Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
London Victoria WC
Postcode: SW1E 5ND
The station is a bustling, thriving area full of travellers from all over the world to persons racing for their train to or from work.
We start our tour, heading via bus station crossing and walking down Victoria Street (Also known as the A302). This street is also known the location for The Albert pub on the left hand-side. Also on left hand-side is New Scotland Yard – London’s Police Headquarters.
We continue onto Westminster Abbey on the right-hand-side.
London Victoria Station:
A great location to meet due to it’s people watching capability from various positions,
it’s proximity to the sights in London and the ability for visitors to reach the station,
including from nearby Victoria Coach Station.
The station was originally constructed for two separate lines in the mid 1800’s –
Brighton (Sussex) and Chatham (Kent).
For train travellers on this tour, you will note that two main areas for boarding still
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Westminster Abbey
Postcode: SW1P 3PA
Westminster Abbey is located in the same area as Big Ben and Parliament Square. We have separated these three attractions to provide you with a snap shot of each.
Westminster Abbey:
More than a thousand years old.
A gothic design. 17 monarchs have been laid to rest here. The venue for 16 royal
weddings.
A section was provided for writers to poets and writers – Geoffrey Chaucer in 1400
being the first.
The construction of Westminster Abbey has taken many forms, with the towers finally
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
We now cross over to Big Ben.
Big Ben
Postcode: SW1A 0AA
LONDON CALLING
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
As we stand in Parliament Square by the Nelson Mandela statue, we now want to take a left, up Whitehall towards Downing Street and the Horse Guards. Keep on the left-hand side of this road called ‘Whitehall’
Downing street/Whitehall
Postcode: SW1A 2AA
Big Ben is not the clock itself, but the chiming mechanism (the bell) inside. The exterior is
currently undergoing reservation work. The clock/tower is known as Elizabeth Tower, after
the Queen.
Downing Street A heavily guarded entrance to what may appear a normal elegant London
Street, protected from entry by a cordon. Visitors stand by the entrance hoping to gain a
glimpse of the famous Number 10 door and ministers visiting/leaving the street. Properties
in the street were originally built as early as the 1680’s by Sir George Downing. The road has
been closed off as later as the 1990’s due to a series of terrorist attacks.
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
To keep on track with our walking route, we now head back down towards Parliament Square, taking a left at the bottom of Whitehall, past Big Ben and the House of Parliament and towards the River Thames (Westminster Bridge).
Victoria Embankment: WC
Postcode: WC2N 6NS
Victoria Embankment:
As you will read when you come to The Strand, the Embankment properties between The
Strand and further down Victoria Embankment (before you cross Westminster Bridge)
were once mansions before the development of this area. You can relax in gardens on this
side or sit looking across the River Thames great views across to the London Eye. We will
be joining up with the Victoria Embankment later once we have explored the South Bank.
Whitehall Whitehall is a road that includes a group of buildings where the administration
of the Government meet. The Cabinet War Rooms date back to the late 1930’s and are
famous due to their use during the Second World War by the government. The museum in
its place is now known as the Churchill War Rooms. The original route from Charing Cross
to Westminster is said to have existed since the middle ages. The current layout of the
street dates back to the late 1890’s with multi million pounds were of security being
introduced from the 1990’s onward to protect buildings and visitors from attacks.
Visitors regularly watch the Horse Guards and take photos.
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
We now cross Westminster Bridge. If you look across to your right, there are photo opportunities of the back of the Houses of Parliament next to the River Thames.
When you have crossed the River Thames, follow the River eastwards towards the direction of the London Eye.
Along this section of water, River Cruise boats can be watched in addition to Skateboarders, street artists and pop-up food outlets in old vehicles.
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
We continue our walk eastwards along the South Bank towards Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, passing under Waterloo Bridge, Blackfriars, Millennium Footbridge, London Bridge and HMS Belfast.
Follow Tower Bridge across to the Tower of London
Tower of London/Tower Bridge: WC
Postcode: EC3N 4AB
Tower of London/Tower Bridge:
Some of the best photos can be taken without paying for entry to the Tower of
London. The towers are museum based with small rooms due to them being the
size of a space off a tower staircase. While they give you an idea of space and
you can see protected writing on the walls as well as exhibitions such as the
Crown Jewels, if you are on a budget and want an overview of London sights, all
your pictures can be gained from the outside.
Tower Bridge was constructed over a period of 8 years in the late 1800’s.
The Tower of London was constructed over several centuries – what you see
now as a completed location was built by order of several historical figures.
The Normans are said to have produced the earliest sections with William the
Conqueror adding the White Tower in 1078. In the 12th Century, Richard the
Lionheart then introduced his touches before Edward I built what visitors now
see as the outer sections of the Tower of London.
As late as World War II prisoners were kept at the Tower of London, with the last
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Returning westbound towards Embankment in places requires you to walk in-bound without a direct view of the river until you reach each road bridge. You can walk alongside the Tower of London by the River. The road to the left of Tower Bridge is called Tower Hill. Continue on this road west bound along Lower Thames Street, which becomes Upper Thames Street. This street is also known as the A3211.
After Blackfriars Bridge westbound, the road becomes Victoria Embankment.
Continue your walk now by the river taking in views westbound until you reach the next bridge, called Waterloo Bridge. Cross the road onto the right-hand side westbound.
By Savoy Place there are gardens, a cafe and toilets.
Embankment: WC
Postcode: WC2N 6NS
Embankment:
The gardens are an area where you can watch the world go by, take a rest from your
walking or look at the statues erected. The gardens were opened in the late 1890’s. The
gate to the Thames was once based here, with its original position still noted in the park It
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
We now head via The Strand to Covent Garden using a picture book walk way as shown below in one of our photos of the area.
Follow the road behind the gardens, called Savoy Place, and head north (right off Savoy Place) up Carting Lane. At the top of Carting Lane, along side the rear of the Savoy, is a series of steep steps with traditional street lighting next to an eatery.
Southampton Street on the opposite side of the Strand takes you up to Covent Garden.
Strand/Covent Garden: WC
Postcode: WC2E 8RF
Strand: Our route to The Strand, enables fantastic photo opportunities of lanes,
gardens and café’s that may otherwise be missed if you are not a local. The Strand has
a mass of theatres that more frequently show classic drama and musicals. The locality
of Covent Garden off The Strand reminds the greatbritishcoastroads.co.uk site owner
of Paris, with the French capitals artists square tucked away from obvious view. The
Strand is another great view point if you stand on the South side (right) across to the
theatres on the North side) and take a picture of the iconic red taxes and black taxi’s
passing through the busy road. The Strands name comes from its former position next
to the river – Strond (the edge of the river). Following development of the area,
mansions no longer went to the water’s edge and cafes, shops and theatres took up
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Walk west along King Street away from Covent Garden.
Walking west along New Row, we come to a cross ‘road’ with St Martin’s Lane running North to South, Noel Coward Theatre near directly opposite where you are standing and lane directly opposite down the side of the Noel Coward Theatre. There are a number of shops, mostly small and some independent along this street.
This area of lanes is called St Martin’s Court and features a variety of restaurants, pubs and shops. Continue to walk straight ahead west along this lane towards Charing Cross Road.
Reaching Charing Cross Road through the lanes we stand looking across to the start of Leicester Square, outside Wynham’s Theatre
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Leaving Trafalgar Square, you can either go back up to Leicester Square/Shaftesbury Avenue and walk west to the bright bill boards and centre fountain with roads heading towards Green Park, Regent Street and Embankment, known as Piccadilly Circus, or walk up Cockspur Street towards Pall Mall, then take the road to your left called Haymarket, up to Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus: WC
Postcode: W1J 9HP
Piccadilly Circus: An area surrounded by Theatres, street entertainers, iconic London
red buses and black taxis as well as the well-known neon advertising lighting up the
sky at night.
Here you have the choice of London’s destinations. Do you walk downhill towards Big
Ben and Pall Mall, walk along past the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue, Walk-up via
Regent Street towards Oxford Circus past the infamous giant toy store called
Hamleys, or walk along towards Green park, passing the Ritz on your way towards
Hyde Park Corner.
The area dates back to the early 1800’s. It was created for the purpose of connecting
Regent Street. The word ‘Circus’ means circle. Over the centuries additional roads
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Although this tour does not take you there specifically, we would like to direct you to two popular areas adjacent to each other just north of Piccadilly Circus.
Go north up Regents Street on the right-hand side of the road. If you want Hamleys, continue to the store on Regents Street. If you would like to visit Carnaby Street, turn left off Regents Street on the right-hand side into Beak Street and then take a left up into Carnaby Street, running behind Hamleys store.
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Walking West opposite the fountain, we head towards Green Park, along Piccadilly, passing Piccadilly market to the left-hand side, followed by The Ritz hotel in London.
Green Park
Postcode: SW1A 2BJ
Green Park:
Green Park reminds greatbritishcoastroads.co.uk of Central Park in New York – wide open
spaces near to the busy road junction of Piccadilly Circus. The simple green open spaces
with places to meet, walk or sit, provide a haven to London and it’s visitors.
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
We now head diagonally across the traffic lights to the other side of Hyde Park Corner. You can choose to walk adjacent to Park Lane up to Marble Arch and Speakers Corner, along the path adjacent to the horse track towards the Royal Albert Hall, or first move away from the traffic and cut through Hyde Park gardens towards the Lake.
Hyde Park: Serpentine WC
Postcode: W2 2UH
Our choice of route is to walk diagonally through the gardens following the path to the Serpentine Lake where you can find a café, toilets and views over the lake should you decide to have a picnic or a rest.
Continuing our journey towards Knightsbridge, we enjoy the park further by walking round to the left of the lake.
Hyde Park:
The park opened to the public in 1637. Near 100 years earlier, Henry VIII gained the
park from the monks at Westminster Abbey.
The Park spans the upper length of Knights Bridge and stretches up to the corner of
Oxford Street and Marble Arch.
With a horse track, gardens, a lake with scattered cafes and boats, the walk to the Royal
Albert Hall and the History and Science museums doesn’t appear long.
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
We recommend that you follow the main park walk way directly southbound to the main road, from the café that is located at the ‘start’ of the Serpentine and is pictured in one of the photographs taken below.
Cross the road called South Carriage Drive and continue southbound onto Albert Gate into Knightsbridge.
Turn right into Knightsbridge, heading westbound. On the left-hand side is Harvey Nicholls. Turn left down Brompton Road for Harrods on your left-hand side.
Knightsbridge:
Postcode: SW1X 7XL
Knights bridge:
The area was once a river. It is thought the two nights fought on a bridge until their ends.
Like so many rivers in the UK, it now continues underground with a dam creating the
Serpentine lake in Hyde Park.
Knightsbridge is better known for its boutique shops, fast and fancy cars and iconic high-
class department stores, including Harrods and Harvey Nichols (Nics)
Key Symbols: Approximate distance in miles/km between
locations:
Heading further west through Knightsbridge after passing Harrods and Harvey Nichols, we continue past boutique café’s until we reach the southern corner of Exhibition Road. Turn right into Exhibition Road and cross over to the left.
Museums: Natural History Museum and Science Museum WC
Postcode: SW7 5BD
Museums: Both the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum are free to enter.
There are donation counters with suggested amounts to pay, but these are voluntary.
Additional Exhibitions are not free within the museums.
Both museums have interactive areas for visitors. You can take photos.
1. The information provided in each guide is an independent view based on personal experience only.
2. Care should always be taken when driving and stopping for photographs. This is the responsibility of the car driver.
3. The site author and guide producer are not responsible for any costs incurred, weather conditions, or outcome to the experience.
4. If the unlikely event that the visitor/purchaser, decides that the route taken or places suggested were not to their fulfilment, no refunds are available.
5. The site author and guide producer are not responsible for any product purchased outside from businesses.
6. Payments made through Paypal are the responsibility of Paypal, the user/visitor/ purchaser and not the site owner/guide producer.
7. If there is a trip upload error, please email [email protected] and the upload will be sent to your email address within 24 hours at the latest. (General replies between 7pm and 10pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 10pm Saturday, Sunday’s and Bank Holidays (Except Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
8. Timescales & costs of personal trip designs are discussed case by case.
9. Where souvenirs are purchased via the site, the site author/guide producer are not responsible for the souvenirs themselves or the sellers, unless otherwise stated.
10. If greatbritishcoastroads.co.uk has licensed to an operator under a license agreement for an area of the country, the footer must state that the product is under license and must replicate the format of the site author/guide templates producer’s intentions.
11. The author and guide producer of greatbritishcoastroads.co.uk are not responsible for the person for the actions of a person operating under license, but within the licence are able to cancel the licence should the permissions of the licenses be broken and where the site owner/guide producer feel that such significant action is appropriate.
12. This guide is not for resale without express written permission of the author.
13. By using this guide, the terms and conditions are accepted.
14. The domain main of greatbritishcoastroads.co.uk has been purchased by the site author/guide producer.
15. The format of the guides should not be reused without express permission of the site owner/guide producer.
16. The exact detail of the guides should not be reused without express permission of the site owner/guide producer.
17. The photographs should not be cropped or reused for resale or personal use without the express permission of the site owner/guide producer.
