Whether you want to get about London under your own steam, or take a virtual trip on the Tube, we’ve got the gen.A walk in agreeable company
If you live in or near London and want to know more about the history of the bits you don’t usually visit, or even the bits you do, then we have the answer: go for a walk with a nice chap talking into your ear. If someone asks you about reliable guides who don’t shout and hold umbrellas in the air, let them in on the same secret.
If you download a Free Walks in London podcast to your MP3 player or iPod, it will be like arranging with a knowledgeable but slightly hesitant chum to go for a walk with you. I listened to the first few minutes of a couple of the walks, and I liked what I heard.
The Docklands one starts in Shadwell tube station, where there is some building work going on. Consequently the friendly chap doing the chat has to compete with a lot of crashing and banging. There are some pauses while he checks his notes to tell us exactly how to get to Shadwell. Still, it makes it wonderfully "authentic", and once he gets into his stride, I feel that I am in good hands.
Each walk has a written introduction, which sets the mood for the walk to come. There are walks all over London, from Bayswater to Clerkenwell, from Regents Park to Bergen. Bergen? Surely that’s in Norway? It is, but apparently he just popped it in because "it was too good to miss". Rather endearing, I thought, and a bit daft. But it’s still a great site.
(From the Gateway to websites, select "London". Free Walks in London is under "Tourism, travel and facilities".)
Where does that line really go?
While we’re in London, have a look (just above the Free Walks in London entry on the Gateway) at the Interactive Tube Map. This is not a Transport for London offering. It’s not clear who exactly does promote it, but it uses Google mapping to show the Tube lines in their proper, geographical position. It’s informative and great fun.
You can view the Tube lines superimposed on a street plan of London, or swap that for a satellite view or – a bit confusing, this – a hybrid view with Tube + street plan + satellite. The default pointer is the "grab" hand - just left click and drag the map to see the bit you want.
Marvel at how close the Victoria Line goes to the Emirates Stadium. Make the pointer "hover" over a station symbol to find out its name, which lines it’s on, and which busses pass by. Or just follow a line to see where it really goes (switching between views to get the most out of it). Fascinating and, if you’re that way inclined, possibly addictive.
(From the Gateway to websites, select "London". Interactive Tube Map is under "Tourism, travel and facilities".)
Picture: mantasmagorical/morguefile.com
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