Dates for Your Diary

Sadly all public walks are now suspended due to Coronavirus.

I shall update this page with dates as we get back to work.

In the meantime, you might like to try my podcasts, and when I actually bite the bullet, my virtual tours! I am on instagram and twitter so although I can’t lead tours at the moment I can still post photographs and snippets of information which will entertain and interest you.

Bermondsey: London’s Hidden Village

C the City!

Princes and Paupers

Walworth Old and New

Fair Maids, Feminists and Philanthropists

Bizarre London

St Paul’s Cathedral

Roaming by the River: Fish ‘n’ Ships

The London Wall Walk

Bank Junction In Focus; the ❤️ of the City
Please get in touch with me if you are interested in this tour. It is offered as a private tour only.

Slavery and the City

Walking the Elephant: the Regeneration Game

Denmark Hill and Camberwell

Viva Vauxhall!

Women of Holborn: Trailblazers, Trade Unionists and Termagents 
Please get in touch with me if you want are interested in on this tour. It is offered as a private tour only.

Plague, Fire and Revolution

Greenwich

Please note, we travel to Greenwich by boat and there will be an additional cost  the boat fare.

British Museum

Suffragette! New Dawn
Please contact me if you would like to know more about this tour. It is offered as a private tour only.

Lower Marsh and The Cut
Please contact me if you would like to know more about this tour. It is offered as a private tour only.

Tower of London

C the City, exit 2 St Paul’s tube
If it begins with C you might see it on this walk and hear the stories about why it is here; cheese, camels, Churchill, cranes…See if you can spot them before I say them. And bring a camera if you have one. We have a lot of fun, and quite a bit of competitiveness, with this one usually. At the start and end of the walk there are also opportunities to ‘see’ the City from higher up.
It’s a cracker!

Denmark Hill and Camberwell, Denmark Hill overground station
Called ‘the Belgravia of South London’ by The Builder magazine, Denmark Hill, once home to John Ruskin, is close to central London and manages to retain a whiff of the countryside away from busily commercial Camberwell Green. Most of this walk is behind the scenes, The Denmark Hill and Camberwell you might have suspected existed, but had not yet explored. More than one person has consulted the estate agents after finishing this walk. There are pubs galore, including one celebrated for its food, so why not come along and make a meal of it.

Fair Maids, Feminists and Philanthropists, Southwark tube
This is one of four walks I do on the subject of women. Please get in touch if you would like to know about the others. Originally entitled Unsung Women, I created it several years ago for Southwark Council to celebrate International Women’s Day. It’s much too good to keep to a once a year slot. You’ll have heard of some of the women I imagine, but others, no less remarkable, such as Janet Johnson whose pioneering work with children is still having an impact half a century after her death, seem to slipped through the cracks of history. Come along to learn about and celebrate them. We’ll be near Gordon Ramsey’s new gaff, but as he is not the right gender for this walk, he won’t get more than a mention. Let’s hear it for the girls!

The London Wall Walk, Tower Hill tube
Another City walk that compliments the morning one nicely. We make our way from east to west, keeping inside the boundaries of the old City walls, built around 200 AD as a sign of the settlement’s prosperity. That’s a lot of history and this walk is like taking a cross section of time; glimpses of the layers from the Romans onwards. Think of the City is time capsule. Although much has changed, the echoes of past people and events can be heard if you know how to listen.

Princes and Paupers, Kennington tube
This walk is around lovely Kennington with its excellent independent bookshop and vibrant community feel. It takes in a rare spirit door, Rural Economy, an art gallery in a converted public lavatory, tw royal princes, Charlie Chaplin and the worst disaster of the Blitz in Lambeth. There’s an Indian restaurant that is patronised by MPs of all parties, and it finishes conveniently close to a friendly pub that serves food. What more could you want?

Roaming Down By the River, Monument tube Fish Street Hill
This City walk, aka Fish ‘n’ Ships, is one of my favourites and the first one London Walks accepted from me for their repertory slot. So the river is the Thames, the reason why London is here, and an important port since Roman times. I can’t promise any fishing, but you may see cormorants diving for their dinners. We weave east from our starting point, taking in churches and pubs, finding quiet corners in this commercial Square Mile, enjoying the historical and the contemporary City.

Slavery and the City, Monument tube
London has done a pretty good job of disassociating itself from the triangular trade, but it had the monopoly for some time. Prepare for your blood to be chilled by tales of man’s inhumanity to man, then warmed by the compassion, empathy and commitment of a loose group of individuals who managed to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire two hundred years ago.

Walking the Elephant, Elephant and Castle tube, London Road exit
One of the most unloved places in London, the Elephant and Castle deserves more than a shuddered glance from from the inside of a car or bus. This is your chance to see why the area inspires such loyalty, and affection in its populace. Away from the notoriously busy junctions, the Elephant walks to a different rhythm. Georgian terraces, a nightclub that is a global phenomenom, the Cinema Museum, and great coffee courtesy of the thriving Latin American community will remind you what Sunday mornings are all about.

Viva Vauxhall! exit 2 Vauxhall tube
So much more than a transport hub and multi-lane pedestrian nightmare. Think Lily Savage, pleasure gardens, James Bond, community spirit, hymns ancient and modern. Throw in a garden designed with the help of Dan Pearson, mosaics hidden in railway arches, alpacas, and cake, yes lots of cake. Or Welsh rarebit and real tea served in cosy-covered teapots. Yum!

Walworth, Old and New Kennington tube
I’m on home turf here. This is the Walworth Walk. Distinct from the Lambeth one. More fun I’d say, but I could be biased. @ThisisWalworth tweeted “just when u think u know all there is to know about #walworth #se17, along comes @GuidedbyIsobel”. Bring your cash to enjoy the artists’ Open Studios. Terence Conran raves about it, and Keith Richards came here for a bespoke guitar. There’s a café or a pub for lunch. Unless you fancy Thai food, in which case, I’ll give you directions.

Eltham Palace
A must see for anyone returning to London and for people who love house and gardens. Henry VIII spent large amounts of his childhood here, conversed with Erasmus at the palace. In the C20 a modern house was attached to all that remained of the palace Henry knew. Stephen and Virginia Courtauld lived there with their pet lemur Jongy. By which hangs a tale or two.

Remember if you want to get a group of friends or colleagues together and hire me to lead one of these or many other tours for you, just leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you via email.

Champion Hill

Cathedral

Sandi Harris and Steve Barber – Lutes

Cuffs

Olaudah Equiano

I’ll also be popping up on other regular walks for London Walks, including Greenwich, Royal London, the British Museum, Plague Fire and Revolution to mention just a few.

Get in touch via the contact form if you want to know more.