Having new adventures in London are pretty high on the agenda over at TCé HQ and since we’ve celebrated our 2nd birthday recently (the belated card’s in the post right?) - we thought we would get back to our roots - out exploring the big smoke and burning off the birthday cake. Cue Jonny from Bowl of Chalk: not a street artist adorning the pavements with artwork using the medium of chalk but an urban explorer who employs cockney rhyming slang to describe his weekend activities - a series of informative, fun and friendly walks about a lesser-known London.
I opted to try his St Paul’s Cathedral to Monument tour which is an area packed with history and incident - as well as some funny old English traditions. Without giving too much away, we managed to pack in a high point, a bridge with a difference, Christopher Wren’s house (or is it?), a big puddle, a prostitute’s burial ground, a brush with Keats and sheep herding across London Bridge… just to mention a few! The group was a friendly, intimate mix of Londoners wanting to get to know the city in a different way and have lots of laughs on the way around. Audience participation is encouraged bringing a fresh, personal feel to the walk. This is not your standard walking tour and working on a tipping policy (just pay what you want or can) Jonny isn’t your standard tour operator. So if you’re looking for a friendly way to learn more about London, you need not (walk) further. (Words: Laura Thornley, Pic: bowlofchalk.net)
