Capital Trails Walking Club
B. W. F. Club 102.
Contact: Wendy Meredith, 4A Clandon Terrace, Kingston Road, Raynes Park, London, SW20 8SE
Walk Start Place: Westminster
Tube Station. Map 176 GR TQ303797.
Entry Fee: £1.00
Optional Badge: £ 2.00
Route Description:
The walk starts at Westminster Tube Station. Leave the ticket hall by exit number 4 up some steps. Now turn right and walk towards the traffic lights and cross over towards the Houses of Parliament, with the statue of Winston Churchill on your right. At the second set of traffic lights cross the road towards Old Palace Yard and turn right, keep going straight ahead until you reach a road sign for Parliament Square. Take the footpath to your left between St Margaret's and Westminster Abbey, continue forward passing the main entrance to the Abbey, through Dean's Yard and The Sanctuary to reach the traffic lights and turn right across the lights towards Methodist Central Hall and The Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre (there are toilets here). Go straight ahead and you will come to Tothill Street, cross the crossing and you will see Story's Gate, pass The Westminster Arms on your left, keep on walking until you come to the main road this is Great George Street, turn left and you are now in Birdcage Walk. St James Park is to your right. Stay on the left side of the road and you will reach Wellington Barracks and the Guards Museum. Just inside the gates here to your left you will see a statue:
Q.1. Who is the statue of?
Cross the road at the next pedestrian crossing and enter St James park, as you enter you will see Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial to your left. You will then exit through gates onto The Mall (Queen Victoria looks directly up The Mall). Walk to the top of The Mall but do not go through the gates at the end, but turn right onto Horse Guards Road (no sign visible). The first building on the left is Admiralty House and the large open area is Horse Guards Parade where the Trooping the colour ceremony is held each year. Follow the road round past the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and The Cabinet War Rooms (Winston Churchill's wartime H.Q.) the last building on the left is the Treasury, at the end turn left onto Great George Street. At the end of Great George Street turn left into Parliament Street which leads into Whitehall. In the centre or the road you will see the Cenotaph and further on from it, recently added is a memorial to all the women killed in service to their country. Just pass this are some black gates, this is the entrance to Downing Street, number 10 of course being the home of the Prime Minister. A little further along you will pass the mounted guard of the Household Cavalry, is the soldiers are wearing red tunics it is The Lifeguards, if they are wearing blue tunics it is The Blues And Royals on duty. At the end of Whitehall you will see Nelson's Column towering over Trafalgar Square. You need to get to the far right side of the square where there is a church called St Martins in the Field. Please be careful as you cross the roads around the square and obey the pedestrian signals. When you have reached the church, turn left and walk down Duncannon Street . On your right is a pub called The Halfway to Heaven. At the end of Duncannon Street turn left onto The Strand, on your right is Charing Cross Station. Walk along The Strand until you reach Southampton Street, which is opposite The Coal Hole pub. Turn up this street towards Covent Garden market, at the end turn right and follow the signs for The London Transport Museum, on your right you will see a market hall.
Q.2.What is the name of the market hall?
At the London Transport museum turn left and in 20 metres turn right into Russell Street, cross Wellington Street and head towards the Theatre Royal and turn right into Catherine Street. At the end turn left , you are now in the Aldwych. Follow the road round, crossing Kingsway. On the right is a very large building called Bush House, this is the headquarters of B.B.C. radio well known for sending it's coded messages to Europe during the second world war. As you come to the end of Aldwych you will see a statue in the centre which is of Gladstone, just behind it is a small church, keep to the left of it and follow the road round. The church is St Clement Danes and is the central church of The Royal Air Force.
The two statues in front of the church are of Sir Arthur (Bomber) Harris and Lord Dowding. The third statue at the end is of Samuel Johnson. To your left are the Royal Courts of Justice, you are now back in The Strand. Just past the Royal Courts of Justice is a large granite building which is now a pub.
Q. What was the original function of 194 Fleet Street?
In the centre of the road is a column with a griffin on top, this denotes that you are now entering the City of London. on the right is a pub called the Wig and Pen, it was the only building in this area to survive The Great Fire of London. You are now in the area which was the home of the newspaper publishing industry up until only 20 years ago. As you get to the end of Fleet Street you will see the dome of St Paul's Cathedral. At the traffic lights cross straight over and walk up Ludgate Hill. On your left is a road called Old Bailey and down here with the gold statue of Justice and her scales are the famous Old Bailey Central Criminal Courts which opened in 1907 on the site of the infamous Newgate prison, across the road the Magpie and Stump served "execution breakfasts" until 1868 when public hangings were stopped. Stay on Ludgate Hill, on the left is a church St Martin within Ludgate. You are now in front of St Paul's Cathedral.
The name of the road you are in is St Paul's Churchyard. Keeping the Cathedral on your left walk straight ahead and you will be in Cannon Street. You will come to a crossroads, cross the road( New Change) as you reach the other side of the road you will see a building to your right with an astronomical clock above the main entrance.
Q. What is the name of this building?
Continue forward you will come to another set of pedestrian lights Queen Victoria Street runs both sides, you will need to cross over and continue down Cannon Street. As you go down Cannon Street there is a pub called O'Neal's and on the right is Cannon Street station. When you get to the end of Cannon Street there are some traffic lights and King William Street to the left of you. Cross to the other side of Cannon Street at the traffic lights and then turn left and again cross the traffic lights towards Monument Station. Turn right and almost immediately left down Monument Street and The Monument is straight in front of you. Depart here to your right down Fish Street Hill, at the bottom is Lower Thames Street cross over using the crossing, turn left and after 20 metres on the right you will see a sign for the Thames Path. Follow the Thames Path until you reach The Tower. When you get to a set of black gates, go through these and walk towards Tower Bridge. Walk under the archway and follow the sign for St Katherine's Dock. Walk straight ahead through another archway, cross the swing bridge and head to the left of the white building towards the Dickens Inn, you will see a narrow footbridge in front of you. Before crossing the bridge to the left there is and anchor.
Q. What ship did it belong to?
Turn left and head towards the round columned building. At the finger post turn right under building then turn left walking along the boardwalk in front of some old warehouses, at the end turn right and go through the under-pass, following the path with the Tower on you left. Half way along turn right under the roadway and climbing a steep flight of steps to Tower Hill Station.
The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property. Every effort will be made to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.
Updated 27th July 2008