as its title suggests, covers many of the
major blockbuster reasons that draws first time visitors to London.
The major sights that you must bring back a picture of.
The London Eye, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, 10 Down Street, Westminster
Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard are all within
a very compact area.
We show you how to link these together into a memorable first day
in London and many other fascinating places as well.
As well as the sights, St James Park is a great place for a breather
and some rest and recreation.
The London
Icons Walk Pages
|
Big
Ben From River Thames |
Tower
Bridge |
Walk
2 - The City of London Walk
The original city of London was built to the east of
the area most visitors today visit - Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and
the West End entertainment area.
All the above places were outside the original walled city, now called
the City of London. Today the City of London is the main business
area, a major world financial centre. But as the area is London's
oldest its full of interest. |
The
main formal sights of this walk are Tower Bridge, Tower of London,
St Paul's Cathedral and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The joy of this
walk for many people though will be savouring the non tourist atmosphere
and understanding London better both past and present. Its a great
place to poke around and explore.
The City
of London Walk Pages |
Walk
3 - The Kensington Walk
Just to the west of the very centre of London is Kensington.
Many people will have their accommodation here.
This relatively short leisurely walk starts out in Hyde Park / Kensington
Gardens, London's largest royal park. After a visit to Kensington
Palace, its a short walk over to the Albert Hall and the South Kensington
Museums. For most people the museums here will keep you occupied for
a full day, each one of them is free.
The walk finishes with some upmarket shopping in Knightsbridge where
Harrods is situated, just 10 minutes walk from the museums.
The Kensington
Walk Pages
|
Natural
History Museum |
China
Town Medicine Shop |
Walk
4 - The Shopping Walk
Yes, the walk does cover the tourist haunts of Oxford
Street, Harrods and Hamleys Toy Shop. But it is also enjoyable for
those who are not great fans of mainstream retail therapy.
We also cover some specialist area. Electronics at Tottenham Court
Road, the music scene at Denmark Street, books at Charing Cross Road,
China Town, the gentlemen's outfitters of Saville Row and Jermyn Street
and the luxury shops of Bond Street amongst others.
The Shopping
Walk Pages |
| And
Some Further Self Guided Walks For Day Trips Out of London |
Walk A - Windsor
Windsor is very easy to get to from London, we show
you how on our getting
to Windsor independently page.
Whilst there we show you a delightful short walk around Windsor and
Eton, much of it beside the River Thames. The tour visits Eton College
as well as Windsor Castle and the delights of Windsor Town.
The Windsor
Walk Pages |
Windsor
Castle |
Walk
B - Runnymede
A couple of miles south of Windsor and easy to get
to from Windsor. Famous for the place of the signing of the Magna
Carta, for which there is a monument. There is much else besides in
a low key kind of way. A great place on a hot summers day.
The Runnymede
Walk Pages
Walk
C - Hampton Court
A rather longish walk from Richmond Underground Station
along the River Thames to Hampton Court. Many people will cheat at
least some of the way and take the boat or bus to Hampton Court within
easy reach at all points.
The
Hampton Court Walk Pages
Walk
D- Salisbury
The independent visitor to Stonehenge using public
transport will stage through Salisbury. A great medieval city to visit.
We have two short walks to break up your sightseeing.
The Salisbury
Walks Pages
Walk
E - Avebury
A larger stone circle than Stonehenge, and unlike Stonehenge
you can walk among and touch the stones. (Stonehenge is only 20 miles
away). This walk takes you through a neolithic avenue of stones, visits
a burial chamber 4,000 years old and other neolithic monuments.
The Avebury
Walk Pages |
|
