London's Hidden Walks: Volumes 1-3

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That sounds pretty epic. Even by London standards where our attitude to old stuff is decidedly lax because there’s just so much of it. Meanwhile, the very names of the streets through which you will weave, will conjure up vivid images of the trades and activities that were once practiced in them. Still, there’s no denying that some of London’s mews are rather attractive – but as they pop up on the ‘gram with increasing frequency, some of them are starting to feel like a rather boring slow-mo circus of awkwardly posed models. While the Queen's Wood cafe may be closed, try to catch a glimpse of their pretty garden. Nunhead Cemetery HighlightsThe car-free stretch along prettyRegent’s Canal, riverside restaurants, Victoria Miro gallery, Broadway Market, Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,ArcelorMittal Orbit.

The streets of London are inexhaustible in the tales they have to tell. Following the success of Steven Millar’s first two volumes, London’s Hidden Walks Vol.3 introduces twelve new walks that will surprise and entertain the intrepid explorer.Here you will be confronted by a tiny little hostelry that dates from the 1540's, in a beveled window of which you will catch a glimpse of a curious relic that Elizabeth 1st, supposedly, once danced around! Still, while some places like the Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town and Nightjar have made their way onto most people’s radars, others like Oriole have stayed relatively low-key. Underneath the behemoth that is Waterloo Station, in the bowels of the maze of arches that crisscross below the ground, you’ll find another of London’s cool spots – Leake Street Tunnel. Stephen Millar has already enjoyed considerable success with London’s City Churches, also published by Metro Publications. He now casts his net wider, walking London’s streets and discovering its history. On the way, you’ll take in the best of Richmond, from the little lanes to the Thames Path. At the end, you’ll have options for continuing your walk in whatever way suits your tastes.

Meet the route at the north end of the Hampton Court Bridge. Walk with the river on your right and admire the Hampton Court Bridge and the palace. That’s not where the story ends though. The name supposedly comes from a tree that Elizabeth I rested under as she took refuge here on a journey through the Great North Wood that used to cover most of South London. Might we tempt you with a visual snifter, as you look up at some of the curious reliefs that adorn the walls of a famous old gin distiller's former premises? Hidden away from the busy main roads you will find a secret city of medieval streets, narrow alleyways, hidden courtyards and ancient buildings.The origins of the name are, probably, rather mundane; but, local folklore could never let such a name slip by without imbuing its origins with a colorful legend. If you’re interested in taking this walk, you can find the route, pictures, map, and video on my Richmond walk blog post. This leafy, waterside section of the Thames is lovely even when it’s spitting rain. You’ll meander around and over the rivers and canals, passing posh high streets, historic pubs, manors and mansions.

At the North side of Regent’s Park, get into a little real estate porn with the canalside villas only billionaires could afford We’re not throwing shade. Believe us, we are not (well, we kind of are but in the friendliest, loveliest way). Long read: Distillation of a brilliant guide’s many years’ experience probing the hidden places and forgotten nooks of the world’s most elusive city. Exploring secret London – up creeping lanes, round out-of-the-way corners, past veiled islands of green – Shaughan’s at his inimitable best. As the New York Times put it, the walk is “a highly entertaining… blend of historical commentary and bizarre anecdote laced with mildly scurrilous gossip about past and present celebrities and defunct royals.”In such places and with such a guide, the past becomes our present.

LONDON WALKS PRIVATE WALKS

This is a simply beautiful stretch of Regent’s Canal. Best at sunrise or twilight, when the sun reflects on the water and all the houseboats are illuminated. HighlightsHouses of Parliament, Southbank Centre,London Eye,Shakespeare’s Globe,Tate Modern, Millenium Bridge, Borough Market, The Shard, Tower Bridge, Tower of London. Walk along Alma Terrace, Heathfield Road, and Magdalen Road, passing the Beatrix Potter primary school. You’ll pass near Wandsworth Prison. We need to take a little detour off the towpath, but we’ll rejoin after the private section at Lisson Grove