THE RIVER FLEET (FROM BLACKFRIARS TO ST PANCRAS) GUIDED WALKING TOUR WITH AUTHOR PAUL TALLING

Event information

'Paul Talling is a connoisseur of these lost waterways' - BBC The One Show

A detailed 4 hour guided walking tour of the lower part of the River Fleet's course, London's most well-known lost river, with Paul Talling, author of London's Lost Rivers. Starting off outside an Art Nouveau Grade II listed pub which is decorated throughout with multicoloured marble, mosaics, and bronze reliefs of monks. The pub stands on the site of a Dominican Monastery which stood beside the River Fleet. The walk takes in (a partial) view of the outfall chamber into the Thames, a talk about the London sewer system, the sites of the old prisons, bridges and wells that used to line the banks of the Fleet, the Holborn viaduct which spans the Fleet Valley, Smithfield Market (including a brief look at the closed down parts which are also covered in Paul's Derelict London book), Hockley In the Hole an ancient haunt of thieves and the site of bear-baiting where you can now hear the Fleet flowing beneath a drain cover, finishing up at the St Pancras Old Church where people once bathed in the adjacent Fleet plus a look at a few of the interesting gravestones.

Other intriguing points along the route include the Clerkenwell courthouse where The Clash were kept in the cells, the site on Farringdon St where the Labour Party was founded, the street where Charles Dickens located Fagin's Den ending up at the churchyard where the Beatles shot album sleeve photos.

Please note that this walk is wholly above ground and there will be no subterranean trips down to the sewers! Dogs are welcome. The tour lasts approximately 4 hours. There is a toilet stop along the way, but no lunch stop. You are welcome to bring snacks to eat along the way. If you fancy breakfast beforehand, your best bet is 10 mins walk away from the meeting point - The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon), 29-35 Farringdon Rd, London EC1M 3JF. We visit a pub in Camden at the end of the walk which serves food.

'These are guided walks unlike any others. Many people are regulars & you have to book online months in advance, and when new walks are announced most of them are full within a day of the email going out! Paul is an absolute mine of information, not just about the history of the places on the walk, but everything else too. It's a real mix of Paul's own lived experience and his meticulous research. The tours feel really informal and personal - unscripted and relaxed, and always ending at a 'real boozer'.' Robin (www.eastbournediary.co.uk)

By purchasing a ticket for a walk, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

• Although public liability insurance is held, the organiser shall not be held responsible for accidents, injury, loss or damage to persons or property as a consequence of participation in Paul Talling's walks. Ticket holders are responsible for their safety while taking part in a walk. The guide is responsible for showing ticket holders sites of interest, but not to steward ticket holders across roads etc.

• The tour goes ahead regardless of the weather. No refunds due to inclement weather are given.

• The walk will depart promptly at the advertised time & will not wait for late-comers. If a ticket holder misses the walk, no refund will be given. You are strongly urged to check TFL for weekend engineering works that may affect your journey.

• Once a ticket has been purchased, the agency is unable to offer a refund or swap dates.