I just bought this book (Kindle version) for an upcoming week trip to London (in addition to the RS audio tours).
I've tentatively chosen these tours. Has anyone done them and have feedback? Also, about how long did they take?
Thanks!
I didn’t take them, but Joolz is on YouTube. I’ve been watching his tours for awhile now.
Echoing Barbara. Joolz is on YouTube and his videos are excellent!
On YouTube he does not give a length of time for each walk… but I have his book, and he does say how long each walk will take.
His attention to historic detail, quirky focus, and enthusiasm for London make him a fabulous guide. I’d go on any of his walks without hesitation!
I have his book, and he does say how long each walk will take.
I skimmed the Kindle version and didn't see times, even did a search on "hour" with no result. I'll have to check again.
I skimmed the book again and can't find any hint of tour length. Granted I didn't read all 350+ pages but if times are there they're not obvious.
Surely it depends how fast you walk and how long you stop to take a look at things? Google Maps will give you a rough idea of distances involved.
Surely it depends how fast you walk and how long you stop to take a look at things?
True, but I expect there'd be a time estimate, whatever the rough average might be for normal walkers.
Google Maps will give you a rough idea of distances involved.
That would be helpful but the problem is that the tours wander around, circling about and sometimes backtracking a bit. They guide you on a very crooked line so it would be cumbersome to plot each point in Google Maps.
Without having the text in front of me to attempt to map them on Google, the only one which sounds like any sort of walk point to point is number 4. Just going by your first post, those other walks seem quite short end to end. Like you say, there will probably be a fair bit of backtracking and circling.
Just do them at your own pace. If it's taking too long, ditch it, go off and do something else. Not sure if my pragmatism is a lot of help with your question though :)
I haven't taken any of those walks, but I'd expect the Cuaring Cross-Covent Garden walk to have you on busy streets at least much of the time. When I walk through that area, my first thought is always "I'm sure glad I'm not staying around here." But it's very popular, judging by hotel rates, so it seems a lot of people love it.
I always like to give John Rogers a mention if London walking video creators come up. He has a different style to Joolz, slightly more laid back and thoughtful. Some walks in some really obscure parts of London, many out here in north east London. He lives a couple of miles from me in Leytonstone I think.
He has written two good books. His work ties into the psychogeography movement and is quite engaging prose. His walks detailed in the books are more psychogeographical essays than guides. He's a bit easier to read than Iain Sinclair, another author in this genre. I haven't done any, though I know the areas he covers local to me from walking.
You can read about John Rogers and click through to buy his books on Amazon -
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00GOF04ZQ/about
He's on Youtube here -
