Lesley Walks London

Myddelton Square and Spa Fields: a Health & History walk
2025-11-28 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/London)
This is one of a series of free walks developed by Islington Guided Walks for Islington Council. These walks are the perfect chance to stroll at a gentle pace and appreciate some of Islington’s finest green spaces, while hearing about fascinating and inspiring local history. They are therefore shorter and slower than many of my walks and hopefully just as enjoyable in a different way!

On this walk we will explore a beautiful Clerkenwell square built by the historic New River Company, then wander down to Spa Green gardens and hear more history of this fascinating area.

More details and reservations (do please book ahead) for this and monthly walks in other Islington green spaces here.

Clerkenwell Crime and Punishment
2025-12-02 11:00 - 13:30 | Farringdon Station EC1M 6BY United Kingdom, EC1M 6BY, United Kingdom
Turbulent centuries of monasteries, vengeance, courthouses, prisons, murder, social reformers, a bomb plot and more….

Clerkenwell lies just outside the old City, originally the location of the monastic houses from the late 1100s. When Henry VIII siezed these in the 1500s, some occupants met grim fates. Over the following centuries, the population increased greatly as London grew and people came looking for work, and in turn the area became overcrowded, crime-ridden and squalid. As it lay outside the City’s direct jurisdiction (part of Middlesex), the area attracted radicals, rebels and criminals. The local system of magistrates, judges and parishes in turn built prisons, courthouses and workhouses.

This walk explores the nature of crime and the various punishments meted out over the centuries in this fascinating area. The route is roughly circular so we will start and end near Farringdon Station – allow 2 hours +.

More details and booking on Eventbrite here

Dalston, Newington Green and Mildmay
2026-05-03 11:00 - 13:00
Apologies, cancelled, plan to reschedule.

A walk circling the Hackney and Islington border north-east of Dalston. An amazingly diverse area including an ancient leper hospital, a disused Jewish cemetery, a centre for intellectual debate, dissent and education, the oldest terraced houses in London, fields where Henry the Eighth hunted, a Grade I listed church and more. We’ll also hear about the origins and story of the ‘Mildmay’ name now used on the rail line through the heart of Hackney.

This walk is just one of the many events in the 3rd Hackney History Festival taking place across the borough this May. More information and booking link for this walk is here.

Historic Hoxton
2026-05-13 14:00 - 16:00
Apologies, cancelled, plan to reschedule.

Hoxton and Shoreditch today are often known as fashionable parts of east London, areas to eat out in and go clubbing. It’s also an area of astonishing contrasts from post war estates and a park reclaimed from bombed houses, through to surviving elegant 18C houses, almshouses, a radical 19C reforming local authority and road layouts dating back to the Romans.

The Gunpowder Plot was unmasked here in 1605, an enterprising gardener successfully created the first plant hybrids in 1729, and the first woman Mayor of Shoreditch was elected in 1936.

This walk is just one of the many events in the 3rd Hackney History Festival taking place across the borough this May. More information and booking link for this walk is here.

Islington Health and History walk: Rosemary Gardens N1
2026-05-29 11:00 - 12:15
This is one of a series of free walks developed by Islington Guided Walks for Islington Council. These walks are the perfect chance to stroll at a gentle pace and appreciate some of Islington’s finest green spaces, while hearing about fascinating and inspiring local history. They are therefore shorter and slower than many of my walks and hopefully just as enjoyable in a different way!

This gentle walk explores leafy Rosemary Gardens and the surrounding streets and buildings. We will stroll past grassy and wilder woodland areas, see planting to encourage wildlife, a tree that grows beans and a football training pitch opened by Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger!

Centuries ago, archery was a popular sport here, then the local inn’s pleasure gardens and country air attracted visitors from the City until a lead factory was built on the site. We will also learn more about the intriguing local history, including the nearby canal, houses and warehouses.

More details and reservations for this and monthly walks in other Islington green spaces here. These walks are generously funded by Islington Council and are free to attend, but please do reserve in advance as they are very popular.
