{"id":22550,"date":"2018-07-09T10:55:49","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T09:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thevoiceoflondon.co.uk\/?p=22550"},"modified":"2018-07-09T10:55:49","modified_gmt":"2018-07-09T09:55:49","slug":"22550-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/22550-2\/","title":{"rendered":"A cheap solution to Summertime fun: Walks!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Words and Photos: Delmar Terblanche<\/strong>
\nSubbing: Harrison Hindle<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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There was a time when \u201cEnglish Summer\u201d was a punchline. But with the nationwide heatwave set to continue another week (albeit with slightly lower temperatures), that time feels like a distant memory. The question then becomes – how best to make use of a genuine London Summer? This isn\u2019t a beach city, nor is it famous for its outdoors scenery. Not to mention, of course, that it\u2019s one of the most expensive places on earth.<\/p>\n

Well, the solution is here: morning walks. I know those two words aren\u2019t exactly relaxing ones, but there\u2019s a lot to be said for walking through a London summer. For one, it\u2019s cheap, and, for another, you can avoid the stinking, sweaty, sodden crowds that plague the tube and the buses this time of year. But, most importantly, walks offer a whole new way to appreciate this marvellous city. With eight million people, two thousand years of history, and 9,300 double decker buses, London really is one of the densest and most intriguing cities on earth, and a well planned walk through the city\u2019s heart can help to remind us just how true that is. After all, as Samuel Johnson said: \u201cWhen a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.\u201d So, let\u2019s get living!<\/span><\/p>\n

Planning<\/b><\/p>\n

A perfect London walk requires two things: good weather and a set route. As the former is now upon us, it only makes sense to look into the latter and plan a great day out. London has oodles of famous walking routes – from a stroll down the Southbank<\/a> to the gorgeous Jubilee Greenway<\/a>, but making the right choice isn\u2019t just about the sights: it\u2019s about the story. Every walk through London offers a unique opportunity to absorb a different portion of the city\u2019s past- a different set of lives and loves and legends. When selecting your walk, read up on the history of the buildings and streets you pass. You never know what you\u2019ll find.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it came to my walk, things were somewhat clearer. I chose a route favoured by the late great film critic Roger Ebert, who boasted that he had walked this road in every season and at every time of day, and had even written<\/a> about it beforehand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A map of Roger Ebert’s “perfect London walk”<\/p><\/div>\n

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My Walk<\/b><\/p>\n

We begin with the second best cup of coffee in London (the first can be found in Soho, at Bar Italia – a 98 year old institution staffed by cranky Sicilians in bow ties). Still, second best ain’t bad. Monmouth, outside the Borough markets in Southwark, serves 16 different blends from 10 different countries. Its queues spill far out the doors, a challenge the store meets by having its waitstaff take your order in the alley, then hand you your coffee as you reach the till.<\/span><\/p>\n