Old London: three walks
Jan 5th, 1999, 09:45 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Old London: three walks
I have just replied to an enquirer, and think others may like to see <BR>my note. She was saving money: of course there are a dozen walks a <BR>day with guides, at about five pounds, lasting two hours, or so. <BR> <BR>------------------------------------------- <BR>The City is old, has beautiful (and ugly) parts, and is just over the <BR>river from you. So I think that at your arrival airport, or in the <BR>bookstall in a station, you would not waste money if you were to buy <BR>the AZ Visitors' London atlas and guide at three pounds, a very small <BR>book (no weight), spiral bound, that gives clear and detailed maps oif <BR>the City and West End. Then you could try a few walks, off the bus <BR>routes. <BR> <BR>-------------------------------------------- <BR>One idea is the Monument, Fish Street Hill, Eastcheap, Philpot Lane, <BR>Lime Street (with a visit to Leadenhall Market, where there are good <BR>pubs for lunch, and to the new Lloyds Building), St Mary Axe (with a <BR>visit to St Helen's Church Bishopsgate, a church not burnt down in the <BR>Fire), into Liverpool Street station to admire the roof, a drink in <BR>Dirty Dicks, up to Spital Steet, into Old Spitalfields Market, , <BR>across to Christ Church Spitalfields, and so along Hanbury Street to <BR>Brick Lane. <BR> <BR>------------------------------------------ <BR>Another walk is this. London Bridge, Cannon Street, the Temple of <BR>Mithras, the tourist information kiosk south oif St Paul's, Carter <BR>Lane (cheap lunches and suppers at the Youth Hostel), drop into one or <BR>two of the yards south of Carter Lane, back to Carter Lane, <BR>Apothecaries' Hall, Blackfriars Lane, the pub called The Black Friar <BR>(to see its decor), up to Blackfriars Station to see the destination <BR>list from a century ago, under the road to New Bridge Street, left <BR>just before Ludgate Circus to St Bride's Lane and St Bride's Church, <BR>back to Tudor Street, into the Inner Temple, see the church of the <BR>Knights Templars, continue westwards, ask any passing lawyer the way <BR>to the Devereaux Pub (good lunches upstairs), up to the Strand, visit <BR>the Royal Air Force church of St Clement Danes and ask to see the <BR>monument to Polish airmen, along the Strand westwards, at Surrey <BR>Street drop fifty yards and look for the gate towards the Roman Bath, <BR>see that, back to the Strand, see the Courtauld Gallery (entry is free <BR>on Mondays from ten to two), cross Lancaster Place, see the Chapel of <BR>the Savoy, walk boldly into the entrance of the Savoy Hotel, find your <BR>way to the other entrance on the riverside, leave that way, on Savoy <BR>Place turn westwards, enter Embankment Gardens when you can, at the <BR>western end of those ask for Gordon's wine bar on Villiers Street, <BR>have a glass of something, go through the tube station to see the view <BR>of the South Bank theatres and galleries, walk up crowded Villiers <BR>Street, cross the Strand, and see the new monument to Oscar Wilde. <BR>See St Martin in the Fields church (but don't hear evening music there <BR>as it's poor stuff, whereas their lunch time recitals are ok), find <BR>the big Post Office, goto the little entrance opposite the National <BR>Portrait Gallery, and buy nicer stamps than they sell in normal post <BR>offices. <BR> <BR>------------------------------------------ <BR>Now a third. Over the bridge, up King William Street, see the free <BR>museum of the Bank of England, into Gresham Street, see the Guildhsall <BR>and St Lawrence Jewry, see St Anne and St Agnes (if it's open).. You <BR>are very near the Museum of London, if you want that, but it takes <BR>half a day to see properly. You're also five minutes from the <BR>Barbican, with free jazz and recitals about six some days, and the <BR>Guildhall Schoool of Music and Drama, with free music concerts and <BR>recitals: you can get detail by phone. Now through Little Britain to <BR>the Hospital of St Bartholomew, where the Great Hall is interesting, <BR>and the church of St Barthomolew the Less. After which you go north <BR>to the twelfth century church of St Barthomolew the Great, then see <BR>the meat market at Smithfield, and visit the museum of the Order of St <BR>John of Jerusalem in St John's Gate. So fifty yards north to <BR>Clerkenwell Road (a dull stretch), along to Hatton Gardens, and see <BR>the jewelry quarter. Back westward along boring Clerkenwell Road and <BR>Theobald's Road, and at the police station turn north up Lambs Conduit <BR>Street. Nothing special, but plum full of cheap places to eat (except <BR>on Sundays). You can look at Coram's Fields, the garden and small zoo <BR>at the north end of Lamb's Conduit Steet, but may go in only if <BR>accompanied by a child: these were the rules that Captain Coram <BR>(friend of Handel and friend of children) set down in the eighteenth <BR>century. You're now five minutes from Russell Square, and fifteen <BR>from Blomsbury, but you've walked far enough. <BR> <BR>------------------------------------------- <BR>Please write again if I can help further. <BR> <BR>----------------------------------------- <BR>Ben Haines <BR> <BR>
Jun 17th, 2001, 02:17 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Just to add one small note to Ben's always appreciated and valuable posts--would recommend reading Edward Rutherford's London before going. We found taking walks such as these are a great way to spend a Sunday in London when it's a bit more peaceful than during the week.
